Ussr And Austria: Who Owned Whom?

Austria was occupied by the USSR, along with the UK, the US, and France, after World War II. However, the USSR did not own Austria. The country was divided into four occupation zones, with Vienna being subdivided and collectively administered by the four powers. The occupation ended in 1955 when the Austrian State Treaty came into force, and the country was granted full independence.

The USSR and Austria were never unified

The Soviet Union's interest in Austria was primarily economic. They expropriated hundreds of businesses and placed Austrian oil fields under their administration. The Soviet Union's goal was to rebuild its own economy, which had been ravaged by the war. However, their occupation of Austria was not aimed at incorporating it into their postwar empire. Instead, Stalin envisioned Austria developing into a peaceful, Moscow-friendly state that would eventually transition to a Socialist system.

Despite the Soviet Union's presence in Austria, the country was never unified with the USSR. In 1955, the four occupying powers signed the Austrian State Treaty, which reinstated Austria's sovereignty and neutrality. This treaty also outlawed any future unification with Germany and banned Nazism. The last occupation troops left Austria in October 1955, marking the end of the occupation and the beginning of the country's independence and neutrality.

While there were attempts by Austrian Communists to forge a closer relationship with the Soviet Union, these efforts were ultimately unsuccessful. The Soviet Union recognized that a small territory in eastern Austria would be a liability rather than an asset, and they abandoned any plans for a unified state.

In summary, while the Soviet Union did exert influence over Austria during the post-World War II occupation, the two countries were never unified. Austria maintained its separate identity and sovereignty, eventually regaining full independence and neutrality through the Austrian State Treaty of 1955.

The USSR liberated Austria from Nazi Germany

The USSR played a key role in liberating Austria from Nazi Germany, with Soviet troops entering Austria in the winter of 1945. The liberation of Austria from Nazi rule was a significant event in the final stages of World War II, and it marked the beginning of the country's occupation by the Allies and its path towards independence. Here is a more detailed account of the USSR's role in liberating Austria:

The Advance of Soviet Troops:

The troops from the 3rd and 2nd Ukrainian Fronts, numbering around 1 million, approached Austria's border from Hungary in the winter of 1945. The fighting in Hungary was intense and resulted in significant losses for the Red Army. However, they regrouped and launched a counterattack, leading to the Vienna Strategic Offensive Operation.

Liberation of Vienna:

The Soviet troops advanced towards Vienna and captured the Austrian capital. The Battle of Vienna resulted in heavy casualties for the Red Army, with 17,000 lives lost. After taking Vienna, the Red Army continued their advance towards other cities like Linz and Graz in early May 1945.

Soviet Occupation Policies:

The Moscow Declaration of 1943 shaped Soviet occupation policies in Austria. The USSR, along with the UK and the US, proclaimed that Austria was the first victim of Nazi aggression but would also have to bear responsibility for its participation. This declaration laid the foundation for Austria's eventual emergence as an independent state. The Red Army occupied only parts of Austria, including Vienna, while Anglo-American troops entered from Germany and Italy.

Austria's Independence:

On April 27, 1945, Austria was declared independent from Nazi Germany by the Allies, which was later confirmed by the Berlin Declaration on June 5, 1945. This declaration marked the official end of the Anschluss, or the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany in 1938. Austria was then divided into four occupation zones, jointly occupied by the UK, the USSR, the US, and France.

Impact of Soviet Liberation:

The liberation of Austria by the USSR had a significant impact on the country's future. It allowed for the re-establishment of Austrian governance and the formation of a provisional government led by Austrian politician Karl Renner. The liberation also set the stage for the country's independence, which was fully realized on May 15, 1955, after the Austrian State Treaty came into force.

In conclusion, the USSR played a crucial role in liberating Austria from Nazi Germany, and their military campaigns in the region contributed to the defeat of Nazi forces and the eventual independence of Austria. The liberation of Austria marked a turning point in the country's history, allowing it to emerge from the war as an independent and democratic nation.

The USSR occupied Austria from 1945-1955

On 29 March 1945, Soviet commander Fyodor Tolbukhin's troops crossed the former Austrian border, and on 3 April, Austrian politician Karl Renner established contact with the Soviets. On 20 April, the Soviets instructed Renner to form a provisional government, which took office a week later, declaring Austria's independence from Nazi Germany.

During the first year of occupation, the Soviets re-established district administrations and appointed local mayors, following the advice of locals. They also engaged in systematic sexual violence against women, which harmed the Red Army's reputation. Throughout 1945 and 1946, Soviet command tried in vain to contain desertion and plunder by rank-and-file soldiers. According to Austrian police records for 1946, "men in Soviet uniform" accounted for more than 90% of registered crimes.

In 1946, the Soviet occupation policy shifted from outright plunder to running expropriated Austrian businesses for profit. The Administration for Soviet Property in Austria (USIA) was formed in the Soviet zone, controlling over 400 expropriated Austrian companies. While USIA only accounted for 5% of Austrian national output, it possessed a significant or monopolistic share in some industries, such as glass making, leather, and iron and steel. The US suppressed USIA operations through a "neutralization plan", and Marshall Plan funds were invested in competing businesses outside the Soviet zone.

In 1955, Austria became an independent state again, and the Soviet Union withdrew its troops. The assets of USIA were sold to the Austrian government, and the country enacted a Declaration of Neutrality, agreeing never to join a military alliance or allow foreign troops to be based within Austria.

The USSR exploited Austria for economic gain

The USSR did not own Austria, but the country was occupied by the USSR, the US, the UK, and France after World War II. In 1945, the USSR pushed the Nazis out of Austria and proceeded to loot and pillage the country. The USSR also installed a provisional federal government under the elderly Social Democrat Dr Karl Renner, in which the Austrian communists controlled the crucial ministries of the interior and education.

Austria was never at the centre of Soviet interest or engagement in Central Europe. However, the country was earmarked for heavy economic exploitation to rebuild the Soviet Union. The USSR expropriated over 450 formerly German-owned businesses and placed almost all Austrian oil fields under Soviet administration. By 1955, the majority of these companies were close to bankruptcy.

In addition, the USSR took full advantage of the Potsdam Agreement, which allowed the confiscation of "German external assets" in Austria. In less than a year, the USSR dismantled and shipped industrial equipment valued at around $500 million to the East. This act of economic exploitation was one of the many fronts of the Cold War.

The USSR and Austria had a history of complex diplomatic relations

However, the relationship between the two countries was not solely antagonistic. The Soviet Union played a crucial role in liberating Austria from Nazi rule, and the 1943 Moscow Declaration, signed by the foreign ministers of the US, UK, and the USSR, declared the annexation of Austria by Germany as null and void, paving the way for the establishment of a free Austria after the war. Additionally, the Soviet Union and Austria had a history of cooperation and alliances dating back to the time of the Habsburgs, when Russia and Austria were allies against the Ottomans and France.

The complex diplomatic relations between the USSR and Austria continued into the early years of the Cold War. The Soviet Union pushed for the establishment of a neutral Austria, which was eventually achieved with the Austrian State Treaty of 1955, under which Austria pledged total neutrality in the Cold War confrontation between the East and West. This treaty also mandated that Austria never seek unification with other German-speaking nations and that it maintain the Soviet War Memorial in Vienna. The Soviet Union respected Austria's neutrality, even during the 1968 invasion of Czechoslovakia, and the two countries maintained economic relations, with Austria becoming the first Western European country to import natural gas from the Soviet Union in 1968.

Despite periods of tension and conflict, the diplomatic relations between the USSR and Austria were complex and multifaceted, involving cooperation, competition, and antagonism at different points in history.

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