Austria's Communism Dodge: A Historical Perspective

Austria's Communist Party (KPÖ) has a long history dating back to 1918, but it has not had any representation in the National Council since 1959. However, the party has recently undergone an organizational overhaul and shifted its focus to local and regional-level structures, as well as providing direct aid to working people. This has led to some success in state-level elections, and the party now has a realistic chance of returning to parliament in the upcoming general election.

The KPÖ's strategy focuses on bread-and-butter issues, especially affordable housing, and its officials have a salary cap, with any excess funds going to a social aid fund. The party also holds social office hours to help constituents with bureaucratic issues and provide financial support. This approach has built the KPÖ's profile as the top party for affordable housing in Austria.

While the KPÖ still faces challenges in onboarding new members and has a long way to go in realizing its goals, its recent successes at the state level indicate that it is making progress. The upcoming election will be a test of whether the KPÖ's approach will be enough to regain national representation.

The Communist Party of Austria (KPÖ)

During the First Republic, the KPÖ struggled to gain influence due to competition from the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ) and internal factional struggles. However, in the late 1920s, the party underwent reforms that aligned it with the principles of democratic centralism, which helped to overcome its factional issues. Despite this, the KPÖ was banned between 1933 and 1945 under both the Austrofascist regime and the Nazi German administration of Austria. During this time, the party operated underground and played a role in the resistance against Nazism.

Following World War II, the KPÖ gained national importance as it had the support of the occupying Soviet authorities. The party was represented in the first provisional government and held several ministerial positions. However, their influence waned due to their close association with Moscow and their failure to condemn the suppression of the 1956 Hungarian uprising. The party also faced internal conflicts, with critics accusing the leadership of revisionism and betrayal of Marxism.

In recent years, the KPÖ has seen a revival, particularly in the state of Styria and its capital, Graz. In 2021, the party won the city council election in Graz, and Elke Kahr of the KPÖ became the city's mayor. The party's success in Graz has been attributed to its focus on housing as a political issue and its practice of face-to-face contact with constituents. The KPÖ has also made breakthroughs in other cities, such as Salzburg, where it has increased its vote share significantly and has a chance to win the mayor's office.

The KPÖ combines radical-democratic reform policies with a transformative perspective to overcome capitalism. The party strives for a democratic form of socialism, aiming for a classless society, the protection of nature, and the end of patriarchy. While the KPÖ does not currently have representation in the National Council, it holds seats in several state parliaments and has a presence in municipal councils across the country.

Austria's independence treaty

The Austrian State Treaty, also known as the Austrian Independence Treaty, was signed on 15 May 1955 in Vienna, at the Schloss Belvedere Palace. The treaty was signed by the foreign ministers of the Allied occupying powers (France, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the Soviet Union) and the Austrian government. The treaty came into force on 27 July 1955, officially ending the Allied occupation of Austria and establishing Austria as a sovereign and democratic state.

The road to the Austrian State Treaty was a long and challenging one, taking almost nine years of negotiations. The main points of contention were the issue of reparations to the Soviet Union and the question of Austria's neutrality. The Soviet Union demanded concessions from Austria, including German assets in Austria and oil fields, as well as a guarantee of neutrality, before agreeing to withdraw its troops.

The final text of the treaty was the result of intense bargaining between the ambassadors of the occupying powers. One of the most contentious issues was Article 35, which transferred a vast collection of former German enterprises in Austria, including the Danube Shipping Company, to the Soviet Union. This article was a stumbling block, but a compromise was reached, and it was included in the final treaty with a note binding the Russians to the arrangements made by the Austrian Chancellor with Moscow.

The Austrian State Treaty had several important provisions, including the restoration of Austrian independence, the withdrawal of occupation troops, the re-establishment of Austria's boundaries as they were on 1 January 1938, and the prohibition of another Anschluss with Germany. The treaty also respected Austria's territorial integrity and included recognition of the minority rights of the Slovene and Croat minorities. Additionally, the occupying powers agreed to recognise and observe Austria's neutrality.

The signing of the Austrian State Treaty was a joyous occasion for Austria, marking the end of 17 years of occupation and the restoration of the country's sovereignty. The treaty played a crucial role in securing Austria's independence and neutrality during the Cold War era.

Soviet occupation

The Soviet Union's occupation of Austria began in April 1945, when Soviet commander Fyodor Tolbukhin's troops crossed the former Austrian border. By July 1945, the Four Powers—Britain, France, the US, and the USSR—had agreed to divide Austria into four occupation zones, much like they did in Germany. The Soviets occupied the zone including Burgenland, Lower Austria, and the Mühlviertel area of Upper Austria, north of the Danube. Vienna, the capital, was split amongst all four powers.

The Soviet occupation of Austria was shaped to a large extent by the Moscow Declaration of 1943, in which the British, Americans, and Soviets proclaimed that Austria was Germany's first victim but would also have to pay the price for its participation in Nazi aggression. This meant that Austria would emerge as an independent state, avoiding some of the worst aspects of Germany's fate. The Western Allies also successfully opposed the Kremlin's plans to impose burdensome war reparations on Austria.

However, the Western Allies consented to Moscow's demand that the Soviets should be entitled to German assets in Austria in their zone of occupation. As a result, Austria ended up paying more than five times what Stalin originally demanded. Local governments were obliged to feed and clothe the Red Army, which was an enormous burden on the war-ravaged country.

The Soviet Union deployed NKVD (Soviet secret police) teams of professional looters to extract reparations through requisitions, seizing industrial plants, production installations, and goods. In June 1946, 30% of the national budget went into covering the occupation costs. From 1946 to 1955, Austria paid the Soviet Union 36.8 billion Schillings, or two percent of the accumulated GDP.

The fact that Moscow did not plan or try to impose a communist dictatorship in Austria meant that the scale of political violence experienced by Austrians was more limited than in other countries occupied by the Red Army. By 1955, when the Red Army pulled out of the country, the Soviets had arrested 2,400 Austrians, 1,250 of whom were prosecuted for everything from war crimes to everyday criminal activity. Some 150 were executed, while others received lengthy prison terms.

The Soviets pulled out of Austria in 1955, along with the Western Allies, in exchange for Austria's promises that it would remain neutral in the Cold War.

The Moscow Declaration of 1943

The Declaration on Austria stated that the annexation (Anschluss) of Austria by Germany was null and void and called for the establishment of a free and independent Austria after victory over Nazi Germany. The declaration also held the Austrian people as a whole responsible for participating in the war on Germany's side. It reminded Austria that it would have to make its own contribution to its liberation.

The Moscow Declaration was a significant step towards Austria's independence from Nazi Germany and set the framework for the country's post-war future. It was also influenced by the recognition that Austria had been the first free country to fall victim to Hitler's aggression.

During the occupation of Austria by the Allies, the Declaration played a crucial role in shaping the policies implemented by the occupying powers, particularly the Soviet Union. The Soviets, adhering to the Declaration, treated Austria as a victim of German aggression while still holding it accountable for its participation in Nazi crimes. As a result, Austria avoided some of the harshest consequences faced by defeated Axis powers, such as territorial losses and mass expulsions of its citizens.

The Communist Party of Austria (KPÖ) played a significant role in the resistance against Nazism during the occupation. Taking the Moscow Declaration seriously, they actively fought against Hitler's regime, with more than 4,000 communists imprisoned or sent to concentration camps and over 2,000 losing their lives. The KPÖ's efforts contributed to Austria's liberation and the eventual restoration of its independence.

The Austrian State Treaty

A key precondition for the Soviet Union's consent to withdraw its troops was Austria's commitment to perpetual neutrality. This neutrality served as a buffer between the East and West blocs during the Cold War. Additionally, the treaty addressed various political, territorial, and military provisions, including the minority rights of the Slovene and Croat minorities, the prohibition of Anschluss (Austria's political union with Germany), and the ban on Nazi and fascist organizations.

The road to Austrian independence was challenging, shaped by competing interests and ideological differences. However, the Austrian State Treaty ultimately played a pivotal role in securing Austria's sovereignty and establishing a framework for the country's future development as a neutral actor on the world stage.

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