Austria's Independence: A Historical Overview

Austria's path to independence has been a long and tumultuous one. In 1867, Emperor Francis Joseph approved the establishment of the Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary, which collapsed after the First World War. In 1918, Austria was proclaimed a republic, but it struggled to find its place in the new European order. The country was annexed by the Third Reich in 1938, and it ceased to exist as an independent nation. After the Second World War, with the help of the Allied Forces, the independent Republic of Austria was set up in 1945, but it remained occupied by the four great powers until the signing of the Austrian State Treaty in 1955.

The Austrian State Treaty

Austria's path to independence was a long and complex one. In 1867, Emperor Francis Joseph approved the establishment of the Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary. This multinational state collapsed after the First World War, partly due to the drive for independence among its various nationalities. As the surviving state of the former Dual Monarchy, Austria was proclaimed a republic in 1918. However, it struggled to find its place in the new European order and fell prey to the pressure of aggression from Hitler's Germany and an unstable domestic political situation.

In 1934, several members of the Schutzbund were executed, the Social Democratic Party was outlawed, and many of its members were imprisoned or emigrated. The Austrofascists imposed a new constitution, which cemented the power of Dollfuss, but he was assassinated in an Austrian Nazi coup attempt in July of that year. His successor, Kurt Schuschnigg, acknowledged that Austria was a "German state" but wished for it to remain independent. He announced a referendum on Austria's independence from Germany, to be held on 13 March 1938. However, before the referendum could take place, Austria was annexed by the Third Reich and ceased to exist as an independent country (the Anschluss).

It was not until after the Second World War that Austria regained its independence. With the help of the Allied Forces, the independent Republic of Austria was set up in 1945. However, it remained occupied by the four great powers: France, Great Britain, the Soviet Union, and the United States until the signing of the Austrian State Treaty in 1955.

The Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary

In 1934, the Austrofascists imposed a new constitution, which was followed by the assassination of Dollfuss in a Nazi coup attempt. His successor, Kurt Schuschnigg, acknowledged Austria as a "German state", but wished for it to remain independent. However, in 1938, Austria was annexed by the Third Reich and lost its independence.

After the Second World War, the independent Republic of Austria was set up in 1945 with the help of the Allied Forces, but it remained occupied by the four great powers until the signing of the Austrian State Treaty in 1955.

The Hungarian government's independence from the Habsburgs

In 1867, Emperor Francis Joseph approved the establishment of the Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary. This multinational state collapsed after the First World War, not least because of the drive for independence among its numerous nationalities.

Hungary's independence from the Habsburgs was first proclaimed in April 1849. In the same month, the Austrian government requested military aid from Russia. This was a decision that would come back to haunt them. The Hungarian government's independence from the Habsburgs was short-lived.

In 1918, the surviving state of the former Dual Monarchy, Austria was proclaimed a republic. However, it was difficult for this small nation to find its place in the new European order. In 1934, the Austrofascists imposed a new constitution, which cemented Dollfuss's power. On 25 July, he was assassinated in an Austrian Nazi coup attempt. His successor, Kurt Schuschnigg, acknowledged that Austria was a "German state" and believed that Austrians were "better Germans". However, he wished for Austria to remain independent.

In 1938, Austria fell prey to the pressure of aggression by Hitler's Germany and the unstable domestic political situation. On 13 March 1938, Austria was annexed by the Third Reich and ceased to exist as an independent country. It wasn't until 1955 that Austria became an independent republic again, with the signing of the Austrian State Treaty.

The Austrian Nazi coup attempt

In 1867, Emperor Francis Joseph approved the establishment of the Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary. This multinational state collapsed after the First World War, not least because of the drive for independence among its numerous nationalities. As the surviving state of the former Dual Monarchy, Austria was proclaimed a republic in 1918. However, it was difficult for this small nation to find its place in the new European order. In 1938, the country fell prey to the pressure of aggression by Hitler's Germany and the unstable domestic political situation.

On 1 May 1934, the Austrofascists imposed a new constitution ("Maiverfassung") which cemented Dollfuss's power, but on 25 July he was assassinated in an Austrian Nazi coup attempt. His successor, Kurt Schuschnigg, acknowledged the fact that Austria was a "German state" and he also believed that Austrians were "better Germans", but he wished that Austria would remain independent. Schuschnigg announced a referendum on 9 March 1938, to be held on 13 March, concerning Austria's independence from Germany. However, on 13 March 1938, Austria was annexed by the Third Reich and ceased to exist as an independent country (the Anschluss).

The Austrian Nazi movement had been active since the 1920s, but it was not until the early 1930s that it gained significant support. The Great Depression had a devastating impact on Austria, and many Austrians turned to extremist ideologies in search of solutions to the country's economic woes. The Nazis exploited this situation to their advantage, presenting themselves as a strong and dynamic alternative to the struggling democratic government.

By the time of the coup attempt in 1934, the Austrian Nazis had established a significant presence in the country, particularly among the military and the civil service. They had also forged close links with their German counterparts, who provided them with financial and logistical support. The coup attempt itself was a coordinated effort involving Nazi sympathisers in the military, the police, and the civil service. However, it was ultimately thwarted by loyal elements within the Austrian security forces, who managed to maintain control of the country.

The Anschluss

Austria was part of the multinational state of Austria-Hungary until the end of the First World War. After the war, Austria was proclaimed a republic in 1918, but it was difficult for the small nation to find its place in the new European order.

In the 1930s, Austria was under pressure from Hitler's Germany and was suffering from an unstable domestic political situation. The Austrofascists imposed a new constitution in 1934, which cemented Dollfuss's power. However, he was assassinated in an Austrian Nazi coup attempt in July 1934. His successor, Kurt Schuschnigg, acknowledged that Austria was a "German state" and believed that Austrians were "better Germans". However, he wished for Austria to remain independent.

On 9 March 1938, Schuschnigg announced a referendum on Austria's independence from Germany, to be held on 13 March. However, before the referendum could take place, Austria was annexed by the Third Reich on 12 March 1938. This event, known as "The Anschluss", resulted in Austria ceasing to exist as an independent country.

Despite the annexation, many Austrians continued to resist Nazi rule and worked to regain their country's independence. The Austrian resistance movement played an important role in opposing the Nazis and helping to liberate the country from their occupation. After the end of the Second World War, the independent Republic of Austria was re-established in 1945 with the help of the Allied Forces. However, it remained occupied by the four great powers: France, Great Britain, the Soviet Union, and the United States until the signing of the Austrian State Treaty in 1955.

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