Germans In Austria-Hungary: Population In 1914

In 1914, the Austro-Hungarian Empire was home to over 51 million people, with Germans and Hungarians making up the two largest ethnic groups. In this answer, we will explore how many Germans lived in Austria-Hungary on the eve of the First World War.

Germans were the largest ethnic group in Austria-Hungary in 1914

The Austro-Hungarian Empire was formed in 1867, with overall political authority held by Emperor Franz Josef. The union was between the Austrian and Hungarian states, which shared a currency but had separate state functions and parliaments. The Hungarian half was dominated by the Magyars, who monopolised political power and enforced a policy of Magyarisation on other nationalities. The German-speaking deputies in Vienna created a national council in October 1918, the "provisional national assembly for German Austria".

Rivalry between Germans and Slovenes in Styria and Carniola

In 1914, the Austro-Hungarian Empire was home to over 51 million people, with Germans and Hungarians making up the two largest ethnic groups. There were around 10 million Germans and 9 million Hungarians living in the empire. The Germans held overall political authority, with the Emperor, Franz Josef, being German. However, there was rivalry between the Germans and other ethnic groups, particularly the Slovenes in Styria and Carniola. This rivalry led to the resignation of the Prime Minister in 1895 due to a dispute over the funding of Slovene language classes in a predominantly German town.

The Hungarians also experienced tension with other nationalities within the empire. In the Hungarian half, the Magyars monopolised political power, and nationalities such as Romanians, Serbs, and Slovaks were forced to endure a policy of Magyarisation, with the Hungarian language being made compulsory in government, education, the law, and the railways.

The empire was characterised by linguistic and cultural diversity, with fifteen different languages spoken across its territory. This diversity led to the formation of various nationalist movements, with many Italians wishing to join with Italy, particularly in the town of Trieste, one of the largest cities in the empire.

To address the growing nationalist sentiments, the Emperor introduced universal male suffrage in the Austrian half of the empire in 1907, hoping to increase support for pro-empire parties and weaken nationalist parties. However, these efforts were ultimately unsuccessful, as demonstrated by the creation of short-lived mini-states during the First World War, such as "German Bohemia" and the Hutsul Republic.

German-speaking parliamentary deputies in Vienna

In 1914, the Austro-Hungarian Empire was home to over 51 million people, with Germans and Hungarians making up the two largest ethnic groups. There were 10 million Germans living in the empire, and they held more political power than the Hungarians. In Vienna, German-speaking parliamentary deputies created a national council on 21 October 1914, forming the "provisional national assembly for German Austria". This assembly was established in response to the growing tensions and rivalries between different ethnic groups within the empire, such as the Slovenes and Germans in Styria and Carniola. The German-speaking deputies in Vienna likely represented the interests of the German population in the empire, who sought to maintain their political influence and cultural dominance.

The creation of the provisional national assembly for German Austria highlights the complex dynamics within the Austro-Hungarian Empire. While the Germans and Hungarians were the two largest ethnic groups, there were also numerous other nationalities, including Poles, Croats, Bosnians, Serbians, Italians, Czechs, Ruthenes, Slovenes, Slovaks, and Romanians. Each of these groups had their own aspirations and interests, which often led to conflicts and rivalries. The German-speaking deputies in Vienna, by establishing their own assembly, sought to assert their autonomy and influence within the empire.

Universal male suffrage was introduced in the Austrian half of the empire in 1907, which expanded the political rights of German-speaking males. This move was partly influenced by the growing Social Democratic Party, which sought to challenge the dominance of the empire-supporting parties. However, the introduction of universal male suffrage also had implications for the German-speaking deputies in Vienna. With more Germans having the right to vote, the deputies' influence and representation in the parliament may have been impacted.

The German-speaking deputies in Vienna operated within the context of the Austro-Hungarian Empire's political structure. The empire was a dual monarchy, with Austria and Hungary sharing a ruler, Emperor Franz Josef, but maintaining separate state functions. While both Austria and Hungary had unelected upper houses and elected lower houses of parliament, Hungarian politicians often complained about the dominance of the Austrian parliament. This power dynamic between Austria and Hungary likely influenced the strategies and priorities of the German-speaking deputies in Vienna, as they navigated the complexities of representing their constituents within the empire.

German towns in the Austro-Hungarian Empire

In 1914, the Austro-Hungarian Empire was home to over 51 million people, with Germans and Hungarians being the two largest ethnic groups. There were 10 million Germans living in the empire, and they were particularly concentrated in the towns of Styria and Carniola, where there was rivalry between the Germans and Slovenes. In 1895, a dispute over the funding of Slovene language classes in a predominantly German town led to the resignation of the Prime Minister.

In Vienna, German-speaking parliamentary deputies created a national council in October 1918, which was called the “provisional national assembly for German Austria”. This was followed by the creation of short-lived mini-states like “German Bohemia” or “German Southern Moravia”.

The Germans in Austria held more political power than the Magyars in Hungary, and the Austrian parliament was considered too powerful by Hungarian politicians. However, both Austria and Hungary shared the same currency.

German language classes in predominantly German towns

In 1914, there were 10 million Germans living in Austria-Hungary, making them the largest ethnic group in the empire. The Austro-Hungarian Empire was a diverse place, with fifteen different languages spoken across its 675,000 square kilometres.

German was the dominant language in many towns and cities, including Vienna, where German-speaking parliamentary deputies created a national council in October 1914. In other predominantly German towns, such as Styria and Carniola, there was rivalry between the Germans and Slovenes over the funding of Slovene language classes. This dispute even led to the resignation of the Prime Minister in 1895.

The situation was different in the Hungarian half of the empire, where the Magyars held more political power than the Germans. Here, nationalities such as Romanians, Serbs, and Slovaks were forced to endure a policy of Magyarisation, with the Hungarian language made compulsory in government, education, the law, and the railways.

Despite the dominance of German in many towns, there were also movements to create autonomous mini-states for other ethnic groups, such as "German Bohemia" or "German Southern Moravia". These short-lived states were created by local provincial authorities during the region's tumultuous period of political change.

Overall, the Germans in Austria-Hungary had a complex relationship with language and power. While they were the largest ethnic group and had significant influence in certain areas, they also faced competition and resistance from other nationalities, particularly in the funding of language classes and the creation of autonomous mini-states.

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