Austria And Czech Republic: Cultural Cousins Or Twins?

Austria and the Czech Republic are two neighbouring countries in Central Europe with a long shared history. Both countries were united under the rule of Ottokar II of Bohemia from 1253 to 1276 and later joined with Hungary under the Habsburg dynasty from 1526 to 1918. The Czech Republic and Austria are both members of the European Union, with Austria joining in 1995 and the Czech Republic in 2004. While Austria is not a member of NATO, the Czech Republic became a member in 1999. Migration between the two countries is common, with a significant Czech population in Vienna and a history of Czech migration to Austria during the 19th century and following the Czech Republic's admission to the European Union.

Czechs are a significant migrant group in Austria

Czechs are a historically significant migrant group in Austria. As of 2016, there were 40,324 self-identified Czechs in Austria, with the majority living in the capital city, Vienna. This presence in Vienna dates back to the 19th century, when the Czech and Slovak regions experienced an economic depression, causing many unemployed ethnic Czechs and Slovak menial workers to migrate to Vienna and the Americas. From the 1880s to the 1890s, around 230,000 Czechs and Slovaks emigrated to Austria, mainly for construction work and other manual labour jobs in larger cities.

After the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, 150,000 people returned to Czechoslovakia after it gained independence. Of the more than 300,000 Czechs in the country, the population diminished to around 10,000 by 1991. However, since the admission of the Czech Republic to the European Union in 2004, several dozen thousand Czech citizens have emigrated to Austria due to the open borders made possible by the Schengen Agreement. The Czech population in Austria has increased by as much as four times as of 2016.

The two countries, Austria and the Czech Republic, share a long common history. They were first united from 1253 until 1276 under the reign of Ottokar II of Bohemia. Later, they joined together with Hungary and formed a major European power under the Habsburg dynasty, which lasted from 1526 until 1918. During this time, the Czech lands developed as the industrial centre of the Monarchy. However, many Bohemians of poor personal living standards, mainly from agricultural areas of southern Moravia, moved to Vienna between 1870 and 1910 to take up cheap jobs. Despite their low educational background and limited German language skills, Vienna also attracted a large number of middle-class Bohemians, including future prominent figures such as Sigmund Freud and Gustav Mahler.

Austria and the Czech Republic have a long shared history

Austria and the Czech Republic share a long history. They were first united under the rule of Ottokar II of Bohemia from 1253 to 1276. Later, the two countries, along with Hungary, formed a major European power under the Habsburg dynasty, which lasted from 1526 until 1918. During this time, the monarchy was ruled mostly from Vienna, with Prague serving as the capital only from 1583 to 1611.

In the 19th century, an economic depression in the Czech and Slovak regions led to large-scale migration of ethnic Czechs and Slovaks to Vienna and the Americas. From the 1880s to the 1890s, around 230,000 Czechs and Slovaks emigrated to Austria, mainly for construction work and other menial labour jobs in larger cities, particularly Vienna.

During the First World War, while nearly 1.5 million Czechs fought in the Austro-Hungarian army, exiled Czech politicians backed by military legions worked to regain the independence of Bohemia in the form of a Czech-Slovak union. After the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918, 150,000 people returned to Czechoslovakia after it gained independence.

In the 20th century, the two countries continued to have a close relationship. During the dictatorial rule in Austria in 1934, Austrian Social Democrats like Otto Bauer and Julius Deutsch sought refuge in the Czechoslovak Republic. Then, in 1948, the Iron Curtain descended between Czechoslovakia and Austria, closing down many railway tracks and roads connecting the two countries.

In more recent years, the relationship between Austria and the Czech Republic has been marked by both countries' membership in the European Union. Austria gave full support to the Czech Republic's membership, which was achieved in 2004. As of 2016, there were 40,324 self-identified Czechs in Austria, with the majority living in Vienna.

Both countries have embassies in each other's capitals

Austria and the Czech Republic are two distinct countries with embassies in each other's capitals. Both countries are members of the European Union, with Austria joining in 1995 and the Czech Republic following in 2004. The two countries have a long shared history, having been united under the reign of Ottokar II of Bohemia from 1253 to 1276. Later, they joined forces with Hungary and formed a significant European power under the Habsburg dynasty, which lasted from 1526 to 1918.

The Czech and Slovak regions experienced an economic depression in the 19th century, leading to large-scale migration of ethnic Czechs and Slovaks to Vienna and other major cities in Austria. This migration continued in the following decades, with around 230,000 Czechs and Slovaks emigrating to Austria between the 1880s and 1890s. Vienna became a significant destination for Czech migrants due to its proximity to the Czech border and the availability of construction and menial labour jobs.

After the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918, approximately 150,000 people returned to Czechoslovakia, resulting in a significant decrease in the Czech population in Austria. However, with the admission of the Czech Republic to the European Union in 2004 and the open borders facilitated by the Schengen Agreement, several dozen thousand Czech citizens have since emigrated to Austria. As of 2016, there were 40,324 self-identified Czechs in Austria, with the majority residing in Vienna.

Despite some historical and political differences, Austria and the Czech Republic maintain diplomatic relations and continue to cooperate on various matters, including nuclear safety standards and cross-border information sharing. The existence of embassies in each other's capitals facilitates this ongoing relationship and promotes dialogue and collaboration between the two countries.

The Czech Republic is a member of NATO, Austria is not

The Czech Republic and Austria are two distinct countries with a long shared history. They were united under the reign of Ottokar II of Bohemia from 1253 to 1276 and later joined with Hungary under the Habsburg dynasty from 1526 to 1918. This period saw Prague serve as the capital of the empire from 1583 to 1611, before the seat of power shifted to Vienna.

During the 19th century, an economic depression in the Czech and Slovak regions led to large-scale migration to Vienna and other parts of Austria by unemployed ethnic Czechs and Slovaks seeking menial work. This migration continued into the late 19th century, with around 230,000 Czechs and Slovaks emigrating to Austria. However, after the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918, 150,000 people returned to the newly independent Czechoslovakia.

Since the Czech Republic's admission to the European Union in 2004, several dozen thousand Czech citizens have emigrated to Austria due to the open borders facilitated by the Schengen Agreement. As of 2016, there were approximately 40,324 self-identified Czechs in Austria, primarily in Vienna, constituting a significant increase in the Czech population.

Despite their shared history and current membership in the European Union, the Czech Republic and Austria have distinct foreign policies. Notably, the Czech Republic is a member of NATO, while Austria is not. The Czech Republic's decision to join NATO in 1999 may have been influenced by its historical experience with Soviet influence during the Cold War. In contrast, Austria has maintained its neutrality and chosen to remain outside of NATO.

This difference in foreign policy approaches demonstrates the divergent paths taken by the two countries in the post-Cold War era. While the Czech Republic has sought closer integration with Western military alliances, Austria has opted to maintain its traditional neutrality. This divergence highlights the complex dynamics between nations with shared histories and cultural ties.

The countries have had a history of shared diplomatic relations

Austria and the Czech Republic have had a long shared history, with both countries having been united under the rule of Ottokar II of Bohemia from 1253 to 1276. Later, the two countries, along with Hungary, formed a major European power under the Habsburg dynasty, which lasted from 1526 until 1918. During this time, the monarchy was ruled mostly from Vienna, with Prague serving as the capital only from 1583 to 1611. This centralised monarchy was increasingly seen as an obstacle to Czech and German national interests during the rise of nationalism in Central Europe in the second half of the 19th century. The Czechs demanded to be ruled by a government in their capital, Prague, rather than in Vienna. However, their wishes were not fulfilled until the end of the empire in 1918.

In the 19th century, the Czech and Slovak regions experienced an economic depression, leading many unemployed ethnic Czechs and Slovaks to migrate to Vienna and the Americas in search of work. From the 1880s to the 1890s, around 230,000 Czechs and Slovaks emigrated to Austria, mainly taking on construction and other menial labour jobs in larger cities, particularly Vienna. After the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918, 150,000 people returned to Czechoslovakia following its independence.

Following World War I, nearly 1.5 million Czechs fought in the Austro-Hungarian army, while exiled Czech politicians worked to regain the independence of Bohemia in the form of a Czech-Slovak union. These plans were supported by the Entente powers and led to the creation of Czechoslovakia, which included the German districts in Bohemia and Moravia. This decision was disputed by German Austria, which briefly quarrelled with Czechoslovakia over these districts, where more than 3 million German inhabitants wanted to join Germany. The Czechs occupied these districts to maintain the integrity of the Bohemian lands, and their rights to do so were acknowledged in the Treaty of St. Germain in 1919.

Diplomatic relations between the two countries were formally established on January 20, 1920. When Austria entered dictatorial rule in 1934, several Austrian Social Democrats, including Otto Bauer and Julius Deutsch, sought refuge in the Czechoslovak Republic. They founded the ALÖS (Auslandsbüro der österreichischen Sozialdemokraten), the foreign bureau of Austrian Social Democrats, in Brno. From there, they published the Arbeiter-Zeitung, a newspaper that was prohibited in Austria at the time, and smuggled it back into the country until 1938.

In March 1938, Austria was annexed by Germany, and once again, Austrian politicians found refuge in Czechoslovakia, which, along with Switzerland, was the only remaining democracy in Central Europe at the time. In 1948, the Iron Curtain descended between Czechoslovakia and Austria, closing down many roads and railway connections between the two countries. In 1968, at the end of the Prague Spring, many Czechs fled to Austria.

In recent years, the two countries have maintained neighbourly relations as members of the European Union. Austria supported the Czech Republic's membership in the EU, which was achieved in 2004, and the two countries have embassies in each other's capitals.

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