Austria: Germany's True Cultural And Historical Legacy?

Austria and Germany share a lot of similarities, from their landscapes to their cuisines, but they are distinct countries with their own unique histories and cultures. So, is Austria the true Germany?

The idea of a united Greater Germany including German-speaking Austrians and Germans first emerged in the mid-19th century. From 1867 to 1918, Austria was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a dual monarchy led by the imperial Habsburg family. After World War I, the Austro-Hungarian Empire collapsed, and the idea of a union between Austria and Germany was proposed, with the Republic of German-Austria being created in 1918 and the First Austrian Republic in 1919. However, this union was forbidden by the Treaty of Versailles, and Austria and Germany remained separate nations.

During World War II, Austria was annexed into Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler, who was Austrian-born, in what was known as the Anschluss. This annexation was seen as a reunification of the two countries. After the war, Austria claimed independence from Germany in 1945 and has since developed its own separate national identity.

While Germany and Austria share a common history and language, they have distinct cultures, traditions, and political systems. Austrians are often considered more outgoing and cheerful than Germans, who can be more formal and distant. Austria has a smaller economy than Germany but is known for sectors such as machinery, agriculture, tourism, and finance.

So, while Austria and Germany have close relations and many similarities, they are ultimately two different countries, each with its own unique characteristics.

Austria's annexation into Germany in 1938

Austria and Germany have a shared history, with German being the official language of both countries. The ancestors of Austrians were the Germanic Baiuvarii (ancient German Bavarians). In early history, the Baiuvarii established the Duchy of Bavaria, which was ruled by Francia of West Germanic Franks from 555 to 843 and included the March of Pannonia that would become Austria in c. 970. Later, Bavarian Austria came under East Francia (the Kingdom of Germany) from 843 to 962. It then separated from the Duchy of Bavaria to become a sovereign state in 1156, and from 1156 to 1806, Austria and other German states under the Kingdom of Germany were parts of the Holy Roman Empire, which was officially a German polity from 1512 and mostly led by Austria itself.

From 1938 to 1945, under the Nazi regime, Austria was annexed into Germany in what was known as the Anschluss, which means "connection" or "joining" in German. This was seen as a reunification, although Austria had never been part of the German Empire. The annexation was the Nazi regime's first act of territorial aggression and expansion and was widely popular in both Germany and Austria.

The annexation of Austria was preceded by several significant events. Firstly, in 1933, Austrian chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss transformed Austria into a right-wing authoritarian regime known as the Corporate State or the Austrofascist state. This government was diplomatically aligned with Fascist Italy and authoritarian Hungary, and it was committed to crushing the political left in Austria.

In May 1933, Austrian Nazis, encouraged and funded by Germany, waged a propaganda and terror campaign to undermine the Dollfuss regime. They staged disruptive protests, brawled with political opponents and the police, and set off explosives and tear gas bombs in public places and Jewish-owned businesses. In response, the Dollfuss government banned the Austrian Nazi Party and its affiliates in June 1933, making the Nazi movement illegal in Austria. However, Austrian Nazis continued to operate illegally, and thousands fled to Germany, where they formed the paramilitary Austrian Legion.

In July 1934, Austrian Nazis attempted a coup, assassinating Dollfuss. However, the majority of Austrians remained loyal to the government, and the coup failed. Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, an ally of Dollfuss, sent troops to the Austro-Italian border to defend Austrian sovereignty. Despite this, Austria found itself diplomatically isolated by 1938, as Italy drew closer to Germany, and France and Britain accepted the idea of an Austro-German union as inevitable.

On February 12, 1938, Austrian chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg met with Hitler and was bullied into signing the Berchtesgaden Agreement, which undermined Austrian sovereignty and independence. On March 9, Schuschnigg called a plebiscite (referendum) to resolve the question of the Anschluss once and for all. However, before the plebiscite could take place, he gave in to pressure from Hitler and resigned on March 11, pleading with Austrian forces not to resist a German "advance."

On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria, and Hitler appointed a new Nazi government. The next day, March 13, the Anschluss was proclaimed, and Austria became a federal state of Germany. This annexation was in violation of the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint-Germain, which expressly forbade the unification of Austria and Germany.

The annexation of Austria had significant consequences. Austria ceased to exist as an independent country and became a province of Nazi Germany. Austrians enthusiastically participated in the Nazification of their country, persecuting the Jewish population and enacting Nazi policies. The annexation also marked a terrible turning point for Austria's approximately 200,000 Jews, who became subjected to discriminatory laws and restrictions. Many decided to try to leave, while those who remained would later be murdered in the Holocaust.

The international community did not intervene to stop the annexation or punish Germany for violating international treaties, setting a precedent for appeasement of Hitler's aggressive foreign policy. The annexation of Austria was the first step in Hitler's takeover of Europe, and it was soon followed by the Nazi regime's manufactured crisis in the Sudetenland, a region of Czechoslovakia.

Austria's brief renaming as the Republic of German-Austria

In 1918, after World War I and the fall of the Austro-Hungarian and German Empires, Austria briefly renamed itself the Republic of German-Austria in a bid for union with Germany. This was an attempt to unite the German-speaking and ethnic German population within what had been the Austro-Hungarian Empire. However, this union was forbidden by the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye (1919) and the Treaty of Versailles, which were created by the winners of World War I against both Germany and Austria.

The Republic of German-Austria was an unrecognised state that covered an area of 118,311 km2 (45,680 sq mi) and had 10.4 million inhabitants. In practice, its authority was limited to the Danubian and Alpine provinces, which had formed the core of Cisleithania. Much of its claimed territory was administered by Czechoslovakia and recognised as such internationally.

On 21 October 1918, the deputies representing German-speaking areas in the Abgeordnetenhaus, the lower chamber of the Reichsrat, declared themselves the new Provisional National Assembly for German-Austria. The largest group was the German nationalists, whose primary objective was union with Germany. The conservative monarchist Christian Social Party and the Social Democrats, who favoured a democratic republic, were also represented. On 12 November 1918, the National Assembly officially declared German-Austria a republic and named Social Democrat Karl Renner as provisional chancellor. A provisional constitution was drafted, stating that "German-Austria is a democratic republic" and "German-Austria is an integral part of the German republic".

However, attempts to unite with Germany were ultimately unsuccessful due to opposition from the Western Allies. On 10 September 1919, Renner signed the Treaty of Saint Germain, and on 21 October, the country changed its name from "Republic of German-Austria" to "Republic of Austria". This treaty, along with the Treaty of Versailles, effectively prevented any union between Austria and Germany.

Austria's role in World War I

Austria played a significant role in World War I, which began in 1914 and ended in 1918. During this period, Austria was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a multinational entity comprising Germans, Hungarians, and nine other major nationalities. The empire fought in the war as one of the Central Powers and an ally of Germany.

By May 1918, the Austro-Hungarian Empire faced increasing military failure and defeat, as well as domestic unrest due to food and fuel shortages. Additionally, the empire's nationalities were demanding the right to self-determination, encouraged by American President Woodrow Wilson's commitment to self-determination in his Fourteen Points published in January 1918.

As the empire began to collapse, the Habsburg administration signed an armistice on November 3, 1918, and the last Habsburg Emperor, Karl I, relinquished his powers on November 11, 1918, ending 700 years of Habsburg rule. The following day, the National Assembly officially declared German-Austria a republic and named Social Democrat Karl Renner as provisional chancellor.

During the war, the Austro-Hungarian Empire suffered military defeats and faced growing domestic unrest. By October 1918, the independence of Czechoslovakia and the State of Slovenes, Croats, and Serbs was declared, and Hungary withdrew from the dual monarchy. The Austro-Hungarian army surrendered to Italy at Vittorio Veneto, and the last Habsburg Emperor relinquished his powers, marking the end of the empire.

After the war, attempts were made to create German-Austria, with plans for eventual unification with Germany. However, these attempts were unsuccessful due to opposition from the Western Allies and the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, which forbade any union between Austria and Germany. As a result, the First Austrian Republic was established in 1920.

Austria's role in World War II

The Annexation of Austria

Austria played a significant role in the lead-up to World War II due to its complex relationship with Germany. In March 1938, German troops entered Austria and received overwhelming support from the Austrian population. This event, known as the "Anschluss," resulted in the incorporation of Austria into Nazi Germany on March 13, 1938. The annexation was retroactively approved by a plebiscite, which was manipulated to show that about 99% of Austrians favoured the union. However, it is important to note that Jews and Roma (Gypsies) were excluded from this vote.

Austrian Support for Nazi Germany

During World War II, approximately 950,000 Austrians fought for the Nazi German armed forces, and many others participated in the Nazi administration, including senior leadership positions. Austrians were integrated into German military units, and no specifically Austrian military brigades were formed. The early military victories of Nazi Germany and Austria's geographic location shielded the Austrian population from the full impact of the war in the initial years. Popular support for the war and the Anschluss began to wane only after the German defeat at the Battle of Stalingrad in early 1943.

The Mauthausen Concentration Camp

The Mauthausen concentration camp, established in the summer of 1938, became the main Nazi camp in Austria. Thousands of prisoners were worked to death, and the camp was known for its harsh conditions, including forcing inmates to carry heavy stone blocks up 186 steps, known as the "Stairway of Death." During the war, forced labour using concentration camp prisoners became a crucial aspect of German armaments production, and many subcamps were established near armaments factories.

The Allied Declaration and Advances

In November 1943, the Allies (the Soviet Union, Britain, and the United States) issued the Moscow Declaration, which described Austria as "the first victim of Hitlerite aggression" and called for the reestablishment of an independent Austria. However, the declaration also held Austria liable for its participation in the war, effectively giving it the status of an enemy state. Allied advances in Italy in 1943 allowed bombers to target Austrian industrial and transportation centres regularly. The winter of 1944-45 saw an intensification of air campaigns and steady advances by the Soviet Union's Red Army towards Austria.

Liberation and Independence

On March 30, 1945, the Red Army entered Austrian territory, and by April 13, they had captured Vienna. While the Germans resisted the Soviet advances, the Western Allies (the United States, Britain, and France) faced minimal resistance as they advanced into the country. On April 30, United States forces entered Austria, followed by French and British troops. Finally, on May 8, 1945, Germany surrendered unconditionally, and Allied-occupied Austria declared independence from Nazi Germany on April 27, 1945.

Austria's post-war independence

Liberation and Occupation:

On April 27, 1945, Austria was liberated from Nazi Germany as a result of the Vienna Offensive and subsequently declared its independence. The Allies, recognising Austria as the first victim of Nazi aggression, agreed to treat it as a liberated and independent country. However, this independence was limited as Austria came under the joint occupation of the Western Allies (the United States, the United Kingdom, and France) and the Soviet Union.

Division and Administration:

Austria was divided into four occupation zones, with Vienna, the capital, being collectively administered by the Allied Control Council. Each occupying power was responsible for administering specific regions within Austria. The Western zones applied the administrative changes made after the Anschluss, while the Soviet zone disregarded them.

Early Attempts at Negotiation:

The first post-war Austrian government attempted to negotiate a treaty to secure the country's independence. However, these efforts failed as the Allies prioritised a peace treaty with Germany first. Additionally, the development of the Cold War further diminished the likelihood of a treaty.

Socio-Political Challenges:

During the occupation, Austria faced various socio-political challenges. The country experienced food shortages, spiralling inflation, and demoralising failures in State Treaty talks. The Communist Party attempted to exploit these issues to gain support, culminating in the 1947 food riots and the 1950 Austrian general strikes.

The Khrushchev Thaw and Negotiation Breakthrough:

The climate for negotiations improved with the death of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin in 1953 and the subsequent warming of relations known as the Khrushchev Thaw. Negotiations with Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov secured a breakthrough in February 1955. The Western powers were surprised by the Soviet initiative, which prioritised Austrian independence over the German issue.

Austrian State Treaty and Full Independence:

On May 15, 1955, the Austrian State Treaty was signed in Vienna by the Allied occupying powers and the Austrian government. This treaty, officially coming into force on July 27, 1955, established Austria as a sovereign and democratic state. The last occupation troops departed on October 25, 1955, marking the end of the occupation and the restoration of Austria's full independence.

Declaration of Neutrality:

On October 26, 1955, the Austrian parliament passed a Declaration of Neutrality, committing the country to a neutral stance in international relations. This declaration was celebrated as a national holiday, known as the Day of the Flag, and later renamed Austria's National Day.

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