Uniting Austria And Germany: Pros, Cons, And Complexities

Austria and Germany share a language, a history, and a border. They have been united in the past, and there have been several attempts to unite them. The most recent was in 1938, when Austria was annexed into Germany under the Nazi regime. Today, both countries are members of the European Union and have the same currency, but they are separate nations with distinct identities and different political affiliations.

The impact of the two nations' shared history, language, and culture

Austria and Germany share a lot of their history, language, and culture. The two countries have a close relationship due to their shared history. Austrians and Germans share the same Germanic ancestors, the Germanic Baiuvarii (ancient German Bavarians). In early history, the Baiuvarii established the Duchy of Bavaria, which included the March of Pannonia that became Austria around 970. From 555 to 843, the Duchy of Bavaria was ruled by Francia of West Germanic Franks. From 843 to 962, Bavarian Austria came under the Kingdom of Germany, known as East Francia. Austria then separated from Bavaria and became a sovereign state in 1156. 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.

The two countries also share the same official language, German. However, there are notable differences in vocabulary and grammar between Austrian German and Standard German. Austrian German varies across different regions of Austria, but there are some characteristics they all have in common. For example, Austrian German is generally softer than Standard German. The harsh German "ch" often gets replaced by other sounds or is removed completely, and the frequent use of "oa" and "ia" creates the characteristic Austrian German sound. There are also differences in pronunciation, such as the word "Bier" (beer) in Standard German becoming "Biah" in Austrian German.

In addition to their shared history and language, Austria and Germany also have many cultural similarities, particularly close to their border. For example, both countries celebrate Oktoberfest and wear Lederhosen (leather pants). However, there are also some cultural differences between the two countries. For instance, while Germans tend to stick to formal addresses to keep an emotional distance, Austrians tend to address people directly with their first names. Austrians also tend to convey things more elaborately, while Germans prefer to be short and concise. Additionally, there are differences in the way business is conducted in the two countries. Germans prefer clear hierarchical structures and strict decision-making processes, while decision-making in Austria is more fluid and takes longer.

Austria's multi-ethnic composition

Firstly, it is important to note that Austrians were historically considered Germans due to their shared history as part of the Holy Roman Empire and the German Confederation. However, after the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, Austria was expelled from the German Confederation, and Austrians began to develop a distinct culture and identity separate from Germany.

Today, Austrians are considered a Germanic ethnic group with a shared history and culture. The term "Austrians" was used to refer to the population of Habsburg Austria in the 17th and 18th centuries and later to the citizens of the Empire of Austria and Cisleithania in the 19th century. While German is the official language of Austria, and the country's culture is heavily influenced by Germany, Austrians no longer consider themselves Germans. In fact, by 1987, only 6% of Austrians identified themselves as Germans, highlighting the development of a separate Austrian identity.

Austria is now home to several ethnic groups, with Ethnic Austrians being the most populous group. Other significant minorities include Turks, Serbs, Slovenes, Croats, and Hungarians. These ethnic groups have origins mainly from Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia, and Hungary, respectively, and together form some of the largest ethnic minority groups in the country, with a collective population of 200,000 people. Additionally, there are three numerically significant traditional minority groups: the Carinthian Slovenes (14,000-50,000), Croats (25,000), and Hungarians (20,000) in Burgenland, near the Hungarian border. The rights of these minority groups are protected by law and generally respected in practice.

Austria's ethnic composition has also been influenced by immigration. Strong immigration from other parts of Europe over the past four decades has significantly changed the country's population. In 2011, it was estimated that more than 19% of Austria's residents (approximately 1.6 million people) had at least one parent of immigrant background. The country has attracted immigrants from neighbouring countries, with many coming from the former Yugoslavia and Turkey. As of 2023, the most common groups of foreign residents in Austria were from Bosnia and Herzegovina, followed by Croatia, Slovenia, and Hungary.

The role of the Habsburg Monarchy

The Habsburg Monarchy, also known as the Habsburg Empire or the Habsburg Realm, was a collection of empires, kingdoms, duchies, counties, and other polities ruled by the House of Habsburg. The history of the monarchy can be traced back to the election of Rudolf I as King of Germany in 1273. In 1282, Rudolf acquired the Duchy of Austria for the Habsburgs, establishing the "Austrian hereditary lands". The family was also known as the House of Austria.

The Habsburg Monarchy played a significant role in the process of German unification, particularly in the 19th century. As the largest language group and the most socially and economically advanced group within the monarchy, the Germans were crucial supporters of the idea of a unified state. However, the monarchy itself was not solely a "German" state, as it was heavily influenced by various ethnic groups, including Slavs, Avars, Celts, Romans, and Rhaetians. This multicultural aspect of the monarchy shaped its internal dynamics and relations with other states.

Within the monarchy, the Germans played a pivotal role in upholding the concept of a unified state. They were spread across the Habsburg lands and often served as a link between the provinces, occupying key positions in the central authorities based in Vienna. For a long time, German-Austrians were considered the group with the greatest loyalty to the dynasty, particularly due to their significant presence in the Austrian hereditary domains, which, along with Vienna, formed the core of the Habsburg crown lands.

The German language and culture also held a prominent position within the monarchy. German was the most important language of commerce and administration, even though it was never the sole official language. It served as a lingua franca among the various non-German ethnic groups within the monarchy. During the era of Liberalism (1861-1879), German was regarded as the primary vehicle for expressing the overall idea of the state, further solidifying its role within the monarchy.

However, the question of the role of the Habsburg Monarchy in a unified Germany presented a significant challenge. There were two possible solutions, both of which threatened the monarchy's existence. The first was the "smaller-German solution," excluding Austria and unifying only the German-speaking lands. This raised concerns in Vienna about potential separatist tendencies among Germans within Austria, which would undermine the monarchy. The second scenario was the "greater-German solution," which included Austria but posed challenges due to the multi-ethnic composition of the monarchy.

Faced with these difficult choices, Vienna opted to maintain a delicate balance in its relations with the German states rather than pursuing either of the two problematic solutions. Ultimately, the momentum for German unification grew too strong, and the "smaller-German solution" prevailed, resulting in the proclamation of the German Reich in 1871, excluding Austria from a unified Germany. This outcome had far-reaching consequences for the internal stability of the Habsburg Monarchy and its position in Europe.

The Anschluss and its legacy

The Anschluss, which took place on 12 March 1938, was the annexation and formal union of Austria with Germany. The idea of a united Austria and Germany that would form a "Greater Germany" first arose after the 1871 unification of Germany, which excluded Austria and the German Austrians from the Prussian-dominated German Empire. The proposal gained support after the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918. The new Republic of German-Austria attempted to form a union with Germany, but this was forbidden by the 1919 Treaty of Saint Germain and the Treaty of Versailles. The treaties also stripped Austria of some of its territories, leaving it without most of the lands it had ruled for centuries and amid an economic crisis.

By the 1920s, the Anschluss proposal had strong support in both Austria and Germany, particularly among Austrian citizens of the political left and center. However, popular support for the unification faded over time. After Adolf Hitler rose to power in Germany in 1933, the desire for unification became associated with the Nazis, for whom it was an integral part of their ideology. They saw it as a way to incorporate as many Volksdeutsche (ethnic Germans outside Germany) as possible into a "Greater Germany".

In early 1938, Austrian chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg announced that there would be a referendum on a possible union with Germany versus maintaining Austria's sovereignty, to be held on 13 March. Hitler threatened an invasion and pressured Schuschnigg to resign. On 12 March, the day before the planned referendum, the German army crossed the border into Austria unopposed. A plebiscite was held on 10 April, in which the ballot was not secret, and threats and coercion were used to manipulate the vote, resulting in 99.7% approval for the Anschluss. While the true opinions of the population are unknown, it is estimated that about 70% of Austrians would have voted to preserve Austrian independence.

The annexation of Austria demonstrated Hitler's aggressive territorial ambitions and the failure of the British and French to take action against him for violating the Versailles Treaty. It was among the first major steps in Hitler's desire to create a Greater German Reich that included all ethnic Germans and all the lands that the German Empire had lost after World War I. The unification of Germany and Austria became enshrined in a law passed on 13 March 1938. Austria was reorganised along German lines and its government was dissolved. The very name Österreich (Austria's name in German) was banned from public use.

The legacy of the Anschluss was profound. It marked the beginning of Nazi occupation and the imposition of Nazi ideology and repression in Austria. It also served as a stepping stone for Hitler's further expansionist ambitions, leading to the Munich Agreement in September 1938, which gave Nazi Germany control of the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia. The reaction of the international community to the annexation was muted, with most governments voicing only dissatisfaction with Hitler's methods. In 1943, the Allies formally recognised Austria as the first victim nation of Hitler's empire-building. After World War II, Austria's sovereignty was restored, and the country developed a separate national identity from Germany.

Austria's relationship with East Germany

1970s: During the 1970s, Austria adhered to West Germany's policy of non-recognition of East Germany, known as the "Hallstein Doctrine." However, after the settlement of German-German relations in the Basic Treaty of 1972, Austria recognised the German Democratic Republic (GDR) and sought to improve bilateral relations. This period saw the development of strong economic ties, with Austrian loans to the GDR being exchanged for large-scale orders from the GDR's nationalised industries. Austrian Chancellor Bruno Kreisky became the first Western head of government to visit East Berlin in 1978, and Erich Honecker made a reciprocal state visit to Vienna in 1980.

1980s: In the 1980s, the intensity of Austrian-East German economic relations surpassed political relations. Austria's role as a diplomatic intermediary between East and West Germany gradually diminished in importance due to the diversification of the GDR's international relations and the intensification of German-German diplomatic, economic, and political ties. However, high-level reciprocal visits by politicians continued, and economic relations recovered towards the end of the decade when the crumbling GDR imported large amounts of electricity from Austria.

1989: The year 1989 marked a turning point in Austrian-East German relations. The opening of the Austrian-Hungarian border in September 1989, which had been facilitated by the gradual softening of border restrictions since the mid-1970s, provided an opportunity for East Germans to flee to the West. This development contributed to the loss of power of the East German regime and ultimately led to the fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989. While Austrian politicians, economists, and intellectuals were sceptical of potential German reunification, Austrian Chancellor Franz Vranitzky sought to maintain good relations with the GDR. However, the accelerating developments towards reunification made it challenging for Austria to influence the process significantly.

1990: In January 1990, East German Prime Minister Hans Modrow visited Austria, and further economic contracts were signed. Chancellor Vranitzky continued to emphasise Austria's interest in a general framework for German reunification that would not destabilise Europe. By this time, it had become clear that the Soviet Union agreed with German reunification in principle, and the Austrian position became less significant in the face of rapidly changing international dynamics.

In summary, Austria's relationship with East Germany evolved over time, from non-recognition to improved bilateral relations and eventually to Austria's cautious approach towards German reunification in the context of the Cold War.

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