Austria's Historical Identity: French Or German Influence?

Austria, officially the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is a federation of nine states, with Vienna, the capital, being one of them. The country is bordered by Germany to the northwest, the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia to the northeast, Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west. The native name for Austria, Österreich, derives from the Old High German Ostarrîchi, meaning eastern realm. The name Austria is a Latinisation of the German name and was first recorded in the 12th century.

Austria's official language is German, which is also the lingua franca and de facto first language. However, the German spoken in Austria is influenced by the Austro-Bavarian dialect and differs from the German spoken in Germany. The Austro-Bavarian dialect has no official orthography, but literary efforts exist, especially in poems, to depict the sound of the pronunciation in the spelling. Austrian German exists as a written and spoken high language and is thus different in both vocabulary and grammar from German as spoken and written in Germany and Switzerland.

Austria was part of the Frankish Empire and the Kingdom of Bavaria

The Frankish Empire

The Frankish Empire, also known as the Kingdom of the Franks, was the largest post-Roman barbarian kingdom in Western Europe. It was ruled by the Frankish Merovingian and Carolingian dynasties during the Early Middle Ages. The Frankish realm was one large polity, generally subdivided into several smaller kingdoms ruled by different members of the ruling dynasties. The old Frankish lands, for example, were initially contained within the kingdom of Austrasia, centred on the Rhine and Meuse, roughly corresponding to later Lower Lotharingia. The bulk of the Gallo-Roman territory to its south and west was called Neustria. The exact borders and number of these subkingdoms varied over time, until a basic split between eastern and western domains became persistent.

The original core Frankish territories inside the former Western Roman Empire were located close to the Rhine and Meuse rivers in the north, but Frankish chiefs such as Chlodio would eventually expand their influence within Roman territory as far as the Somme river in the 5th century. Clovis I, succeeded in unifying most of Gaul under his rule in the 6th century by notably conquering Soissons in 486 and Aquitaine in 507 following the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, as well as establishing leadership over all the Frankish kingdoms on or near the Rhine frontier; thus founding what would come to be known as the Merovingian dynasty. The dynasty subsequently gained control over a significant part of what is now western and southern Germany. It was by building upon the basis of these Merovingian deeds that the subsequent Carolingian dynasty— through the nearly continuous campaigns of Pepin of Herstal, his son Charles Martel, grandson Pepin the Short, great-grandson Charlemagne, and great-great-grandson Louis the Pious— secured the greatest expansion of the Frankish empire by the early 9th century, which was by this point referred to as the Carolingian Empire.

The Kingdom of Bavaria

The Kingdom of Bavaria was a German state that succeeded the former Electorate of Bavaria in 1806 and continued to exist until 1918. With the unification of Germany into the German Empire in 1871, the kingdom became a federated state of the new empire and was second in size, power, and wealth only to the leading state, the Kingdom of Prussia. The polity's foundation dates back to the ascension of Elector Maximilian IV Joseph of the House of Wittelsbach as King of Bavaria in 1806. The crown continued to be held by the Wittelsbachs until the kingdom came to an end in 1918. Most of the border of modern Germany's Free State of Bavaria were established after 1814 with the Treaty of Paris, in which the Kingdom of Bavaria ceded Tyrol and Vorarlberg to the Austrian Empire while receiving Aschaffenburg and Würzburg.

Austria was a prefecture of Bavaria in 976

In 976, Austria was a prefecture of Bavaria, created that year. The area that is now Austria was inhabited by various Celtic tribes from around 400 BC and was annexed by the Romans in the late 1st century BC. In the 4th and 5th centuries, the region was Christianised, and in the Migration Period, numerous Germanic tribes arrived.

Austria, as a unified state, emerged from the remnants of the Eastern and Hungarian March at the end of the first millennium. It was first established as a frontier march of the Holy Roman Empire, developing into a Duchy in 1156 and an Archduchy in 1453.

Bavaria, meanwhile, was a German state that succeeded the former Electorate of Bavaria in 1806 and continued to exist until 1918. In 1871, the Kingdom of Bavaria became a federated state of the German Empire, second only to the Kingdom of Prussia in size, power, and wealth.

In 976, the Duchy of Bavaria was under the rule of Duke Henry II, who rebelled and lost large territories in the south and southeast. The history of Bavaria intertwines with that of the Holy Roman Empire, of which it was a part.

In the 10th century, Bavaria was a stem duchy, and the Bavarians were under the dominion of the Franks, serving as a buffer zone against peoples to the east, such as the Avars and Slavs. The first duke known was Garibald I, a member of the powerful Agilolfing family.

In the 12th century, the word "Austria" was first recorded, derived from the Latinisation of the German name. At the time, the Danube basin of Austria was the easternmost extent of Bavaria.

Austria was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire

Austria was predominantly German-speaking, but it was not solely German, and its history is intertwined with both France and Germany in complex ways. The question of whether Austria was ever French or German is an intriguing one, given its geographical location and historical context. While modern-day Austria is an independent German-speaking country, it has a complex history, including being part of the powerful Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Austria was a central part of the vast and diverse Austro-Hungarian Empire, which existed from 1867 to 1918. This empire was a dual monarchy, with the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary joined under the rule of the Habsburg monarchy. The empire also included a diverse array of other territories, such as Bohemia, Galicia, and Lodomeria, reflecting the multi-ethnic nature of the region. The establishment of this dual monarchy was a recognition of the distinct identities and needs of the Austrian and Hungarian parts of the empire, and it was an attempt to balance the power between them.

The empire was formed in the aftermath of the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, in which the Austrian Empire was defeated by the Kingdom of Prussia. This war had a significant impact on the region, as it marked the end of Austrian dominance in Germany and led to the creation of the North German Confederation, which would later become the German Empire under Otto von Bismarck. The defeat forced Austria to refocus its attention on its eastern territories, which would become the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This shift in focus also reflected the growing influence of non-German ethnic groups within the empire, particularly the Hungarians, who sought greater autonomy.

The Austro-Hungarian Empire was characterized by a complex power dynamic between its two constituent parts. While the Emperor of Austria also served as the King of Hungary, each kingdom maintained its own government, parliament, and laws. The empire was also marked by significant cultural and linguistic diversity, with German, Hungarian, Czech, Polish, Ukrainian, and other languages and cultures coexisting within its borders. This diversity presented challenges in governance and often led to tensions and conflicts between different ethnic groups, particularly as nationalist sentiments grew stronger in the late 19th century.

Austria was annexed into Nazi Germany in 1938

In the early 20th century, Austria was part of the multi-ethnic Austro-Hungarian Empire, which included Hungarians, Slavs, Romanians, and Italians, ruled by a German minority. After World War I and the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Republic of German-Austria was established and attempted to unite with Germany. However, the Treaty of Saint Germain and the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 forbade this union and stripped Austria of some of its territories.

The idea of the Anschluss gained support in both Austria and Germany, particularly among Austrian citizens of the political left and center, who believed that Austria, without its imperial land, was not economically viable. In the 1920s and early 1930s, Austrian Nazis attempted several coups, which ultimately failed. However, their popularity grew, and they continued to push for unification from exile in Germany.

In early 1938, Austrian Chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg, facing increasing pressure from pro-unification activists, announced a referendum on the issue of the Anschluss, to be held on March 13, 1938. This prompted Adolf Hitler to threaten an invasion and pressure Schuschnigg to resign. On March 11, the day before the planned referendum, German troops crossed the border into Austria, unopposed by the Austrian military. Schuschnigg resigned, and the next day, Hitler appointed a new Nazi government, with Arthur Seyss-Inquart as chancellor.

On March 13, 1938, the Anschluss was officially proclaimed, and Austria became a federal state of Germany. A plebiscite held on April 10, 1938, recorded a 99.7% approval for the union. However, this vote was subject to large-scale Nazi propaganda and the abrogation of the voting rights of many political enemies and minorities.

Austria remained part of Germany until the end of World War II, when the Allied powers declared the Anschluss void and reestablished an independent Austria.

Austria declared its neutrality in 1955

Austria has a complex history, with its borders and governance changing over time. To understand if it was historically French or German, we need to look at key moments in its past, one of which was its declaration of neutrality in 1955.

The Austrian State Treaty, signed on May 15, 1955, by the occupying powers, established Austria as a sovereign, democratic, and neutral state. This treaty ensured the withdrawal of occupying troops and affirmed that Austria would not join any military alliances, nor would it permit the establishment of foreign military bases on its soil. The treaty also guaranteed the country's right to determine its own internal affairs and conduct its foreign policy independently. The declaration of neutrality was a strategic move to ensure Austria's independence and security in the context of the emerging Cold War tensions between East and West. By remaining unaligned, Austria sought to avoid becoming a pawn in the power struggles between the Soviet Union and the United States.

The policy of neutrality has had a profound impact on Austria's modern history. It has allowed the country to pursue a unique path, developing strong economic and cultural ties with both Western and Eastern Europe. Austria has actively participated in international organizations, such as the United Nations, and has often served as a venue for East-West diplomatic meetings and negotiations. The country's neutrality has also shaped its domestic politics, with successive governments committed to maintaining this policy, even as the international landscape changed dramatically, especially after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War.

In conclusion, Austria's declaration of neutrality in 1955 was a pivotal moment, shaping the country's foreign policy and international relations for the latter half of the 20th century. It was a response to the country's recent history of conflict and occupation, and it ensured Austria's independence and sovereignty in the emerging Cold War era. The policy of neutrality has had a lasting impact, contributing to Austria's unique position as a bridge between East and West.

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