Austria And The Ussr: A Historical Perspective

Austria was never part of the USSR. After World War II, it was jointly occupied by the Western Allies and the Soviet Union, but it was never incorporated into the Soviet Union or the Eastern Bloc.

In 1945, Austria was divided into four occupation zones, with the UK, the Soviet Union, the US, and France each controlling a portion of the country. Vienna, the capital, was also subdivided, with a collective administration by the Allied Control Council. This occupation lasted until 1955, when the Austrian State Treaty came into force, and the country was granted full independence.

The Soviet Union did not attempt to establish a communist government in Austria, as it did in East Germany. Instead, Austria was required to pledge total neutrality in the Cold War confrontation and never to unify with other German-speaking nations. This neutrality allowed Austria to maintain its independence and avoid the division that occurred in Germany.

Austria was occupied by the Allies and declared independent from Nazi Germany on 27 April 1945

Austria was indeed occupied by the Allies and declared independent from Nazi Germany on 27 April 1945. This declaration was confirmed by the Berlin Declaration for Germany on 5 June 1945. The liberation of Austria from Nazi rule was the result of the Vienna Offensive.

After the Anschluss in 1938, Austria was considered a part of Nazi Germany. However, in November 1943, the Allies agreed in the Declaration of Moscow that Austria would be regarded as the first victim of Nazi aggression, despite its role in Nazi crimes. The Allies intended to treat Austria as a liberated and independent country after the war.

In the aftermath of World War II, Austria was divided into four occupation zones, jointly occupied by the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, the United States, and France. Vienna, the capital, was also subdivided, with the central district being collectively administered by the Allied Control Council.

Austria's status became a contentious issue during the Cold War, especially as Germany was divided into East and West in 1949. However, Austria remained under the joint occupation of the Western Allies and the Soviet Union until 1955. The situation eased with the Khrushchev Thaw, and Austria was granted full independence on 15 May 1955, after promising perpetual neutrality. The last occupation troops departed on 25 October 1955.

The process of liberating and establishing an independent Austria began in late March 1945. On 29 March, Soviet commander Fyodor Tolbukhin's troops crossed the former Austrian border at Klostermarienberg in Burgenland. On 3 April, at the onset of the Vienna Offensive, the Austrian politician Karl Renner, living in southern Lower Austria, made contact with the Soviets. Initially, Joseph Stalin had planned to install a cabinet of Austrian communists in exile. However, Tolbukhin's telegram changed Stalin's mind, and he favoured Renner instead.

On 20 April 1945, the Soviets, without consulting their Western allies, instructed Renner to form a provisional government. Renner's cabinet took office on 27 April, declaring Austria's independence from Nazi Germany and advocating for a democratic state akin to the First Austrian Republic. The Western allies were suspicious of Renner's government, suspecting it to be a puppet state for the Soviets. Despite this, Renner's cabinet began re-establishing district administrations and appointing local mayors, even before the battle's conclusion.

The Soviet Union's occupation of Austria, lasting from 1945 to 1955, had a significant impact on the country's politics and economy. While Austria was not included in the Soviet sphere of influence, it was targeted for heavy economic exploitation. The Soviets expropriated numerous businesses and placed Austrian oil fields under their control. This economic grip tightened in 1946, with the establishment of the Soviet holding company USIA, which controlled a substantial portion of Austrian economic output and employed around 50,000 people.

During the occupation, the Soviet Union's policies and actions in Austria were shaped by the Moscow Declaration of 1943, which proclaimed Austria as Germany's first victim while also holding it accountable for participating in Nazi aggression. As a result, Austria emerged as an independent state, avoiding some of the harsh consequences imposed on Germany.

The Soviet Union, along with the US, UK, and France, divided Austria into four occupation zones

Following World War II, Austria was divided into four occupation zones, with the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, the United States, and France each taking control of a zone. The central district of Vienna, the capital, was collectively administered by the four powers, known as the Allied Control Council. The division of Austria into occupation zones mirrored the approach taken in Germany, which was divided into four zones as well.

The Soviet Union's zone in Austria included Burgenland, Lower Austria, and the Mühlviertel area of Upper Austria, north of the Danube. This zone bordered future Warsaw Pact states. The Soviet occupation of Austria lasted from 1945 to 1955, during which the country was jointly occupied by the Western Allies and the Soviet Union.

The Soviet Union's occupation policies in Austria were influenced by the Moscow Declaration of 1943, agreed upon by the British, Americans, and Soviets. The declaration stated that Austria was Germany's first victim but would also have to pay for its participation in Nazi aggression. As a result, Austria emerged as an independent state after the war, avoiding some of the harshest consequences imposed on Germany.

During the occupation, the Soviet Union focused on economic exploitation of Austria. They expropriated hundreds of formerly German-owned businesses, particularly targeting the oil industry. The Soviet holding company USIA controlled about 10% of the Austrian workforce at its peak. However, by 1955, most of these companies were close to bankruptcy due to a lack of investment.

The Soviet Union also exercised political influence in Austria, installing a provisional federal government led by Social Democrat Karl Renner, which included Austrian communists in key ministries. However, the Communist Party of Austria failed to gain significant support in the 1945 elections, receiving less than 6% of the national vote.

The Soviet occupation of Austria ended in 1955 with the signing of the Austrian State Treaty, which granted Austria full independence in exchange for promises of perpetual neutrality. The last occupation troops left the country on October 25, 1955.

The Soviets did not impose a communist dictatorship in Austria, but they did expropriate businesses and impose heavy occupation costs

Austria was not part of the USSR. However, it was occupied by the USSR, along with the US, UK, and France, from 1945 to 1955. During this time, the Soviets did not impose a communist dictatorship in Austria, but they did expropriate businesses and impose heavy occupation costs.

Soviet Occupation of Austria

Austria was jointly occupied by the USSR, US, UK, and France from 1945 to 1955. The country was divided into four occupation zones, with Vienna being subdivided among all four Allies. The central district of Vienna was collectively administered by the Allied Control Council.

No Communist Dictatorship Imposed

The Soviets did not impose a communist dictatorship in Austria. In fact, they allowed the formation of a provisional government led by Karl Renner, an Austrian socialist politician. However, one-third of Renner's cabinet was staffed by Austrian Communists, and the Western Allies suspected the establishment of a puppet state. Renner was not recognized by the Western Allies, but he managed to secure inter-party control by designating two Under-Secretaries of State in each of the ministries, appointed by the two parties not designating the Secretary of State.

Expropriation of Businesses

While the Soviets did not impose a communist dictatorship, they did expropriate businesses and impose heavy occupation costs on Austria. They targeted and expropriated over 450 formerly German-owned businesses, placing them under the management of the Administration of Soviet Properties in Austria (USIA). This conglomerate controlled a substantial share of the glass, steel, oil, and transportation industries in Austria. The Soviets also assumed control of Austrian oil fields in their zone, and by 1955, the majority of these companies were close to bankruptcy or heavily indebted to the Soviet Military Bank.

Heavy Occupation Costs

In addition to expropriating businesses, the Soviets imposed heavy occupation costs on Austria. Initially, Austria had to pay the entire occupation bill for all four Allied powers. In 1946, occupation costs were capped at 35% of Austrian state expenditures, to be split equally between the Soviets and the Western Allies. This still amounted to a significant burden on the war-ravaged country. From 1946 to 1955, it is estimated that Austria paid the Soviet Union 36.8 billion Schillings, or about 2% of its accumulated GDP during this period.

Austria was required to sign the Austrian State Treaty of 1955, pledging neutrality and never to unify with other German-speaking nations

Austria was not part of the USSR. However, it was occupied by the Allies from 1945 to 1955, following World War II. During this time, it was divided into four zones, jointly occupied by the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, the United States, and France.

In 1955, Austria was granted independence through the Austrian State Treaty, also known as the Austrian Independence Treaty. The treaty was signed on May 15, 1955, in Vienna, by the Allied occupying powers and the Austrian government. It officially came into force on July 27, 1955, and the last occupation troops left on October 25, 1955.

Austria's independence was the result of negotiations with the Soviet Union, which were made possible by the death of Joseph Stalin in 1953 and the subsequent warming of relations known as the Khrushchev Thaw. However, Austria's independence came with certain conditions.

One of the conditions of Austria's independence was that it pledged total neutrality in the Cold War confrontation between the Soviet Union and the U.S.-led West. This neutrality was declared by the Austrian Parliament on October 26, 1955, and has become a deeply ingrained element of Austrian identity.

Another condition of Austria's independence was that it would never seek to unify with other German-speaking nations. Additionally, Austria was required to maintain the Soviet War Memorial in Vienna. These conditions were likely imposed to prevent Austria from becoming a military asset or liability for either side of the Cold War. By remaining neutral and independent, Austria avoided becoming entangled in the geopolitical conflicts of the time.

The Austrian State Treaty also included provisions for Soviet oilfield concessions and property rights of oil refineries in Eastern Austria, as well as the transfer of assets of the Danube Shipping Company to the USSR. These economic provisions allowed the Soviet Union to extract reparations from Austria and benefit from its natural resources.

In summary, Austria's independence and neutrality were secured through the Austrian State Treaty of 1955, which was the result of negotiations with the Soviet Union and the Western Allies. The treaty included conditions such as neutrality, non-unification with other German-speaking nations, and the maintenance of the Soviet War Memorial. These conditions shaped Austria's foreign policy and domestic politics for decades to come.

The last foreign occupying troops left Austria in October 1955

Austria was never a part of the USSR. However, after World War II, Austria was jointly occupied by the Western Allies and the Soviet Union from 1945 to 1955. The country was divided into four occupation zones, with the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, the United States, and France each controlling a sector. Vienna, the capital, was also split into four sectors, with an additional international zone in the city centre collectively administered by the four powers.

The Soviet Union's occupation of Austria lasted from 1945 until 1955 and had a significant impact on the country. The Soviets exploited Austria economically, expropriating numerous businesses and assuming control of important industries such as oil. The Soviet presence also resulted in political instability, with the emergence of a communist government backed by Moscow. The Western Allies, particularly the United States, resisted Soviet expansionist intentions and worked to limit their influence.

The Austrian State Treaty, signed on May 15, 1955, marked a pivotal moment in Austria's history. The treaty granted Austria independence and arranged for the withdrawal of all foreign occupation forces. The four occupying powers—the Soviet Union, the United States, Britain, and France—signed the agreement, recognising Austria's neutrality and establishing it as a buffer zone between East and West during the Cold War.

The last foreign occupying troops left Austria on October 25, 1955, marking the end of the occupation and the restoration of Austria's sovereignty. This date holds a significant place in Austrian history, and October 26, 1955, became the country's National Day, celebrated annually with events such as an armed forces performance show at Vienna's Heldenplatz.

The withdrawal of foreign troops allowed Austria to reclaim its independence and shape its own future. The country's neutrality, enshrined in the Austrian State Treaty, played a crucial role in its foreign policy during the Cold War era, positioning it as a neutral ground between the East and the West.

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