The Many Names Of Austrians: A Guide To Their Nicknames And Titles

The term Austrian refers to the citizens and nationals of Austria. The English term was applied to the population of Habsburg Austria from the 17th or 18th century. The English word Austrian is a derivative of the proper name Austria, which is a latinization of Österreich, the German name for the country. This, in turn, is derived from the Old High German Ostarrîchi, meaning eastern realm, which first appeared in 996. Austrians have historically spoken German, although the sole official language at the federal level is Austrian German, a standardised version of German taught in schools.

Austrians were historically considered Germans

The Austrian identity was put to a severe test in 1871 when a unified German nation-state was founded in the form of the German Reich – without the Austrian Germans. The ‘Austriandom’ that was subsequently developed as a conscious alternative to the ‘Germandom’ of the Reich was marked by a strange mixture of a proud insistence on Austria’s leading position in the German-speaking world and a feeling of having been excluded, compounded by an inferiority complex towards the dynamic development of the young and vigorous German nation-state.

The Austrian identity was further complicated by the successful emancipation and self-confident political representation of the other nationalities of the multi-ethnic Monarchy, which the German-Austrians perceived as a threat. Around 1900, the challenges to their hegemony in the state led to a strengthening of German nationalism and a weakening of Habsburg-Austrian patriotism. The change of identity from Austrian to German often took place very rapidly and was experienced as a personal conversion.

The idea of uniting all ethnic Germans into one nation-state began to be challenged in Austria by the rise of Austrian nationalism, especially within the Christian Social Party, which identified Austrians based on their predominantly Catholic religious identity as opposed to the predominantly Protestant religious identity of the Prussians.

The establishment of a German Empire in 1871, headed by Prussia and pointedly excluding any of the Austrian lands, led the Austrian state to turn its gaze towards the Balkan Peninsula. However, as the term "Austrians" was still used supra-nationally, German-speaking Austrians continued to consider themselves Germans and were counted as such in the censuses.

The Austro-Hungarian Empire created ethnic conflict between the German Austrians and the other ethnic groups of the empire. Many pan-German movements in the empire desired the reinforcement of an ethnic German identity and hoped for the collapse of the empire, which would allow for a quick annexation of Austria to Germany.

The collapse of the empire at the end of World War I caused an apparent struggle for some German Austrians between an "Austrian" and a "German" character. The idea of unifying Austria with Germany was motivated by a sense of a common German national identity and a fear that the new Austrian state, stripped of its one-time imperial possessions, would not be economically viable.

An Austrian identity emerged to some degree during the First Republic, and although Austria was still considered part of the "German nation" by most, Austrian patriotism was encouraged by the anti-Nazi/anti-Socialist clerico-authoritarianist state ideology known as Austrofascism from 1934 to 1938. The Engelbert Dollfuss/Kurt von Schuschnigg government accepted that Austria was a "German state" and believed Austrians were "better Germans", but strongly opposed the annexation of Austria to Nazi Germany.

After the defeat of Nazi Germany and the end of World War II in Europe, both the political ideology of pan-Germanism and the union with Germany became associated with Nazism, resulting in Austrians developing their own separate and distinct national identity. Today, the vast majority of Austrians do not identify as German.

Austria was part of the Holy Roman Empire

The term "Austrian" was applied to the population of Habsburg Austria from the 17th or 18th century. The Austrian lands, including Bohemia, were part of the Holy Roman Empire until the Austro-Prussian War in 1806, which resulted in the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire.

Austria was the German-speaking heartland of the Holy Roman Empire and was a major imperial power in Central Europe for centuries. From the 16th century, Vienna also served as the Holy Roman Empire's administrative capital.

The Habsburgs, who ruled Austria, gained a lot of territory directly under their control through inheritance and conquest. They eventually became the major power bloc in the Holy Roman Empire, becoming the elected emperor nearly every time.

In 1804, Francis II proclaimed the Austrian Empire, unifying all Habsburg possessions under one central government. The Austrian Empire remained part of the Holy Roman Empire until the latter's dissolution in 1806.

In 1805, an Austrian army led by General Karl Mack von Leiberich was defeated by French armies near the city of Ulm. Napoleon's army won another victory at Austerlitz on December 2, 1805. These French victories encouraged rulers of certain imperial territories to ally themselves with the French and assert their formal independence from the Holy Roman Empire.

On August 6, 1806, Francis proclaimed the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, as he did not want Napoleon to succeed him. The Holy Roman Empire was a political institution that provided a loose affiliation between the German principalities, duchies, bishoprics, and kingdoms of central Europe. The Holy Roman Emperor was viewed as the successor to the Roman Empire, deriving his legitimacy from Charlemagne and the Pope.

The Austrian Empire, officially known as the Empire of Austria, was a multinational European great power from 1804 to 1867. It was proclaimed by Francis II in response to Napoleon's declaration of the First French Empire. The Austrian Empire continued fighting against Napoleon throughout the Napoleonic Wars, except for a brief period between 1809 and 1813 when Austria was first allied with Napoleon during the invasion of Russia and then remained neutral during the first few weeks of the Sixth Coalition War.

After the defeat of Napoleon, the Austrian Empire emerged as one of the great powers of the 19th century. It was the third most populous monarchy in Europe and geographically, it was the third-largest empire in Europe.

In 1867, the Austrian Empire was reformed into the Austro-Hungarian Empire, acknowledging the Kingdom of Hungary as an independent state bound to the remaining part of the empire by a personal and real union. The Emperor of Austria was the Apostolic King of Hungary, with both titles on the same level.

The Austro-Hungarian Empire ruled over various ethnic groups, including Germans, Hungarians, Croats, Czechs, Poles, Rusyns, Serbs, Slovaks, Slovenes, and Ukrainians, as well as large Italian and Romanian communities. This diverse empire faced challenges in ruling over these groups, especially with the rise of nationalist movements.

The collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the end of World War I in 1918 led to the establishment of the Republic of German-Austria and later the First Austrian Republic in 1919. The Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye prohibited the union of Austria and Germany, and Austria adopted the name "Republic of Austria."

Austria was reformed into the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1867

The term Austrian has been used to refer to the population of Habsburg Austria since the 17th or 18th century. In 1867, Austria was reformed into the Austro-Hungarian Empire, also known as the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy or Dual Monarchy. This reform came about as a result of the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867, which established a dual sovereignty between the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary.

The Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 ended an 18-year-long military dictatorship and absolutist rule over Hungary, which had been instituted by Emperor Franz Joseph following the Hungarian Revolution of 1848. The Compromise restored Hungary's territorial integrity and its old historic constitution. It also re-established the Kingdom of Hungary as a sovereign state separate from, and no longer subject to, the Austrian Empire.

Under the Compromise, the lands of the House of Habsburg were reorganised as a real union between Austria and Hungary, with a single monarch reigning as Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary in their respective territories. While the two countries maintained separate parliaments and prime ministers, they conducted unified diplomatic and defence policies, with common ministries of foreign affairs, defence, and finance.

The Compromise of 1867 was the result of negotiations between Hungarian political leaders and Emperor Franz Joseph, who sought to regain Hungary's traditional legal and political status, as well as restore the reform laws of the 1848 revolutionary parliament. The Compromise was unpopular among ethnic Hungarian voters, who felt that it betrayed Hungarian interests and the achievements of the 1848 revolution. However, it was supported by ethnic minority voters in Hungary, who played a crucial role in maintaining the political maintenance of the Compromise.

The establishment of the Austro-Hungarian Empire marked a significant shift in the region, as Austria reoriented its policy towards the east and consolidated its heterogeneous empire. The empire included various ethnic groups, such as Germans, Hungarians, Croats, Czechs, Poles, Rusyns, Serbs, Slovaks, Slovenes, and Ukrainians, as well as large Italian and Romanian communities.

The Compromise of 1867 and the formation of the Austro-Hungarian Empire had far-reaching consequences, shaping the political, social, and cultural landscape of the region until World War I and beyond.

Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany in 1938

In the 1920s, the proposal for unification was supported by many Austrian citizens, particularly those on the political left and centre. However, support for unification with Germany was largely motivated by economic concerns, as Austria had been stripped of its imperial land. Popular support for unification faded over time, although it remained a concept in contemporary Austrian political discourse.

After Adolf Hitler rose to power in Germany in 1933, the desire for unification was adopted by the Nazis, forming an integral part of their "Heim ins Reich" ("back home to the realm") concept. In early 1938, Austrian chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg, facing increasing pressure from pro-unification activists, announced a referendum on a possible union with Germany, to be held on March 13, 1938. Hitler, portraying this as defying the popular will, threatened to invade Austria and pressured Schuschnigg to resign. On March 11, Hitler sent an ultimatum to Schuschnigg, demanding that he hand over all power to the Austrian Nazis or face invasion. Without waiting for a response, Hitler signed an order for German troops to enter Austria at dawn on March 12.

On March 12, 1938, German troops crossed the border and entered Austria unopposed. Hitler himself, an Austrian by birth, crossed the border later that day. The annexation was completed the following day, with the abrogation of Article 88 of the Treaty of Saint-Germain, which prohibited the unification of Austria and Germany. A referendum was held on April 10, 1938, to ratify the annexation, with 99.7% of voters approving the union. However, the referendum was neither free nor secret, and the voting rights of around 360,000 people were abrogated.

The annexation of Austria demonstrated Hitler's aggressive territorial ambitions and his disregard for the Versailles Treaty. It was one of the first major steps in his plan to create a Greater German Reich, which included all ethnic Germans and the territories lost by Germany after World War I.

Austria is officially called the Republic of Austria

Austria has a population of around 9 million people, with its capital, Vienna, being the most populous city and state. The country has a rich history, dating back to at least the Paleolithic period, and has been inhabited by various civilisations, including the Celts, Romans, and Germanic tribes.

Over time, Austria has gone through several political changes, including being a part of the Holy Roman Empire, the Austrian Empire, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. After World War I, Austria became the First Austrian Republic and later, during World War II, it was annexed into Nazi Germany.

Following its liberation in 1945, Austria regained its sovereignty and declared its perpetual neutrality in 1955. The country has a semi-presidential representative democracy with a popularly elected president and a chancellor as the head of government.

Austria is known for its high standard of living and has the 13th highest nominal GDP per capita. It is a member of several international organisations, including the United Nations, the European Union, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

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