Lyla Lindsey
Austrians are the citizens and nationals of Austria, but the country does not collect data on the ethnicity or race of its citizens. Historically, Austrians were considered ethnic Germans and viewed themselves as such, as Austria was part of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation and the German Confederation until the Austro-Prussian War of 1866. However, some argue that Austrians are a distinct ethnicity with minor cultural differences, such as dialects, traditions, and foreign influences. The country has a shifting population and has been a centre for migration from the east for hundreds of years. with the largest immigrant group being Turks, who make up about 3% of the total population.
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What You'll Learn
Austria's historical view of itself as ethnically German
Austria does not collect data on the ethnicity or race of its citizens, but it does collect data on the nationality of residents. German is the official language nationwide, and in 2018, 88.8% of the population spoke Austrian German.
Historically, Austrians were regarded as Germans and viewed themselves as such. The Austrian lands including Bohemia were part of the Holy Roman Empire and the German Confederation until the Austro-Prussian War in 1866, which resulted in Prussia expelling the Austrian Empire from the Confederation. The term "Austrian" was used to identify subjects of the Domus Austriae, the House of Austria, regardless of their ethnic ancestry. The common German identity of lands such as Carinthia, Styria, or Tyrol, and the ruling dynasty made it easier for these lands to accept the central government set up in Vienna in the mid-18th century.
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 on the basis of 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 excluding any of the Austrian lands, further contributed to Austria's turn away from Germany and towards the Balkan Peninsula, leading to a sense of a distinctively Austrian identity.
After Austria was annexed into Germany by Nazi Germany in 1938, an event known as the Anschluss, many Austrians participated in the Nazification of the country and the persecution of its Jewish population. Following World War II, Austria claimed independence and was separated from Germany in 1945. The German identity in Austria was weakened, and the Austrian State Treaty banned the reunification of Germany and Austria.
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The largest immigrant group in Austria is Turks
Austria has experienced high levels of immigration since the 1970s. The country does not collect data on the ethnicity of its citizens but does collect data on the nationality of its residents. According to estimates, 350,000 ethnic Turks, including a minority of Turkish Kurds, lived in Austria in 2010, constituting about 3% of the total population and making them the largest single ethnic minority group in the country.
The Turkish Austrian community is dispersed throughout major cities like Vienna and Salzburg, as well as smaller towns like Telfs, where they make up about 20% of the population. The majority of Austrian Turks trace their roots to the Republic of Turkey. However, there has also been significant Turkish migration from other post-Ottoman countries, including the Balkans (especially Bulgaria, Greece, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Romania), the island of Cyprus, and more recently, Iraq and Syria.
The history of Turkish migration to Austria began in the 1960s and 1970s when Turkish people were recruited as "Gastarbeiter" (guest workers) for the construction and export industries following an agreement with the Turkish government in 1964. This initial wave of migration included Turkish Macedonians and other citizens from Yugoslavia. From 1971 onwards, Turkish migrants also included political refugees. However, Austria's policy of encouraging guest workers ended in 1973, and restrictive immigration laws were introduced, making it more challenging for Turks to immigrate and work in the country.
Despite these challenges, the Turkish community in Austria has continued to grow and thrive. They have established support groups and worked with the government to address issues such as discrimination in employment and housing and underrepresentation in higher education, especially for women and second-generation youth. Turkish Austrians have also engaged in the political process, with a notable preference for left-leaning parties like the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) and the Greens.
In recent years, Austria has experienced a new wave of Turkish migration due to the European migrant crisis of 2014–2019, during which thousands of Syrian Turks and other ethnic minorities from Syria sought refuge in the country. This mass migration was facilitated by the decision of Chancellor Werner Faymann to allow migrants to cross the border from Hungary into Austria. As a result, the Turkish Austrian community continues to play an integral role in shaping the cultural and social landscape of the country.
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Austria's three largest traditional minority groups
Austria does not collect data on the ethnicity or race of its citizens but does collect data on the nationality of residents. However, according to the 2001 population census, 88.6% are native German speakers, while the remaining 11.4% speak several minority languages. The non-German speakers of Austria can be divided into two groups: traditional minorities, who are related to territories formerly part of the Habsburg monarchy, and new minorities, resulting from recent immigration.
Carinthian Slovenes
The Slovenes, also called 'Windische', form a closely knit community of around 14,000 people in Austrian Carinthia (unofficial estimates put the number at 50,000). Their rights are protected by law and respected in practice. The 1955 State Treaty recognizes Slovene as an official language in addition to German in Carinthia. The provincial government of Carinthia has a minority education act to allow the teaching of Slovene in schools.
Burgenland Croats
There are about 25,000 Croats in Burgenland, on the Hungarian border. The 1955 State Treaty recognizes Croat as an official language in addition to German in Burgenland. The provincial government has a minority education act to allow the teaching of Croat in schools.
Hungarians
There are around 20,000 Hungarians in Burgenland and 25,884 in Vienna, making the Hungarian minority group in Austria around 45,000 strong. The 1955 State Treaty recognizes Hungarian as an official language in addition to German in Burgenland, Carinthia and Styria. The provincial government of Burgenland has a minority education act to allow the teaching of Hungarian in schools.
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Austria's shifting population due to its location
Austria's population has been influenced by its location in several ways. The country's central location in Europe has made it a hub for immigration, with people moving to Austria from neighbouring countries and beyond. As a result, Austria's population has become diverse, with various ethnic and cultural groups calling the country home.
Historically, Austrians were considered Germans and identified as such. This changed when the German Empire was established in 1871, excluding Austrian lands. This prompted a shift in Austrian identity, as Austrians grappled with their relationship with Germany and worked towards forging a distinctively Austrian identity.
Austria's proximity to other European countries has also played a role in its shifting population. Located in Central Europe, Austria shares borders with Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. This close proximity has made it easier for people to migrate to Austria from these countries, seeking economic opportunities or fleeing conflict or political instability.
One of the most significant immigrant groups in Austria is Turks, who make up the largest single ethnic minority group in the country, with around 350,000 people of Turkish origin residing in Austria as of 2010. Other significant immigrant groups include people from the former Yugoslavia, with many coming from countries like Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Kosovo. These immigrants have enriched Austria's cultural landscape and contributed to its economy.
In addition to immigration, Austria's location has also influenced internal population movements. The country's mountainous terrain and popular ski resorts have made it a popular destination for winter sports enthusiasts. As a result, some Austrians may relocate to these areas, either permanently or seasonally, contributing to a shift in the population distribution within the country.
Lastly, Austria's location within Europe has made it a desirable destination for EU citizens seeking new opportunities. As of 2023, German speakers, including Austrian German and Alemannic speakers, make up a significant proportion of foreign residents in Austria. This reflects the ease of movement within the EU and the appeal of Austria as a place to live and work for Europeans.
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Austria's history of pan-German movements
The term "Austrian" has been used to refer to the population of Habsburg Austria since the 17th or 18th century. Historically, Austrians were regarded as Germans and viewed themselves as such. The Austrian lands, including Bohemia, were part of the Holy Roman Empire and the German Confederation until the Austro-Prussian War in 1866, which resulted in Prussia expelling the Austrian Empire from the Confederation.
The Revolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areas, the Austrian defeat in the Austro-Prussian War in 1866, and increasing ethnic conflicts in the multinational Habsburg monarchy led to the emergence of a German national movement in Austria. This movement, known as Pan-Germanism, sought the political unification of all people speaking German or a Germanic language. Advocates of the Großdeutschland (Greater Germany) solution within the movement aimed to unite all German-speaking people in Europe under the leadership of the German Austrians from the Austrian Empire. Pan-Germanism was widespread among the revolutionaries of 1848, including Richard Wagner and the Brothers Grimm.
The Pan-German Movement was formally organized in 1894 by Ernst Hasse, a professor at Leipzig and a member of the Reichstag (parliament). The movement aimed to heighten German nationalist consciousness, especially among German-speaking people outside Germany. In Austria-Hungary, Georg Schönerer and Karl Hermann Wolf articulated Pan-Germanist sentiments and attacked Slavs, Jews, and capitalism. These ideas influenced Adolf Hitler, who shared many of the basic pan-German visions with the Pan-German League. However, differences in political style led to an open rivalry between the two groups, with Hitler and the Nazi Party becoming the more dominant force.
After the Second World War, both pan-Germanism and the idea of political union with Germany became unpopular due to their association with Nazism and the rise of a civic Austrian national identity. The German nationalist movement was discredited because of its links to the former Nazi regime, and the dominant parties of the new republic, the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) and the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ), promoted Austrian independence and rejected the idea of a "Greater Germany".
Today, pan-Germanism is mainly limited to a few nationalist groups, primarily on the far right in Germany and Austria. The Freedom Party of Austria, a far-right political party with representation in the Austrian parliament, has pan-Germanist roots. While Austria does not collect data on the ethnicity or race of its citizens, German is the official language, and in 2001, about 74% of Austria's population were registered as Roman Catholic, with about 5% considering themselves Protestants.
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Frequently asked questions
Historically, Austrians were considered ethnic Germans and identified themselves as such. They were part of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation and were members of the German Confederation until the Austro-Prussian War in 1866, after which they were expelled by Prussia. However, Austrians have cultural differences from Germans, including distinct dialects, traditions, and foreign influences.
There are several recognised minority ethnic groups in Austria, including the Carinthian Slovenes, Croats, Hungarians, Czechs, and Jews.
According to a 2001 statistic, 73.4% of Austria's population identified as Roman Catholic, 5.9% were Protestant, 4.2% were Muslim, 2.2% were Greek Eastern Orthodox, and 1.1% were Jewish.
In 2018, the percentage of foreign-born people in Austria was around 19% of the total population, the second-highest foreign-born proportion in the EU after Luxembourg.
The official language of Austria is German. However, there are several recognised minority languages, including Slovene, Croatian, and Hungarian. Additionally, Austrians also speak local dialects of Austro-Bavarian and Alemannic.
