Austria's Historical Events: A Brief Overview

Austria has had a turbulent history, from its time as part of Nazi Germany to the present day, where it is facing international concern over its links with Russia.

In 1938, Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany, becoming known as Ostmark. This period saw the arrest and exile of many Austrians, especially those of Jewish origin. During World War II, hundreds of thousands of Austrians fought as German soldiers, and the country was the site of the Mauthausen concentration camp, where approximately 100,000 prisoners died.

After the war, Austria declared independence from Nazi Germany and fell under Allied occupation. The country experienced economic hardship and had to grapple with its role in the war and the Holocaust.

In more recent times, Austria has been in the spotlight for different reasons. In 2024, it faced devastating floods, and there have been concerns about the far-right gaining traction in the country's politics.

Nazi rule and World War II

Austria was part of Nazi Germany from 13 March 1938 until 27 April 1945, when Allied-occupied Austria declared independence from Nazi Germany. This annexation was known as the Anschluss.

Nazi Germany's troops entering Austria in 1938 received the enthusiastic support of most of the population. Throughout World War II, 950,000 Austrians fought for the Nazi German armed forces. Other Austrians participated in the Nazi administration, from Nazi death camp personnel to senior Nazi leadership; the majority of the bureaucrats who implemented the Final Solution were Austrian.

After the Anschluss, the Nazis arrested many leaders of the anti-Nazi Austrian political parties and a great number of political opponents, particularly communists and socialists. Many Austrians, especially those of Jewish origin, were forced into exile.

The Viennese events during Kristallnacht—a short but devastating period of pogroms against Jewish people and property throughout Germany on November 9–10, 1938—proved that anti-Semitism was more virulent and violent in Austria than in most other German areas. A significant percentage of the Jews killed were in Vienna, where dozens of synagogues and hundreds of Jewish shops and apartments were destroyed and plundered. The degradation of the Austrian Jewish community—including the widespread threats against Jews’ lives, the destruction or “Aryanization” (forcible confiscation) of Jewish property, and the exiling of Austrian, mostly Viennese, Jews—became known as the Viennese model (Wiener Modell), on which the Nazis based their later expulsion of Jews from all of Germany and German-occupied countries.

By the time World War II began in 1939, more than 100,000 Jews—roughly half of all Austrian Jews—had left Austria. When the fighting ceased, more than 65,000 Austrian Jews had perished, many of them in extermination camps. Jews were not the only victims of Nazi persecution. Thousands of Roma (Gypsies) were also deported or murdered, and tens of thousands of Austrians with mental or physical disabilities were killed, most of them at Hartheim Castle, a so-called euthanasia centre near Linz.

Austrians were overrepresented not only in the system of terror against Jews but also on the battlefields. During the course of the war, hundreds of thousands of Austrians fought as German soldiers; a substantial number of Austrians served in the SS, the elite military corps of the Nazi Party. By the end of the war, approximately 250,000 Austrians had been killed or were missing in action. An even greater number of Austrians were held as prisoners of war, many of them for years in camps in the Soviet Union. In addition, more than 20,000 Austrians were killed in U.S. and British bombing raids.

As increasing numbers of Austrian men were enlisted in the German army, the resultant lack of workers, together with the tremendous buildup of the armament industries, brought compulsory labour on a massive scale to Austria. Foreign workers from many European countries were forced to work in industry as well as agriculture during the war, as were many thousands of concentration-camp inmates, most of them from the Mauthausen concentration camp, near Linz, or one of its satellite camps. (About half of the approximately 200,000 prisoners in these camps—many of them Russian soldiers—died.)

While the great majority of Austrians were not Nazis, popular support for Germany’s wartime policies remained strong until the later phases of the war. The Austrian resistance was small, though it was by no means negligible. Left-wing resistance groups (mostly communists, with a smaller number of socialists) dominated, but conservative resisters (mainly Christian Socialists and monarchists) were active as well. During the war, tens of thousands of Austrians were arrested for political reasons; many of them died in concentration camps or prisons, and about 2,700 were executed. Additionally, a number of Austrians fought as Allied soldiers against the German army.

Taylor Swift concert terror plot

Taylor Swift's concerts in Vienna, Austria, were targeted by Islamic State followers, who planned to kill "tens of thousands" of people, according to the CIA. The plot was foiled by Austrian authorities, who arrested three suspects and prevented a potential tragedy.

Swift's concerts, part of her Eras Tour, were scheduled to take place in Vienna on August 8, 9, and 10, 2024, and were expected to draw a large crowd of fans from around the world. However, the events were called off by the organizers, Barracuda Music, after being informed of the terror plot by Austrian authorities.

The main suspect, a 19-year-old Austrian citizen of North Macedonian background, had sworn allegiance to the leader of the Islamic State and planned to kill as many people as possible outside the concert venue, Ernst Happel Stadium. He allegedly intended to use knives, explosives, and possibly a car to carry out the attack. During a raid on his home, authorities discovered explosives, timers, machetes, knives, and chemical substances.

A second suspect, a 17-year-old, was arrested at the stadium and was believed to be an accomplice. A third suspect, an 18-year-old, was also arrested. Both additional suspects had possible ties to ISIS. The plot was reportedly inspired by the Islamic State and included plans to attack fans outside the venue.

The CIA played a crucial role in foiling the terror plot by providing key intelligence to Austrian law enforcement. CIA Deputy Director David Cohen commended the successful collaboration between the CIA, Austrian authorities, and other intelligence agencies, stating that their collective efforts prevented a devastating attack.

The foiled plot highlighted the ongoing threat of terrorism and the importance of international cooperation in combating such threats. It also served as a reminder of the potential dangers associated with large-scale events and the need to prioritize safety and security.

Flooding

In September 2024, Austria was hit by severe flooding, which was described as the worst in at least two decades. The flooding was caused by unprecedented rainfall and snow in the Eastern Alps. The situation was deemed an "unprecedented extreme situation" by authorities, and the province of Lower Austria was declared a catastrophe zone.

The flooding resulted in the deaths of at least 16 people across Central Europe, with significant damage to property and infrastructure. Many roads and railways were impassable due to flooding, and public transport was interrupted. The Austrian government provided aid and recovery funds, tripling the federal disaster fund to 1 billion euros. The armed forces were called in to assist affected regions.

The capital, Vienna, was particularly affected by the flooding. The Wienfluss, a smaller river in the city, swelled and spilled onto underground train tracks, interrupting public transport. The Vienna River, or the Wien, experienced a 1000-year flood event, with around 10,000 cubic metres of water flowing through per second. However, the city's flood defence system prevented widespread flooding, and not a single household was threatened.

The flooding also impacted other countries in Central Europe, including Poland and the Czech Republic, where there was heavy flooding.

Russian gas supply

Austria's largest oil and gas company, OMV, has had a longstanding relationship with Gazprom, the Russian state energy giant. OMV has been buying Soviet and then Russian gas since 1968. However, this relationship was abruptly ended in November 2024 when OMV seized Russian gas supplies worth 230 million euros as payment for an arbitration award. This was due to irregular supplies to its German unit. In response, Gazprom cut off its gas supply to OMV three days later. This was the first time a European Union customer had failed to pay for Gazprom's gas.

The end of this relationship came as a surprise to many gas market insiders and was a blow to Gazprom's longstanding economic and political influence in Central Europe. Austria had been one of Gazprom's most loyal customers, remaining almost fully reliant on Russian gas even as other EU members switched to other suppliers after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Despite the cutoff, Austria has continued to receive Russian gas via Slovakia. Gazprom has been selling more gas to Slovakia's SPP, which then resells the gas to Austrian buyers. This has allowed Austria to avoid a complete shutdown of Russian gas supplies and has kept energy prices relatively stable.

OMV has stated that it has stored enough gas for more than a year and has started importing gas from Norway, Germany, and Italy. The Austrian government has also reassured that it can cover its energy needs using other suppliers. However, Austrians are now paying more than twice as much for gas compared to three years ago.

The current situation has also provided an opportunity for OMV to argue that Gazprom has breached their contracts, potentially allowing OMV to exit these contracts early. OMV has been trying to end its collaborations with Gazprom since the start of the Ukraine conflict, but binding contracts force them to purchase Russian gas until 2040.

Far-right politics

The Rise of Nazism and Far-Right Politics in Interwar Austria

During the interwar period, various political groups competed for power in the young republic of Austria. While the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SDAP) and the Christian Social Party (CS) were the major players, smaller far-right groups like the Austrian National Socialists (DNSAP) also emerged. The DNSAP advocated for a union with Germany and held anti-Semitic views.

In the 1927 General Election, the Austrian National Socialists linked to Hitler received a mere 779 votes. However, in the following years, they gained support due to the economic crisis, using slogans like, "500,000 Unemployed – 400,000 Jews – Simple way out; vote National Socialist."

The Annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany

On March 12, 1938, German troops entered Austria, and a Nazi government was established under Arthur Seyss-Inquart. This annexation, known as the "Anschluss," was met with enthusiasm by most Austrians. Many Austrians participated in the Nazi administration and fought for the Nazi German armed forces during World War II.

The Viennese events during Kristallnacht in November 1938 highlighted the virulence of anti-Semitism in Austria. Synagogues, Jewish shops, and apartments were destroyed, and Jewish lives were threatened. This period marked the beginning of the expulsion and extermination of Jews from Austria and German-occupied countries.

Post-World War II and Recent Developments

After World War II, Austria sought to distance itself from its involvement with Nazi Germany, with many Austrians embracing the narrative of Austria as "the first victim" of the Nazis. This "victim theory" allowed Austrians to avoid collective responsibility for Nazi crimes and facilitated the reintegration of former Nazis into society.

In recent years, there has been a resurgence of far-right politics in Austria. In 2024, Herbert Kickl's far-right Freedom Party won the elections, but they were unable to form a governing coalition due to other parties' reluctance to collaborate. This victory signaled a shift towards the far-right in Austrian politics.

Additionally, concerns have been raised about Austria's links with Russia, even among its allies. The far-right has gained traction, and there have been instances of neo-Nazi activities, such as four Germans arrested for commemorating Hitler's birthday outside his birthplace in Austria.

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