Lexi Webster
Austria's government in the 1940s was a tumultuous time, with the country under occupation by the Allies and the Soviets, and the country transitioning from annexation to Nazi Germany to independence. The country was occupied by the Allies and Soviets at the end of World War II in 1945, with the latter installing a provisional government under State Chancellor Karl Renner, who had previously served as head of the State Chancellery in 1918. Renner's cabinet declared independence from Nazi Germany and called for a democratic state. The Allies refused to recognize Renner's claim to a national government, but his influence extended into the Western zones. In 1946, the Allies loosened their control, allowing the Parliament to make decisions that could only be overturned by a unanimous vote by all four Allies. Austria gradually regained its independence, and in 1955, the Austrian State Treaty ended the Allied occupation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Government | Republic, part of Nazi Germany |
| Year | 1945 |
| Head of State | Federal President |
| Election of Head of State | Elected by popular vote for a term of six years |
| Head of Government | Federal Chancellor |
| Election of Head of Government | Appointed by the Federal President |
| Type of Legislature | Bicameral Parliament |
| Independence | Regained independence from the occupying Allied Powers in 1955 |
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What You'll Learn
Austria was a one-party state
From 1934 to 1938, Austria was a one-party state led by the Fatherland Front, a conservative, nationalist, corporatist, and clerically fascist organisation. The Fatherland Front was established by Engelbert Dollfuss, the Chancellor of Austria, on 20 May 1933, as a unity party of "an autonomous, Christian, German, corporative Federal State of Austria".
Dollfuss ruled by suppressing the National Council parliament and, in the course of the Austrian Civil War, he brought down the opposition. On 1 May 1934, he implemented the authoritarian Federal State of Austria, banning all political parties except for the Fatherland's Front, which supported his government. Direct parliamentary elections were abolished, and deputies were nominated by four non-elective, corporatist-style councils: the State Council, Federal Culture Council, Federal Economic Council, and the States' Council. In practice, all governing power was in Dollfuss' hands, and he continued to rule under what amounted to martial law.
Dollfuss was assassinated by Nazi party agents in 1934, and his education minister, Kurt Schuschnigg, succeeded him. Schuschnigg continued to rule the one-party state until 1938, when Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany. This annexation, known as the Anschluss, ended the Federal State of Austria.
After the defeat of the German Reich in 1945, Austria resumed its republican government and became fully independent from the occupying Allied Powers. A provisional Austrian national unity government, under State Chancellor Karl Renner, declared the Anschluss null and void and prepared for elections to the Austrian National Council.
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The country was under Soviet influence
In the 1940s, Austria was under the influence of the Soviet Union as part of the Allied occupation of the country following World War II. The Soviet Union, along with the United Kingdom, the United States, and France, jointly occupied Austria, dividing it into four occupation zones. This occupation lasted from 1945 until 1955 when the Austrian State Treaty came into force, and the last occupation troops departed.
The Soviet Union played a significant role in the occupation of Austria, particularly in the immediate aftermath of the war. Soviet troops were involved in the liberation of slave laborers from the Soviet Union held in Austria by the Nazis. Additionally, there were instances of assaults and plunder by Soviet officers and soldiers, which undermined their authority and delegitimized their Austrian allies, the Communist Party of Austria.
During the occupation, the Soviets pushed for control over Austrian oil fields, which was opposed by the Americans. The Soviets also dismantled and shipped industrial equipment from Austria to the East, with an estimated value of around $500 million. The Soviet occupation apparatus interacted closely with Austrian civilians, and there were instances of sexual relations between Soviet men and Austrian women, resulting in the birth of thousands of "soldier's children."
The Soviets re-established district administrations and appointed local mayors, even before the battle was over. They guarded and watched over State Chancellor Renner, who was viewed with suspicion by the Western Allies as a potential puppet leader. Despite this, Renner secured inter-party control by appointing Under-Secretaries of State from different parties, which gave him influence in all ministries.
In 1946, the Allies signed the Second Control Agreement, which reduced their direct control over the Austrian government. Over the following years, Austria gradually emancipated itself from foreign influence and evolved into a fully independent country.
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The government was a continuation of the First Austrian Republic
The government of Austria in the 1940s cannot be considered a continuation of the First Austrian Republic, which lasted from 1918 to 1938. The First Austrian Republic was established after the fall of the monarchy in 1918 and was hampered by the economic burden of war reparations. It was a coalition government, with the Social Democrats, Christian Socialists, and German Nationalists as the three main parties.
The First Austrian Republic was a period of political division and revolutionary activities, with the Social Democrats resisting Bolshevism and the rise of communist groups. The republic also faced economic exhaustion and chaos due to the breakup of the Habsburg empire, which resulted in social distress and poverty.
In the summer of 1920, a government crisis led to the formation of a caretaker cabinet under the Christian Socialist Michael Mayr. Mayr's government drafted the constitution, which established a bicameral legislature with a Federal Council and a National Council. The Christian Socialists gained power in the 1920 elections, and the Social Democrats moved into opposition.
The First Austrian Republic gradually developed into an Austrofascist dictatorship under Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss, who established a one-party state and changed the country's name to the Federal State of Austria. He suppressed the National Council parliament and banned all political parties except for the Fatherland Front, which supported his government.
In 1938, the First Austrian Republic came to an end with the Anschluss, the incorporation of Austria into Nazi Germany. A provisional Austrian national unity government was formed in 1945, led by State Chancellor Karl Renner, which declared the Anschluss null and void and prepared for elections to the Austrian National Council.
Therefore, while there may be some similarities in the political landscape and the presence of certain parties, the government of Austria in the 1940s was not a direct continuation of the First Austrian Republic due to the significant changes in the country's political system and the interruption caused by the Anschluss.
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Austrian parliament was de facto relieved of Allied control in 1946
In the 1930s, Austrian politics was characterised by infighting and political violence. Austrian chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss took advantage of this instability and established a right-wing authoritarian regime, also known as the Austrofascist state. This government was aligned with Fascist Italy and authoritarian Hungary. In 1938, Austria became a part of Nazi Germany, and the Federal Government ceased to exist.
Following the defeat of the German Reich in 1945, Austria resumed its republican government. The country was occupied by the Allies, with around 150,000 Soviet, 55,000 British, 40,000 American, and 15,000 French troops present in the country. The Austrian parliament was de facto relieved of Allied control in 1946, when the Allies signed the Second Control Agreement on 28 June, loosening their dominance over the Austrian government. From then on, the Allies could only overturn parliamentary decisions through a unanimous vote. Over the next nine years, Austria gradually gained full independence. The first allied talks on Austrian independence were held in January 1947 but deadlocked over the issue of "German assets" in Soviet possession.
The period of Allied occupation was marked by looting, raping, and hunger. The Soviets engaged in systematic sexual violence against women and committed various crimes, including plunder. The Austrian flag was flown alongside the hammer and sickle and an image of Lenin on a tram in Vienna in 1946. The Soviets also expropriated hundreds of Austrian businesses and controlled substantial shares in the glass, steel, oil, and transportation industries. In contrast, the Western Allies provided assistance, primarily from the USA, which helped feed the Austrian population.
The November 1945 parliamentary election, administered by the four occupying powers, resulted in a victory for the coalition of Social Democrats and Christian Democrats, the traditional center-left and center-right Austrian parties. The Communist Party of Austria, on the other hand, was trounced, winning less than six percent of the national vote.
The Austrian government's evolution from a "nation under tutelage" to full independence was marked by its independent vision of the future and its ability to react to adverse circumstances. The country's political system after the re-establishment of democracy is referred to as the Second Republic.
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The country was occupied by British, American, French, and Soviet troops
Austria was occupied by the Allied Powers in the aftermath of World War II. The country was divided into four occupation zones, controlled by the British, American, French, and Soviet troops. The occupation began in 1945, with the arrival of American troops in April, followed by the French and British in the same month, and the Soviets occupying the capital, Vienna, and other parts of the country. The occupation forces peaked at around 150,000 Soviet, 55,000 British, 40,000 American, and 15,000 French troops in late 1945 and early 1946.
The presence of these troops had a significant impact on the Austrian population. The costs of maintaining the occupation forces were initially levied entirely on the Austrian government, affecting the country's economy. Additionally, the conduct of the troops, particularly the Soviets, contributed to tensions and challenges in the post-war period. Soviet soldiers were associated with a high level of criminal activity, with "men in Soviet uniform" accounting for more than 90% of registered crimes in Austrian police records for 1946. The Soviet occupation policies were influenced by the Moscow Declaration of 1943, which stated that Austria was a victim of Nazi Germany but would also bear the consequences of its participation in the war.
The occupation period was marked by political complexities. The Allied Council of four military governors refused to recognize Karl Renner's claim of a national government, although they did not prevent him from extending his influence into the Western zones. Renner's cabinet was eventually recognized by the Western Allies in October 1945, and he was allowed to proceed with the first legislative election. The Western powers, particularly the British, were suspicious of Renner, believing him to be a front for the Kremlin. However, Renner worked to secure inter-party control and reduce Communist influence by appointing anti-communist ministers.
The occupation of Austria lasted for nearly a decade, and the country was only freed of occupying troops in October 1945, following the signing of the Austrian State Treaty in May 1955. The treaty ensured Austria's independence and neutrality, and the country enacted a Declaration of Neutrality, pledging to never join a military alliance or allow foreign troops to be based within its borders. The departure of the occupation forces marked a turning point for Austria, allowing it to rebuild and recover from the war's devastation.
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Frequently asked questions
Austria was under the rule of Nazi Germany in the early 1940s, following its annexation in 1938. However, in 1945, the country was occupied by the Soviets, the British, the Americans, and the French. A provisional Austrian national unity government was formed under State Chancellor Karl Renner, who declared independence from Nazi Germany and called for the creation of a democratic state.
Karl Renner was a Social Democratic politician who was the head of the Austrian State Chancellery in 1918. He was also the first Chancellor of Austria.
After World War II, Austria was occupied by the Soviets, the British, the Americans, and the French.
Austria became fully independent in 1955 when the Austrian State Treaty ended the Allied occupation.
