Leslie Massey
Austria and Serbia have a long history of relations, with Serbian migration to Austria occurring as early as the 14th century due to the Ottoman invasion of the Balkan Peninsula. The two countries also share a border, and Serbian is the native language of 2.2% of Austrian citizens. The Serbian diaspora is estimated to number between 3.9 million and 5.1 million people globally, with the majority living in Europe. In Austria, Vienna is home to 100,000 Serbian residents, making it the largest Serbian community outside of Serbia. Serbian migration to Austria has occurred in waves, with the largest wave during the migrant worker program of the 1960s and 1970s. Today, Serbs in Austria are the second-largest ethnic minority group in the country, after Germans.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Austrian citizens who declared Serbian as their native language | 132,553 (2.2%) |
| Estimation of the real number of ethnic Serbs in Austria | 200,000–300,000 |
| Number of Serbian residents in Vienna | 100,000 |
| Total number of Serbs in Austria | 300,000 |
| Serbs in Austria as a percentage of the total Serbian diaspora | 6.8%–7.3% |
| Political leanings | Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) |
| Austrian citizens in Serbia | 3,000 |
| Serbs in Austria as the second-largest ethnic minority group | True |
| First wave of Serbs to Austria | Early 19th century |
| Largest wave of Serbs to Austria | 1960s and 1970s |
| Reason for the largest wave of Serbs to Austria | Migrant worker program |
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What You'll Learn
The Austrian half of the empire
The Austrian half of the Austro-Hungarian Empire was comprised of several different nationalities. While the population of Austria-Hungary is often thought of as consisting of nations, recent research has questioned this view, suggesting that nationalism was not the only basis for group building. However, it is true that the empire included a sizeable Serb minority, among its eleven different nationalities.
Serbs have had a long historical presence on the territory of modern Austria, with the first wave of migration to Austria beginning in the early 19th century, and the largest wave occurring during the migrant worker program of the 1960s and 1970s. The Serbian community in Austria consists mainly of Serbs from Serbia, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The migration of ethnic Serbs to Austrian lands was initially caused by the expansion of the Ottoman Empire in the 14th and 15th centuries. Exiled Serbian noble families were welcomed by Habsburg rulers, who granted them new possessions.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, new communities of ethnic Serbs developed in major Austrian cities, consisting mainly of merchants, officers, and students. Vienna, the Austrian capital, is home to 100,000 Serbian residents, making it the largest Serbian community outside of Serbia. The real number of ethnic Serbs in Austria is estimated to be much higher than the 200,000-300,000 people of Serbian descent officially living there. For example, the membership of the "Serbische Gemeinschaft in Österreich" (Savez Srba u Austriji), an ethnic Serb association in Austria, exceeds 250,000 people.
In addition to Serbs, the Austrian half of the empire also included German-speaking politicians and civilians, as well as Italian-speaking civilians, who were targeted by the army during World War I. Ukrainian nationalists also fought on the Eastern Front as part of the Austrian Landwehr. Polish nationalists mobilized their volunteer paramilitary units, known as the Polish Legions, which later fought as part of the Austro-Hungarian army.
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The Hungarian half of the empire
The Austro-Hungarian Empire, also known as the Dual Monarchy, was a union of two sovereign states, Austria and Hungary, with a single monarch, who was both Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary. The two countries conducted unified diplomatic and defence policies, with \"common\" ministries of foreign affairs and defence under the direct authority of the monarch.
The Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867, also known as the Ausgleich, was a key moment in the history of the empire. It transformed the Habsburg Monarchy into an alliance of two sovereign states and granted the individual nationalities numerous rights. The agreement was a compromise between the emperor and Hungary, not between Hungary and the rest of the empire. Hungary received full internal autonomy and, in return, agreed that the empire should still be a single great state for purposes of war and foreign affairs.
The Hungarian Revolution of 1848, which was crushed by the Austrian military with Russian assistance, had led to the Kingdom of Hungary being placed under absolutist rule from Vienna, increasing Hungarian resentment of Habsburg rule. The Compromise of 1867 was a recognition of the need to compromise with Hungary in order to retain the empire's great power status.
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The rise of nationalism
In the 18th and 19th centuries, new communities of ethnic Serbs emerged in major Austrian cities, consisting primarily of merchants, officers, and students under the spiritual jurisdiction of the Serbian Orthodox Metropolitanate of Karlovci. During this period, Serbian Orthodox clerics and leaders frequently visited the Austrian capital, Vienna, fostering cultural and religious exchanges. By the end of the Second World War, Serbian monarchists and Croatian nationalists fled Yugoslavia for Austria due to communist government retaliation.
The tensions between Austria and Serbia intensified with the assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand by a young Bosnian Serb in 1914. This event provided an opportunity for the Austro-Hungarian government to address the issue of Slav nationalism. As a result, Serbian nationalism became a significant factor in the breakdown of relations between the two countries. The Austro-Hungarian Empire included a sizeable Serb minority among its eleven different nationalities, and Serbs on both sides of the frontier viewed Habsburg rule as oppressive.
The First World War marked a pivotal moment in the rise of nationalism. Wartime developments, oppressive policies, and military losses weakened imperial patriotism and dynastic loyalty. Nationalist leaders gained support, and the idea of independent nation-states or integration into existing ones became more appealing. The defeat of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the war further contributed to the growth of nationalism, ultimately leading to its demise and the emergence of independent nations.
Today, Serbia and Austria continue to have diplomatic relations, with embassies and consulates in each other's capitals. There is a significant Serbian diaspora in Austria, with an estimated 200,000 to 300,000 people of Serbian descent living there. Vienna, in particular, has a large Serbian community, with 100,000 Serbian residents, making it the largest Serbian community outside of Serbia. The Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of Austria and Switzerland, centered in Vienna, further underscores the cultural and religious ties between the two nations.
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The impact of language
Language has been a significant factor in the history of Austrian-Serbian relations and the makeup of both nations. The Serbian language has played a role in shaping the Serbian community in Austria and the broader Serbian diaspora. During the 18th and 19th centuries, new communities of ethnic Serbs emerged in major Austrian cities, including Vienna. These communities consisted primarily of merchants, officers, and students who maintained spiritual ties to the Serbian Orthodox faith.
The Serbian language also holds cultural and educational significance. In the 19th century, a substantial number of Serbs in Paris established the "Serbian Reading Room," which received Serbian newspapers and magazines. This period also witnessed the founding of the "Committee of Serbian Women in Paris," which aided Serbian refugees and prisoners. Additionally, the magazine "La Patrie Serbe" served the Serbian community in France from 1916 to 1918. The Serbian language was integral to the formation and sustenance of these communities, fostering a sense of connection and shared identity.
Language has also been a factor in political tensions and conflicts. During World War I, the Austrian army executed several thousand Serbian and Ukrainian-speaking civilians suspected of spying or aiding the enemy near the front lines. Similar actions were taken against Italian-speaking populations after 1915. The ability to speak a particular language became a matter of life and death, with individuals accused of espionage, treason, and other offenses based on their language skills. This dynamic demonstrates the powerful role of language in shaping perceptions of loyalty and national identity during times of conflict.
Furthermore, language has been a critical aspect of nationalism and national identity. In the context of Austria-Hungary, Serbian nationalism, fueled by a sense of oppression under Habsburg rule, contributed to rising tensions. The multiethnic nature of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which included a significant Serb minority, made language a sensitive issue. Serb nationalism, expressed through language and cultural distinctiveness, posed a challenge to the empire's unity and ultimately played a role in its demise.
Today, the Serbian language continues to be a factor in shaping communities and identities. In the 2014 Austrian census, approximately 2.2% of Austrian citizens, or 132,553 people, declared Serbian as their native language. This linguistic connection to Serbia contributes to a sense of shared heritage and cultural identity within the Serbian diaspora.
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The First World War
The Serbian campaign of 1914-1915 was a series of military expeditions launched by the Central Powers against the Kingdom of Serbia. The first campaign, led by Austrian General Oskar Potiorek, was a "punitive expedition" in response to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Despite having numerical superiority, the Austro-Hungarian forces were unable to defeat the Serbian army and their Montenegrin allies, who successfully repelled three invasion attempts. The Serbian victory at the Battle of Cer is considered the first Allied victory of World War I.
The second campaign, launched in October 1915 under German command, was a joint effort by Bulgarian, Austro-Hungarian, and German forces. This campaign was successful, and the Central Powers were able to invade Serbia. However, the Serbian army survived, and 260,000 soldiers were transported to Corfu and Brindisi, where they awaited the chance to reclaim their country. In April 1916, a large number of Serbian troops were transported to mainland Greece, where they fought alongside British and French troops on the Macedonian front.
The Macedonian front saw a trench war between French, Serbian, and Bulgarian forces. In November 1916, French and Serbian troops recaptured limited areas of Macedonia, including Bitola. In 1918, after most German and Austro-Hungarian troops had withdrawn from the front, the Entente armies, spearheaded by Serbian and French troops, broke through the remaining German and Bulgarian defenses. This breakthrough led to the defeat of Bulgaria and Austria-Hungary and ultimately to the final victory of World War I. The Treaty of Neuilly awarded Western Thrace to Greece, while Serbia received minor territorial concessions from Bulgaria.
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Frequently asked questions
There are between 200,000 and 300,000 people of Serbian descent living in Austria, with some estimates placing the number at 3,908,000 to 4,170,000 when including second- and third-generation Serbian emigrants. Vienna is home to 100,000 Serbian residents, making it the largest Serbian community outside of Serbia.
Serbian immigration to Austria has been influenced by various economic and historical factors. The first wave of Serbs to Austria began in the early 19th century, with the largest wave occurring during the migrant worker program of the 1960s and 1970s. More recently, the disintegration and wars in the territory of the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s also contributed to Serbian immigration to Austria.
The history of relations between Austria and Serbia dates back to the Great Turkish War, the Habsburg-occupied Serbia (1686-91), and the era when the Kingdom of Serbia (1718-1739) was a province of the Habsburg monarchy. Tensions between the two countries culminated in the assassination of the Austrian Archduke by a young Bosnian Serb in 1914, leading to the First World War and the eventual destruction of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
