Damon Mcknight
Austria, officially the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The territory understood by the term 'Austria' has changed drastically over time, and the country has undergone several periods of occupation and annexation. In 1938, Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany and ceased to exist as an independent country. During World War II, Austria was a sub-national division of Germany and joined the Axis powers. After the war, a Democratic Republic of Austria was proclaimed in 1945, and the country was divided into four occupation zones. In 1955, Austria regained its sovereignty and declared its perpetual neutrality.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Time period | 13 March 1938 – 1945 |
| Reason | Annexation by the Third Reich |
| Territory | Reduced to main, mostly German-speaking areas of the empire (current frontiers) |
| Population | Around 9 million |
| Government | Austrofascist dictatorship under Engelbert Dollfuss |
| Economy | N/A |
| Culture | N/A |
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What You'll Learn
Austria was annexed by the Third Reich in 1938
Austria has a long and complex history, with the territory understood by the term 'Austria' undergoing drastic changes over time. On March 12, 1938, German troops invaded Austria, and the country was annexed by the Third Reich the next day, on March 13. This annexation, known as the Anschluss, saw Austria cease to exist as an independent country and become a sub-national division of Nazi Germany.
The unification of Austria with Germany had been a growing desire for many Austrians since 1919, particularly among Austrian Social Democrats and Nazis. The idea gained popularity due to Nazi propaganda campaigns, which used slogans like "Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Führer" ("One People, One Empire, One Leader") to advocate for the annexation. Despite this, by the end of 1933, Austrian public opinion had shifted, and at least 60% were against German annexation.
In the lead-up to the annexation, Austrian Nazis conspired to seize the Austrian government and unite with Nazi Germany. In February 1938, Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg met with Adolf Hitler, who forced him to appoint top Austrian Nazis to his cabinet. Schuschnigg called for a national vote on the question of the Anschluss, but before it could take place, he resigned under pressure from the Nazis on March 11, 1938. He pleaded with Austrian forces not to resist the German invasion, which occurred on March 12, and Hitler officially announced the annexation on March 13 in Vienna.
The annexation of Austria was a significant step in Hitler's plan to create a Greater German Reich, which would include all ethnic Germans and territories lost by the German Empire after World War I. As a predominantly German-speaking country with a history of being part of the Holy Roman Empire, Austria was an ideal target for Hitler's expansionist agenda. The Aryanisation of Jewish Austrians' wealth and assets began immediately after the annexation, and Adolf Eichmann was transferred to Vienna to persecute the Jews.
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The Austrian Empire was defeated in World War I
The Austrian Empire was formed in 1806 when Emperor Francis II of Austria dissolved the Holy Roman Empire. This empire was a major power in Central Europe for centuries. However, it met its end with its defeat in World War I.
The Austro-Hungarian Empire, as it was known after 1867, was already facing internal challenges before the war. The Hungarian and Austrian halves of the Dual Monarchy had diverging interests, and the Hungarian parliament proved less amenable to military dictates than its Austrian counterpart. The war only exacerbated these issues, with the military routinely suspending civil rights and treating different national groups with contempt.
The empire's military setbacks during World War I, including the loss of territories, further weakened it. The final blow came with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914, which led to Emperor Franz Joseph declaring war on Serbia, sparking World War I. The empire's collapse was rapid, with the German defeat and minor revolutions in Vienna and Budapest empowering left-liberal political parties.
The armistice between the Allies and Austria-Hungary was signed on November 3, 1918, and took effect the following day. The terms were harsh, requiring the evacuation of occupied territories and the expulsion of German forces from Austria-Hungary within 15 days. The empire's defeat and collapse led to the proclamation of the Republic of German-Austria in 1918 and the First Austrian Republic in 1919, marking the end of the Austrian Empire as it existed and the beginning of a new chapter in Austrian history.
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Austria was part of the Holy Roman Empire
The territory that is now known as Austria has undergone drastic changes over time. The area was inhabited by the Celts around 400 BC and was annexed by the Romans in the late 1st century BC. In 996 AD, the name 'Ostarrîchi' (Austria) was first used when it was a margravate of the Duchy of Bavaria.
In 1804, two years before the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, Austria established its own empire, which became a great power and one of the largest states in Europe. The Austrian Empire was officially proclaimed by Francis II in response to Napoleon's declaration of the First French Empire. It unified all Habsburg possessions under a central government. The Holy Roman Empire was formally dissolved in 1806 when Emperor Francis II of Austria abdicated his throne, and Austria became the Austrian Empire.
In 1938, Austria was annexed by the Third Reich and ceased to exist as an independent country. After World War II ended in 1945, Austria was occupied by Allied forces for a decade before regaining its sovereignty and declaring its neutrality in 1955.
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Austria was settled by the Celts in 400 BC
The area of today's Austria has been inhabited since the Paleolithic period, which ended around 11,700 years ago. The country's earliest settlers would have found a land very different from the Austria of today, with the Alps being inaccessible during the Ice Age.
Around 400 BC, Celtic peoples from Western Europe settled in the eastern Alps, in the area now known as Austria. The city of Hallstatt, near Salzburg, has the oldest archaeological evidence of the Celts in Europe, with excavated graves of chieftains dating from about 700 BC. The Hallstatt culture, which flourished from around 1200 BC to 700 BC, was an Iron Age society, one of the first in Europe. The Celts were wealthy, trading luxury items such as bronze and pottery vessels with the Greeks.
The Celts were a diverse group of tribes and bands, with a shared language and culture. By 400 BC, they were spread over much of western mainland Europe, the Iberian Peninsula, Ireland, and Britain. They had also migrated to northern Italy, where the earliest known inscriptions in a Celtic language have been found, dating to the 6th century BC.
In the area that is now Austria, a Celtic kingdom, Noricum, developed around the region's ironworks in the second century BC. Noricum included most of modern Austria and parts of modern Slovenia, and it was conquered by the Roman Empire in 16 BC. The Romans renamed it Noricum, and it lasted until 476.
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Austria was inhabited in the Paleolithic Age
The area of today's Austria, specifically the fertile Danube Valley and the Alpine valleys, was inhabited as early as the Paleolithic Age, which lasted until around 8000 BC. During this time, the Alps were inaccessible due to the Ice Age, so human habitation in the region dates no earlier than the Middle Paleolithic era, when Neanderthals occupied the area.
Upper Paleolithic remains are more commonly found in Lower Austria, particularly in the Wachau region. This region is home to the two oldest pieces of art in Austria: the Venus of Galgenberg, a figurative representation of a woman estimated to be 32,000 years old, and the Venus of Willendorf, which is 26,000 years old. A double infant burial site discovered in 2005 in Krems-Wachtberg dates back to the Gravettian culture of 27,000 years ago and is the oldest burial ground found in Austria to date.
Mesolithic remains, including rock shelters and a funeral site, provide evidence of the transition from hunter-gatherer lifestyles to sedentary farming and ranching. By the late Iron Age, around 800 to 400 BC, the area was occupied by people of the Hallstatt Celtic culture, who established the Celtic kingdom of Noricum. This kingdom, which included much of modern-day Austria and parts of Slovenia, was later conquered by the Romans in 16 BC and became the Roman province of Noricum.
In summary, the region now known as Austria has a long and complex history of human habitation, with evidence of settlement dating back to the Paleolithic Age and continuing through various cultural and political transformations.
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Frequently asked questions
The name 'Austria' has been in use since 996 AD, when it was a margravate of the Duchy of Bavaria.
Austria ceased to exist as an independent country between 1938 and 1945 when it was annexed by the Third Reich.
Before the name 'Austria' came into use, the area was known as the Kingdom of Noricum, which was inhabited by the Hallstatt Celtic culture from around 800 BC to 400 BC.
Austria became a country in 1955 when it regained its sovereignty and declared its perpetual neutrality.
Before 1955, Austria went through several name changes and rule changes, including being called Ostarrîchi, a prefecture of Bavaria, a duchy of the Holy Roman Empire, the Austrian Empire, and the Republic of German-Austria.
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