Damon Mcknight
Austria's surrender at the end of World War II was a complex process. In April 1945, American, French, and British troops crossed the Austrian border, and the country was divided into four occupation zones. The Soviet Union, which had been working to influence Austrian politics since 1941, also played a significant role in the surrender process. Austria's provisional government, led by Karl Renner, declared the country's independence from Nazi Germany on April 27, 1945, marking the official end of the war. However, the country remained under joint occupation by Western Allies and the Soviet Union until 1955, when it was granted full independence.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of surrender | 27 April 1945 |
| Who surrendered to | The Allies |
| Who crossed the Austrian border first | Soviet commander Fyodor Tolbukhin's troops |
| Date of crossing the Austrian border | 29 March 1945 |
| Date of the Vienna Offensive | 3 April 1945 |
| Date American troops crossed the Austrian border | 26 April 1945 |
| Date French and British troops crossed the Austrian border | 29 April and 8 May 1945, respectively |
| Date the first Americans arrived in Vienna | End of July 1945 |
| Date Austria was declared independent from Nazi Germany | 27 April 1945 (confirmed on 5 June 1945) |
| Date the Austrian State Treaty came into force | 27 July 1955 |
| Date Austria was granted full independence | 15 May 1955 |
| Date the last occupation troops left | 25 October 1955 |
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What You'll Learn
- Austria was occupied by the Allies and declared independent from Nazi Germany on 27 April 1945
- The Red Army occupied parts of Austria, including Vienna, in 1945
- The Western Allies and the Soviet Union jointly occupied Austria until 1955
- The Austrian population overwhelmingly supported the annexation of their country by Nazi Germany in 1938
- The Soviet Union treated Austria as a defeated Axis power but also as a victim of Germany
Austria was occupied by the Allies and declared independent from Nazi Germany on 27 April 1945
In the immediate aftermath of World War II, Austria was divided into four occupation zones, jointly occupied by the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, the United States, and France. Vienna, the Austrian capital, was similarly subdivided, but the central district was collectively administered by the Allied Control Council.
The Soviet Union's occupation of Austria began in June 1941, when Hitler's regime launched a genocidal war against them. The Soviets aimed to eliminate the Soviet Union as a potential military threat and turn it into a German colony. The Soviet Union suffered a loss of 26.6 million people during the war, with most estimates for military losses ranging between 11.4 and 14.6 million. In 1945, the 3rd and 2nd Ukrainian Fronts approached Austria's border from Hungary, and in March, the Germans launched their last major offensive of the war at Lake Balaton, aimed at stopping the Soviet march into the Third Reich. The 3rd Ukrainian Front absorbed the attack and launched a counterattack, resulting in the elimination of the bulk of German forces in the south and the capture of Vienna. The Red Army suffered 94,185 casualties in Austria, with 26,006 killed and 68,179 wounded.
On 29 March 1945, Soviet commander Fyodor Tolbukhin's troops crossed the former Austrian border at Klostermarienberg in Burgenland. On 3 April, at the beginning of the Vienna Offensive, the Austrian politician Karl Renner, then living in southern Lower Austria, established contact with the Soviets. On 20 April 1945, the Soviets instructed Renner to form a provisional government without consulting their Western allies, and seven days later, Renner's cabinet took office, declaring Austria's independence from Nazi Germany and calling for the creation of a democratic state.
After World War II, the Western Allies suspected Renner's cabinet of being a puppet state and refused to recognize it. The British were particularly hostile, and even American President Harry Truman denied Renner recognition, despite believing him to be trustworthy. However, Renner secured inter-party control by designating two Under-Secretaries of State in each of the ministries, appointed by the two parties not designating the Secretary of State.
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The Red Army occupied parts of Austria, including Vienna, in 1945
The Red Army's occupation of parts of Austria, including Vienna, in 1945, was a significant event in the country's history and marked the beginning of a 10-year period of Allied occupation. The Red Army's presence in Austria was the result of the Vienna Offensive, which was launched by the 3rd Ukrainian Front in March 1945 to counter the German offensive at Lake Balaton. This offensive resulted in the elimination of the bulk of German forces in the south and the capture of Vienna, the Austrian capital.
The Red Army suffered significant casualties in the battle for Austria, with 26,006 killed and 68,179 wounded. In the aftermath of the fighting, the Red Army, alongside the NKVD, began combing through the captured territories, arresting former Red Army men, Wehrmacht soldiers, and civilians. The Soviet occupation of Austria was shaped by the Moscow Declaration of 1943, which stated that Austria would be treated as a victim of Nazi aggression and liberated and independent following the war.
However, the Red Army's occupation was not without controversy. There were reports of systematic sexual violence against women, and repression against civilians harmed the Red Army's reputation. In September 1945, Moscow issued an order forbidding violent interrogations. Additionally, the Soviets assumed control over Austrian oil fields, despite objections from the Americans.
The Red Army's presence in Austria was part of a larger joint occupation by the Western Allies, including the United Kingdom, the United States, and France. This occupation lasted until 1955 when the Austrian State Treaty was signed, and the last occupation troops left the country. During this period, Austria was divided into four occupation zones, with Vienna being collectively administered by all four powers as the "Inter-allied Zone".
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The Western Allies and the Soviet Union jointly occupied Austria until 1955
Austria was jointly occupied by the Western Allies and the Soviet Union from 1945 until 1955.
In 1938, Austria was annexed by Germany and became a federal state of Germany as part of the Third Reich. This was known as the Anschluss and was welcomed by many Austrians. However, in 1943, the Allies agreed in the Declaration of Moscow that the annexation of Austria would be considered "'null and void'," and that Austria would be regarded as the first victim of Nazi aggression.
In 1945, the Red Army, along with American, French, and British troops, invaded Austria and pushed back Hitler's armies into Germany. On 27 April 1945, Austria was declared independent from Nazi Germany, and the occupation began. The country was divided into four occupation zones, with Vienna being collectively administered by the Allied Control Council. The Western Allies and the Soviet Union had different policies during the occupation, with the Soviets taking control of Austrian oil fields and the Western Allies providing aid to feed the population. The occupation of Austria became a controversial subject during the Cold War, with the Western Allies refusing to recognize the Austrian cabinet, which included Austrian Communists.
The occupation of Austria ended with the Austrian State Treaty, which came into force on 27 July 1955. Austria promised to remain neutral in the Cold War, and the last occupation troops left the country on 25 October 1955.
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The Austrian population overwhelmingly supported the annexation of their country by Nazi Germany in 1938
On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria to annex the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. This event, known as the Anschluss, was the annexation of the Federal State of Austria into Nazi Germany. While Austrian Nazis had conspired to seize the Austrian government and unite with Germany, Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg attempted to maintain Austrian independence. He called for a plebiscite (referendum) on Austrian independence, scheduled for March 13, 1938. However, under pressure from Hitler, Schuschnigg cancelled the plebiscite and resigned on March 11, pleading with Austrian forces not to resist the German advance.
The annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany was met with overwhelming support from the Austrian population. Austrians welcomed Hitler warmly as he travelled through the country, and he was greeted by enthusiastic crowds in Linz and Vienna. On March 15, Hitler addressed a massive crowd of around 200,000 cheering Austrians in Vienna's Heldenplatz, celebrating the annexation. Footage and photographs of these crowds were used in German newsreels and newspapers to demonstrate Austrian enthusiasm and justify the takeover.
The idea of the Anschluss, or the union of Austria and Germany, was not new. It emerged after the 1871 unification of Germany, which excluded Austrian Germans from the German Empire. The concept gained support after the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918, and the subsequent Republic of German-Austria attempted to unite with Germany. However, the 1919 Treaty of Saint Germain and Treaty of Versailles prohibited this union and stripped Austria of territories.
Hitler's original plan was to establish Austria as a satellite state with a pro-Nazi government led by Seyss-Inquart. However, the positive reception he received from Austrians caused him to change course and directly absorb Austria into the Reich. On March 13, Seyss-Inquart, appointed as Chancellor of Austria, announced the abrogation of Article 88 of the Treaty of Saint-Germain, which prohibited Austrian-German unification. This act symbolised the realisation of the Anschluss and the integration of Austria into Nazi Germany, with the support of many Austrians.
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The Soviet Union treated Austria as a defeated Axis power but also as a victim of Germany
Austria was occupied by the Allies and declared independent from Nazi Germany on 27 April 1945, following the Vienna Offensive. The country was then divided into four occupation zones, jointly occupied by the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, the United States, and France. Vienna was similarly subdivided, but the central district was collectively administered by the Allied Control Council.
The Soviet Union's policies in Austria were shaped by the Moscow Declaration of 1943, in which the British, Americans, and Soviets agreed that Austria was the first victim of Nazi aggression. This declaration also acknowledged Austria's participation in Nazi crimes and stated its intention to create a free and independent Austria after the war. The Red Army occupied only parts of Austria, including Vienna, while Anglo-American troops entered from Germany and Italy.
Austria avoided some of the harshest consequences of Germany's defeat due to its status as a victim of Nazi aggression. It did not lose any territory, despite Yugoslavian claims to Carinthia, a southern province. Austrians also avoided the fate of the Volksdeutsche, ethnic Germans from Eastern Europe who were expelled to Germany or deported to the Soviet Union for slave labor. Additionally, the Western Allies opposed the Kremlin's plans for burdensome war reparations on Austria, although Moscow did demand and acquire German assets in Austria within its zone of occupation.
The Soviet Union's treatment of Austria as a defeated Axis power is evident in its occupation policies. The Red Army suffered significant casualties in Austria, with 26,006 killed and 68,179 wounded. As they advanced, Soviet soldiers committed atrocities against civilians, including hundreds of thousands of sexual assaults, robberies, and murders. The Soviets continued to exercise control in their zone of occupation, and the last Austrian prisoners were not released until 1955, when the country was granted full independence.
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Frequently asked questions
Austria was occupied by the Allies and declared independent from Nazi Germany on 27 April 1945.
The Soviet Union's occupation of Austria began in June 1941, when Hitler's regime launched a genocidal war against them. The Soviet troops took Vienna and advanced towards Linz and Graz in early May. Skirmishes between the Red Army and German soldiers lasted into late May.
After Austria's surrender, the country was divided into four occupation zones and jointly occupied by the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, the United States, and France. Vienna was also subdivided, with the central district collectively administered by the Allied Control Council.
