Damon Mcknight
Austria was never technically under communist rule, but it was occupied by the Soviet Union from 1945 to 1955, and the country was a significant site during the early Cold War. During the Soviet occupation, the Communist Party of Austria (KPÖ) was allowed to operate, and the Soviets installed a provisional government under Dr. Karl Renner, a socialist politician, in which Austrian communists controlled crucial ministries. The KPÖ had played an important role in the Austrian resistance during Nazi rule, but it never gained enough popularity to win national elections, and in 1945, it received only 5% of the vote. The Soviets did not attempt to impose a communist dictatorship in Austria, and the country was ultimately granted permanent neutrality in 1955, with the withdrawal of all Allied forces.
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What You'll Learn
The Soviet Occupation of Austria
Austria was occupied by the Allies and declared independent from Nazi Germany on 27 April 1945, following the Vienna Offensive. This declaration was confirmed by the Berlin Declaration for Germany on 5 June 1945. The Soviet Union, along with the United Kingdom, the United States, and France, divided Austria into four occupation zones. Vienna, the Austrian capital, was also subdivided, with the central district being collectively administered by the four Allies.
Soviet occupation of Austria began in June 1941 when Hitler's regime launched a genocidal war against the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union lost 26.6 million people during the war, with military losses estimated to be between 11.4 and 14.6 million. In 1945, Soviet troops from the 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian Fronts crossed into Austria from Hungary, capturing Vienna and advancing towards Linz and Graz. The Vienna Offensive resulted in 94,185 Red Army casualties, including 26,006 killed and 68,179 wounded.
The Soviet Union's occupation policies in Austria were influenced by the Moscow Declaration of 1943, which stated that Austria was a victim of Nazi German aggression but would also have to pay reparations for its participation. The Soviets imposed burdensome reparations on Austria, contributing to the impoverishment of the population. In addition, Soviet troops engaged in widespread looting, plundering, and assaults on civilians, including systematic sexual violence against women. To extract reparations, the NKVD (Soviet secret police) seized industrial plants, production installations, and goods amounting to 31,200 freight cars. From 1946 to 1955, Austria paid the Soviet Union 36.8 billion Schillings, equivalent to two percent of its accumulated GDP.
The Soviets did not attempt to impose a communist dictatorship in Austria, and the scale of political violence was more limited compared to other countries occupied by the Red Army. However, Soviet military tribunals arrested around 800 Austrian civilians in the initial eight months of occupation. The Soviets also vetoed the appointment of Julius Raab as Federal Chancellor due to his previous association with the austrofascist Fatherland Front. Instead, President Karl Renner, with parliamentary consent, appointed Leopold Figl, who was barely acceptable to the Soviets.
The occupation of Austria ended when the Austrian State Treaty came into force on 27 July 1955, and the last occupation troops departed on 25 October that year. Austria was accorded full independence after promising perpetual neutrality in the Cold War confrontation between the Soviet Union and the West.
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The Communist Party of Austria
Austria was never under communist rule, but the country did experience significant influence from the Soviet Union during its occupation by the Allies following World War II. During this time, the Communist Party of Austria, known as the KPÖ, played a notable role in the country's politics.
History of the Communist Party of Austria
The KPÖ is one of the world's oldest communist parties, established in 1918 as the Communist Party of German-Austria (KPDÖ). The party was banned between 1933 and 1945 under both the Austrofascist regime and the Nazi German administration after the 1938 Anschluss. Despite the ban, the KPÖ continued to operate underground and played a crucial role in the Austrian resistance during Nazi rule, fighting alongside former political enemies like Christian socialists, Catholics, monarchists, and farmers against Hitler's regime.
In 1943, the KPÖ took seriously the Moscow Declaration's call for Austria's "own contribution" to its liberation from fascism, seeing it as a precondition for the resurrection of their state. This stance led to the imprisonment or detention of thousands of Austrian communists in concentration camps, and many lost their lives during the resistance. There was also an Austrian communist resistance network based in Belgium, known as the Austrian Freedom Front.
The KPÖ in Post-War Austria
After World War II, when Austria regained its independence from Germany, the KPÖ gained national importance and enjoyed the support of the occupying Soviet authorities. In the first provisional government under Karl Renner, the KPÖ had significant representation, with seven members, including the vice-chancellor Johann Koplenig. However, Renner also appointed anti-communists to counterbalance this influence. The KPÖ criticised the capitalist reconstruction of the country and rejected the Marshall Plan.
In the 1945 election, the Communist Party of Austria received around 5% of the vote, while the coalition of Christian Democrats (ÖVP) and Social Democrats (SPÖ) assumed control with 90% of the votes. The KPÖ's influence was further diminished during the Cold War due to its close association with the Soviet Union, which some viewed as uncritical.
In recent years, the KPÖ has continued to participate in Austrian politics, with varying electoral success. While they have held seats in state parliaments, they have not had representation in the National Council since 1959. The party's vote share has fluctuated, and they have faced accusations of admiring "dictatorships" and populism. Nonetheless, the KPÖ remains a force in Austrian politics, advocating for democratic reform, socialism, and progressive values.
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Austrian communists' stance and the Social Democrats
Austria has never been under communist rule, but the country has had a Communist Party, the KPÖ (Kommunistische Partei Österreichs), since 1918. The KPÖ is one of the world's oldest communist parties.
During the Soviet occupation of Austria, the KPÖ played an important role in the Austrian resistance, fighting alongside former political enemies such as Christian socialists, Catholics, monarchists, and farmers against Hitler's regime. The KPÖ also took an independent stance from the mainstream in its views about nationhood and an Austrian identity separate from Germany. Leading communist intellectual Alfred Klahr wrote that the view of Austrians as part of the German nation was "theoretically unfounded". In contrast, many Austrian Social Democrats regarded affiliation with the German nation as natural and even desirable.
After the Social Democratic Party was banned in 1934 following the Austrian Civil War, many of its supporters and functionaries worked underground with the KPÖ. The KPÖ took part in the failed workers' rebellion on 12 February 1934, which was an attempt to save Austrian democracy from fascism. The KPÖ's tolerant stance towards social democracy opened their party to an influx of disappointed Social Democrats.
In the immediate post-war years, the Soviet Union had the most influence as an occupying power in Austria. Joseph Stalin was interested in integrating the newly liberated Austria into the Soviet bloc. The KPÖ was the only party that could claim to have consistently fought against the Nazi regime, and they largely lay under the protection and guidance of Moscow. However, the Soviet government did not try to impose a communist dictatorship in Austria, and the scale of political violence experienced by Austrians was more limited than in other countries occupied by the Red Army.
In the 2021 elections, the KPÖ emerged as the party with the most seats on the council, with 29% of the vote. Elke Kahr of the KPÖ was subsequently elected mayor at the head of a coalition of the Communists, the Social Democrats, and the Greens. In the 2024 Austrian legislative election, the KPÖ failed to win any seats, receiving only 2.4% of the vote.
The Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ), meanwhile, is a social democratic political party founded in 1889. It is the oldest extant political party in Austria and is currently the second-largest of five parties in the National Council. The party holds seats in the legislatures of all nine states and is the largest party in three: Burgenland, Carinthia, and Vienna. The SPÖ is supportive of Austria's membership in the European Union and sits with the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament.
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Soviet occupation policy in Austria
Austria was jointly occupied by the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, the United States, and France after World War II, from 1945 to 1955. The Soviet Union's occupation policies in Austria were shaped by the Moscow Declaration of 1943, which stated that Austria was Germany's first victim but also bore responsibility for participating in Nazi aggression.
The Soviet Union imposed burdensome reparations on Austria, which contributed to the impoverishment of the population. The issue of mass sexual violence and wild looting by Soviet troops also revolted Austrians. The Soviet secret police, or NKVD, were deployed to seize industrial plants, production installations, and goods to extract reparations. From 1946 to 1955, Austria paid the Soviet Union 36.8 billion Schillings, or two percent of its accumulated GDP.
The Soviet Union's occupation of Austria was not aimed at imposing a communist dictatorship, and as a result, the scale of political violence experienced by Austrians was more limited compared to other countries occupied by the Red Army. The Soviets did, however, try to support the Austrian Communists against Nazi Germany during the war. The Communist Party of Austria (KPÖ) played a significant role in the Austrian resistance, fighting alongside former political enemies.
The Soviets initially installed a provisional government under Karl Renner, who was an Austrian socialist politician. Renner appointed anti-communist Karl Gruber as Foreign Minister and attempted to reduce Communist influence. The Western Allies refused to recognize Renner's claim of a national government but allowed him to extend his influence into their zones.
In summary, the Soviet occupation policy in Austria involved imposing reparations, dealing with looting and sexual violence by troops, and attempting to influence the country's politics while stopping short of imposing a communist dictatorship. The occupation ended in 1955, and Austria was granted full independence after promising perpetual neutrality.
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Austria's independence
Austria has a long and complex history, with the territory understood by the term 'Austria' undergoing drastic changes over time.
In the late Iron Age, the region was occupied by the Hallstatt Celtic culture, which was then followed by the Bavarii, a Germanic tribe, in the 6th century. In 996 AD, the name Ostarrîchi (Austria) came into use when it was a margravate of the Duchy of Bavaria. From 1156, it was an independent duchy (later an archduchy) of the Holy Roman Empire.
In 1806, Austria became the Austrian Empire when Emperor Francis II dissolved the Holy Roman Empire. In 1867, Austria formed a dual monarchy with Hungary, creating the Austro-Hungarian Empire. However, after World War I, this empire collapsed, and Austria was reduced to its current frontiers. It adopted the name Republic of German-Austria, but union with Germany was forbidden by the Allies at the Treaty of Versailles. This led to the creation of the First Austrian Republic (1919-1933).
In 1933, the Communist Party of Austria (KPÖ) was banned by an emergency decree of the Austrofascist government of Engelbert Dollfuss. The KPÖ continued to operate underground and played a significant role in the Austrian resistance during Nazi rule. In 1938, Austrian-born Adolf Hitler annexed Austria to Germany with overwhelming support from Austrians. This annexation, known as the Anschluss, resulted in Austria being recognised as part of Nazi Germany until the end of World War II.
After World War II, Austria was occupied by the Allies and declared independent from Nazi Germany on 27 April 1945, confirmed by the Berlin Declaration for Germany on 5 June 1945. The country was divided into four occupation zones, jointly occupied by the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, the United States, and France. During this time, the KPÖ emerged from underground and participated in the political process.
On 15 May 1955, Austria was accorded full independence with promises of perpetual neutrality, and the last occupation troops left on 25 October 1955. 26 October is now celebrated as a national holiday, commemorating Austria's independence and the departure of Allied troops.
In summary, Austria has a history of independence, occupation, and political shifts. The country experienced periods of foreign rule, including by the Hallstatt Celts, the Bavarii, the Holy Roman Empire, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. After World War I, it established the First Austrian Republic, but this was short-lived due to the annexation by Nazi Germany. Post-World War II, Austria regained its independence from Nazi Germany and, with the departure of Allied troops in 1955, established the Second Austrian Republic.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Austria was never under communist rule. After World War II, Austria was divided into four occupation zones jointly occupied by the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, the United States, and France. The Soviet Union did attempt to exert communist influence in Austria, but the country maintained its independence and became a neutral state, refusing to join either NATO or the Warsaw Pact.
The Soviet Union occupied the eastern part of Austria, including Vienna, from 1945 to 1955. During this time, the Soviet government imposed burdensome reparations on the country, which contributed to the impoverishment of the Austrian population. The Soviet troops also committed mass sexual violence, looting, and assaults on civilians. The Austrian Communist Party (KPÖ) was intended to be a driving force for long-term evolutionary change toward a people's democracy subservient to Soviet interests. However, the KPÖ failed to gain significant political support in the 1945 elections, receiving only around 5% of the vote.
The Soviet occupation had a significant impact on Austria's political and social landscape. The Austrian Communist Party (KPÖ), which had been banned under the Austrofascist regime and Nazi German administration, resurfaced and played a crucial role in the Austrian resistance against Nazi Germany. The KPÖ's tolerant stance attracted many disappointed Social Democrats, and its membership grew rapidly. However, the Soviet occupation also led to political and social unrest, with assaults and looting by Soviet troops undermining their rule in the occupation zone.
