Damon Mcknight
Austria and Germany have a shared history and close relations, with German being the official language in both countries. After World War I, Austria briefly renamed itself the Republic of German-Austria in an attempt to unite with Germany, but this was forbidden by the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye (1919). In 1938, Austria was annexed into Germany by Nazi Germany, an event known as the Anschluss. During this time, Austria's Jews fell under Nazi control, and many were murdered in the Holocaust. After World War II, the Allies removed Austria from the Third Reich, and the country declared its independence. The Austrian State Treaty of 1955 banned reunification with Germany.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of split | 27 April 1945 |
| Reason for split | Annexation of Austria into Germany by Nazi Germany |
| Year Austria became part of Germany | 1938 |
| Year Austria was renamed Ostmark | 1938 |
| Year Austria joined the EU | 1995 |
| Current status of Austria and Germany | Separate countries with close relations |
| Official language of Austria and Germany | German |
| Majority ethnic group of Austria and Germany | Germans |
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What You'll Learn
Austria-German relations
Austria and Germany have a close relationship due to their shared history, with German being the official language of both countries and Germans being the majority ethnic group in both. The Germanic Baiuvarii (ancient German Bavarians) are among the ancestors of Austrians. In early history, the Baiuvarii established the Duchy of Bavaria, which was ruled by Francia of West Germanic Franks from 555 to 843 and included the March of Pannonia that would become Austria in c. 970. Later, Bavarian Austria came under East Francia (Kingdom of Germany) from 843 to 962. It then separated from the Duchy of Bavaria to become a sovereign state in 1156. From 1156 to 1806, Austria (not including its non-German lands) and other German states under the Kingdom of Germany were parts of the Holy Roman Empire, which was officially a German polity from 1512 and mostly led by Austria itself.
In 1740, the death of the Habsburg emperor Charles VI without a male heir unleashed the most embittered conflict in Germany since the wars of Louis XIV. The question of the succession to the Austrian throne had occupied statesmen for decades. Rival claimants disputed the right of Charles's daughter Maria Theresa to succeed, and France supported them, aiming for the fragmentation of the Habsburg state. However, it was the new Prussian king, Frederick II, who began the conflict by attacking Silesia, a province in the kingdom of Bohemia and part of the Habsburg monarchy. The War of the Austrian Succession (1740–48; including the Silesian Wars between Prussia and Austria) ensued, with Austria helped only by a Hungarian army and initial financial support from England. Prussia was joined by Bavaria and Saxony in the empire, as well as by France and Spain. The Treaties of Dresden (1745) and Aix-la-Chapelle (1748) confirmed the Prussian conquest of Silesia.
In 1918, after World War I and the fall of the Austro-Hungarian and German Empires, Austria briefly renamed itself the Republic of German-Austria in an attempt to unite with Germany. However, this union was forbidden by the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye (1919), created by the winners of World War I against both Germany and Austria. As a result, throughout the Interwar period, Austria and Germany remained separate and distinct entities.
In 1938, Nazi Germany, led by Austrian-born Adolf Hitler, annexed Austria into Germany in what became known as the Anschluss. This event led to the suppression and destruction of any official memory of Austrian existence, and the country was renamed Ostmark (Eastern March). Upper and Lower Austria became Upper and Lower Danube. The Nazis arrested many leaders of anti-Nazi Austrian political parties and political opponents, particularly communists and socialists. Many Austrians, especially those of Jewish origin, were forced into exile. During World War II, hundreds of thousands of Austrians fought as German soldiers, and a substantial number served in the SS, the elite military corps of the Nazi Party. By the end of the war, approximately 250,000 Austrians had been killed or were missing in action. The Anschluss was reversed in 1945, and Austria was occupied by the Allies separately from Germany until 1955.
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The Anschluss
The idea of unification between Austria and Germany was not new and had been proposed as early as 1918 by Erich Ludendorff, who saw the dissolution of Austria-Hungary as an opportunity to unite German areas. However, this proposal was opposed by some, including Secretary Wilhelm Solf and the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Stephen Pichon, who sought to prevent such a union during the Paris Peace Conference. Despite these efforts, the desire for unification persisted, especially among Austrian citizens of the political left and center, who believed that Austria, stripped of its imperial land, was not economically viable. The constitutions of the Weimar Republic and the First Austrian Republic both included the political goal of unification.
In the early 1930s, the rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party in Germany changed the dynamics. The Austrian Nazi Party, despite initial setbacks, gained popularity in Austria, and their propaganda campaigns effectively promoted the idea of unification. The Nazis' aggressive foreign policy and expansionist agenda culminated in the annexation of Austria on March 11-13, 1938, an event known as the Anschluss. This act violated the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint-Germain, which expressly forbade the unification of Austria and Germany.
The annexation of Austria was met with enthusiasm by many Austrians, and it transformed the country almost overnight. Austrian and German Nazis collaborated to rapidly Nazify various aspects of Austrian life, and the country's Jewish population became a target of persecution. The Anschluss was the first act of territorial expansion by Nazi Germany and marked the beginning of World War II in Europe. It demonstrated the Nazis' disregard for the post-World War I European order and set the stage for Hitler's continued expansionist policies.
The unification of Austria and Germany through the Anschluss was short-lived. In 1945, Austria was occupied by the Allies separately from Germany, and the Anschluss was reversed. The Austrian State Treaty of 1955 allowed Austria to regain its independence and prohibited the reunification of Germany and Austria.
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Austria's independence
Austria and Germany have a shared history, with German being the official language in both countries and Germans being the majority ethnic group. In early history, the Germanic Baiuvarii (ancient German Bavarians) established the Duchy of Bavaria, which included the March of Pannonia that would become Austria in c. 970. Later, Bavarian Austria came under East Francia (Kingdom of Germany) from 843 to 962. It then separated from the Duchy of Bavaria to become a sovereign state in 1156. From 1156 to 1806, Austria (not including its non-German lands) and other German states under the Kingdom of Germany were parts of the Holy Roman Empire, which was officially a German polity from 1512 and mostly led by Austria itself.
After World War I and the fall of the Austro-Hungarian and German Empires, Austria briefly renamed itself the Republic of German-Austria in a bid to unite with Germany. However, this was forbidden by the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye (1919), created by the winners of World War I against both Germany and Austria. As a result, throughout the Interwar period, Austria and Germany remained separate and distinct entities.
In 1934, Austrian Nazis attempted a coup d'etat and killed Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss. However, the coup failed due to the resistance of loyal police and army units, as well as Italian support for Austrian independence. Despite this, after 1936, Austria was isolated due to strategic collaboration between Italy and Germany. The Chancellor of Austria, Kurt Schuschnigg, was pressured by Hitler to accept Nazi ministers into his government. On March 11, 1938, two peremptory demands were made for the postponement of a plebiscite and the resignation of Schuschnigg, which he accepted. The next day, German troops, accompanied by Hitler himself, entered Austria, and a Nazi government was established. On March 13, the Nazis, in collaboration with Hitler, proclaimed the Anschluss, declaring Austria a part of Germany. Any official memory of Austrian existence was destroyed and suppressed, and Austria was renamed Ostmark (Eastern March). Upper and Lower Austria became Upper and Lower Danube.
During World War II, hundreds of thousands of Austrians fought as German soldiers, and a substantial number served in the SS, the elite military corps of the Nazi Party. By the end of the war, approximately 250,000 Austrians had been killed or were missing in action. On April 27, 1945, Austria under Allied control claimed independence and was separated from Germany. The Allies removed the country from the Third German Reich, and a provisional Austrian government, led by Karl Renner, declared the country's regained independence. Austria's democratic constitution was reinstated, and elections in late 1945 paved the way for a new federal government. The 1955 Austrian State Treaty allowed Austria to regain power from the Allied occupation and banned the reunification of Germany and Austria.
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Austria's EU entry
Austria and Germany have a shared history, with German being the official language in both countries and Germans being the majority ethnic group. In 1918, after World War I and the fall of the Austro-Hungarian and German Empires, Austria briefly renamed itself the Republic of German-Austria in an attempt to unite with Germany. However, this union was forbidden by the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye (1919), created by the winners of World War I. Despite this, in 1938, Nazi Germany, led by Austrian-born Adolf Hitler, annexed Austria into Germany, an event known as the Anschluss. This union was reversed in 1945, and Austria declared its independence from Germany. The 1955 Austrian State Treaty formally prohibited the reunification of Germany and Austria.
Austria's entry into the European Union (EU) in 1995 marked a significant step in the country's international relations. As an EU member, Austria enjoys the benefits of free movement within the Schengen Area, including visa-free travel for its citizens to other EU countries. Additionally, Austria's EU membership has facilitated economic integration and trade within the single market.
Prior to its EU accession, Austria had established close relations with other European countries. It was a signatory to the Schengen Agreement, which allowed citizens of signatory countries to travel within the Schengen Area without border controls. Austria also participated in visa facilitation agreements with certain non-EU countries, simplifying visa procedures for their citizens wishing to visit Austria or other Schengen countries.
However, Austria's relationship with the EU has not been without its challenges. One key issue is the country's strict constitutional requirement of neutrality, which has prevented it from becoming a member of NATO, unlike its neighbour Germany. Nonetheless, Austria actively participates in EU defence initiatives and contributes to international peace and security efforts through other means, such as peacekeeping missions and development aid.
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Austria's Jews
Austria and Germany have a shared history, with German being the official language in both countries and Germans being the majority ethnic group in both. However, the two countries have been separate and distinct entities since the end of World War I and the fall of the Austro-Hungarian and German Empires in 1918.
Austria's Jewish community has a long history, dating back to the 3rd century CE. The first Jews are believed to have immigrated to Austria following the Roman legions after the Roman occupation of Israel. The earliest surviving evidence of a Jewish presence in what is now Austria is a third-century CE amulet in the form of a gold scroll with the words of the Jewish prayer Shema Yisrael (Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one) inscribed on it, found in a Jewish infant's grave in Halbturn.
In the 12th century, the existence of a Jewish community in Austria is confirmed, with the presence of two synagogues. The Jewish settlement in Vienna increased during this century with the arrival of Jewish settlers from Bavaria and the Rhineland. In 1204, the first documented synagogue in Austria was constructed. In 1244, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II declared Jews to be a separate ethnic and religious group, and published a bill of rights that barred them from many jobs, businesses, and educational opportunities but allowed them rights to sales, encouraging them to work in money lending. This bill of rights promised protection and autonomous rights to Jews, such as the right to judge themselves and collect taxes.
However, in the late 13th century, the Catholic House of Habsburg gained control of the area, and the atmosphere became highly anti-Semitic. Jewish communities in Austria were barred from owning real estate, farming, and practicing most trades and crafts, so they engaged mainly in commerce and money lending. In the 15th century, the status of the Jewish community declined further, with Jews being expelled and murdered in Vienna in 1421. In 1469, Frederick III cancelled the deportation order, allowing Jews to return and settle in Styria and Carinthia.
In the 20th century, the Jewish community in Austria faced new challenges. In the 1930s, the Austrofacist and clerical government of Prime Minister Kurt Schussnigg was not particularly disposed towards the Austrian Jewish minority. On March 12, 1938, the Nazis and their followers began a rapid expropriation of Austrian Jewish property, along with extreme intimidation and violence towards Jewish people. A plebiscite in April 1938 resulted in an overwhelming majority voting in favor of the Nazi German annexation, and soon after, all Jews were ordered to move to Vienna. The Holocaust drastically reduced the Jewish community in Austria, with approximately 65,000 Austrian Jews killed.
In the post-war period, Austria struggled to come to terms with its role in Nazi crimes. The national consensus for decades was that Austria had been Hitler's first victim, a theory that has since been disproven. Various agreements and laws have been put in place to provide restitution and compensation for victims of National Socialism, including the restoration of Jewish-owned properties and the maintenance of Jewish cemeteries. As of 2020, Austria has a Jewish population of 10,300, or 33,000 when including Austrians with at least one Jewish grandparent.
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Frequently asked questions
Austria and Germany were split in 1156 when Bavaria separated from the Duchy of Bavaria to become a sovereign state. Austria and Germany were also separated in 1945 when Austria claimed independence from Germany under Allied control.
In 1945, the Allies entered Austria and removed the country from the Third Reich. A provisional Austrian government, led by Karl Renner, declared the country's independence.
Yes, in 1918, after World War I, Austria briefly renamed itself the Republic of German-Austria in an attempt to unite with Germany. However, this was forbidden by the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye (1919). In 1938, Austria was annexed into Germany by Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler, but this union was reversed in 1945.
