Lyla Lindsey
Austria, officially the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe with a long history of conflict. The first recorded instance of the name 'Austria' appeared in 996, referring to the territory of the Babenberg March. The country has been inhabited since the Paleolithic period, with the oldest traces of human habitation dating back more than 250,000 years. Over the centuries, Austria has been involved in numerous wars and conflicts, including the Thirty Years War, the Austro-Turkish War, and the Napoleonic Wars. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914 sparked World War I, and Austria was also impacted by World War II due to border disputes with neighbouring countries. Today, Austria is a democratic republic and a recognised great power, playing a significant role in European politics and history.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year founded | 1806 |
| First ruler | Rudolf I |
| First dynasty | Babenberg |
| First dynasty years | 976–1246 |
| Habsburg rule | 1246–1918 |
| World War I involvement | 1914–1918 |
| Post-WWI government | Republic |
| Nazi Germany annexation | 1938 |
| WWII Allied occupation | 1945–1955 |
| Year regained sovereignty | 1955 |
| Year joined the EU | 1995 |
| Notable conflicts | Austro-Turkish War, Napoleonic Wars, Thirty Years' War, Ottoman Wars, Hungarian Wars, World Wars I and II |
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What You'll Learn
Austria's annexation into Nazi Germany in 1938
Austria's history between 1934 and 1938 was marked by Austrofascism, which focused on the history of Austria and opposed the absorption of Austria into Nazi Germany. Despite this, Austrian Chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg, who assumed power after the assassination of Engelbert Dollfuss by Austrian Nazis in 1934, struggled to keep Austria independent. In 1936, Schuschnigg was forced to agree to the release of Nazis imprisoned in Austria, and Germany promised to respect Austrian sovereignty.
However, on March 12, 1938, German troops entered Austria, and the country was annexed into Nazi Germany the next day. The annexation, known as the Anschluss, was among the first significant steps in Austrian-born 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. Hitler's original plan was to maintain Austria as an independent puppet state, but the enthusiastic welcome he received from Austrians upon his visit to Vienna caused him to change his mind. Within days of the annexation, Hitler appeared at a rally in front of 200,000 people in Vienna.
The annexation was not without opposition, as Austria's political leaders were imprisoned, and anyone opposing Nazi rule was arrested and tortured. Additionally, a wave of violence was unleashed against Jews and Jewish-owned property across the country, culminating in the Kristallnacht pogroms. Tens of thousands of people were arrested in Vienna alone in the first few hours after the annexation.
Following the annexation, a manipulated electorate, excluding Jews and Roma, voted to approve the union. Subsequently, anti-Jewish legislation was extended to Austria, and the Mauthausen concentration camp was established in the summer of 1938. The mass deportation of Austrian Jews began in October 1941, with approximately 35,000 Jews sent to ghettos in Poland and Eastern Europe and another 15,000 sent to Auschwitz.
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World War I, sparked by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in June 1914 in Sarajevo was the catalyst for World War I. The Archduke, heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was shot by Bosnian Serb Gavrilo Princip. This assassination was used by Austrian politicians and generals to persuade the emperor to declare war on Serbia, thus igniting World War I. This global conflict resulted in the deaths of over one million Austro-Hungarian soldiers and civilians.
Austria-Hungary's involvement in World War I proved to be disastrous, with the empire suffering heavy losses and eventually succumbing to internal pressures. Towards the end of the war, in 1918, the empire's minorities, including Czechoslovaks, Yugoslavs, and Hungarians, declared their independence. This led to the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which had ruled over the region for 640 years.
The war's conclusion witnessed Emperor Charles I's abdication on November 12, 1918, and the establishment of the Austrian Republic the following day. The young republic faced significant challenges, including economic woes such as massive inflation, unemployment, and near economic collapse. The social and political landscape was tumultuous, with various factions vying for power. In 1932, Engelbert Dollfuss became chancellor, leading a right-wing government aimed at addressing the nation's problems. However, his efforts were short-lived as he was assassinated by Nazis in an attempted coup in 1934.
The instability in Austria continued, and in 1938, German troops marched into the country, incorporating it into the German Reich. This annexation by Nazi Germany was a significant development, leading to Austria becoming a sub-national division. World War II further ravaged the country, and it was only after this conflict ended in 1945 that Austria regained its sovereignty. Allied forces from the USA, the Soviet Union, the UK, and France occupied the country for a decade, after which Austria declared its permanent neutrality in 1955.
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The Long War of 1593-1606 against the Ottomans
The Long War of 1593-1606, also known as the Long Turkish War, was a conflict between the Habsburg Monarchy and the Ottoman Empire, primarily over the principalities of Wallachia, Transylvania, and Moldavia. The war lasted for 13 years, with the Habsburgs fighting to maintain their territories in the Balkans.
Skirmishes along the border began as early as 1591, with the fort of Bihać falling to the Ottomans in 1592. The conflict officially commenced on July 29, 1593, when the Ottoman army, led by Sinan Pasha, launched a campaign against the Habsburg Monarchy. The first engagements of the war were the Sieges of Veszprém and Várpalota, followed by the capture of Győr and Komárom in 1594. The war was not confined to land, as the Ottomans also launched a naval campaign in the Mediterranean Sea, challenging Habsburg control of the trade routes.
In the early stages of the war, the Habsburgs found themselves on the defensive, as the Ottomans made rapid advances and captured several key fortresses. However, the tide turned in 1595 when the Christians, bolstered by an alliance of European powers organized by Pope Clement VIII, known as the Holy League, struck back and recaptured strategic fortresses on the Danube. Despite these successes, the war dragged on for over a decade, with neither side able to gain a decisive advantage.
The final phase of the war began in 1604 with the uprising of the Prince of Transylvania, Stephen Bocskai. Bocskai, an educated strategist, rallied discontented Hungarians and members of the nobility to rise up against the Habsburgs. The Austrians, led by Giorgio Basta and Michael the Brave, scored a major victory at the Battle of Guruslău in August 1601, defeating the Hungarian nobility led by Sigismund Báthory. However, the assassination of Michael the Brave by Basta's mercenaries shifted the momentum once again.
The war finally came to an end on November 11, 1606, with the Peace of Zsitvatorok. The treaty resulted in minimal territorial changes, with the Ottomans gaining control of several fortresses but ceding the region of Vác to the Habsburgs. The Peace of Zsitvatorok stabilized the border between the two empires and demonstrated that neither side could easily penetrate the other's territories.
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The Thirty Years War, ending in 1648
The Thirty Years' War, which ravaged Europe from 1618 to 1648, was a complex and protracted conflict with far-reaching consequences, particularly for the region that would become Austria. This war was a defining event in European history, shaping the continent's political and religious landscape for centuries to come. At its core, the Thirty Years' War was a religious conflict between Protestants and Catholics, but it was also driven by political ambitions and dynastic rivalries. By the time it ended in 1648, entire regions had been devastated, and the population of the German states was reduced by nearly a third.
The war began in the Holy Roman Empire, which encompassed much of central Europe, including what is now Austria, and was highly decentralized, with numerous principalities and city-states. The Empire was already deeply divided along religious lines, with the northern and eastern regions largely Protestant, while the southern and western areas, including Austria, remained predominantly Catholic. Tensions escalated in 1618 when the Protestant estates of Bohemia rebelled against their Catholic ruler, Emperor Ferdinand II, who was also the King of Bohemia. The Bohemian Revolt sparked the Thirty Years' War, which soon engulfed the entire region.
The war was characterized by shifting alliances and the involvement of numerous European powers. The Catholic League, supported by Spain and the Habsburgs, fought against the Protestant Union and its various backers, including Denmark, Sweden, and France at different stages of the conflict. The fighting was particularly intense in the German states, but it also spread to other parts of Europe, including the Low Countries and northern Italy. The Austrian lands, as the heartland of the Habsburg Empire, were inevitably drawn into the conflict. While the war's early years saw some successes for the Catholic forces, including the suppression of the Bohemian Revolt, the tide turned as outside powers intervened.
The Thirty Years' War ended with the signing of the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, a series of treaties that brought an end to decades of religious and political conflict. The treaties were groundbreaking, as they established a new system of international relations based on the concept of sovereign nation-states. The Peace of Westphalia recognized the independence of the Dutch Republic and Switzerland and affirmed the autonomy of the German princes within the Holy Roman Empire, effectively ending the Empire's central authority. Importantly, the treaties also enshrined the principle of cuius regio, eius religio, which meant that the religion of the ruler determined the religion of the state, allowing for a degree of religious tolerance within Europe.
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Austria's liberation and Allied occupation in 1945
Austria was liberated and occupied by the Allies in 1945, following the end of World War II. In the immediate aftermath of the war, the country was divided into four occupation zones, with Vienna being similarly subdivided. The occupying powers were the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, the United States, and France. The inner-city district of Vienna was collectively administered by the four powers as the "Inter-allied Zone".
Soviet troops entered Austria in April 1945, with the Soviet command issuing a directive to its soldiers on April 4. The directive stated that the Red Army was entering the country to liberate it and destroy the German Army, and that Austrian civilians should be treated respectfully. However, the Soviets' reputation was harmed by the repression and sexual violence against civilians carried out by their troops. This repression and violence continued throughout 1945 and 1946, with Soviet officers often leading the way in plundering and attacking women.
American troops entered Austria on April 26, followed by French and British troops on April 29 and May 8, respectively. The Western Allies had no first-hand intelligence from Eastern Austria until the end of July, when the first Americans arrived in Vienna. By this time, the Soviets had assumed control over Austrian oil in their zone. The British arrived in September, and their Eighth Army became part of the occupation force.
In November 1945, the first City Council elections were held in Vienna, and the city was restored to democracy. The parliamentary election that same month resulted in a poor showing for the Communist Party of Austria, which won less than six percent of the national vote. A new government was formed by the Social Democrats and Christian Democrats, the traditional center-left and center-right Austrian parties.
Austria remained under joint occupation by the Western Allies and the Soviet Union until 1955, with its status becoming a controversial subject during the Cold War. On May 15, 1955, Austria was granted full independence and declared its permanent neutrality. The Austrian State Treaty came into force on July 27, 1955, and the last occupation troops left on October 25, 1955.
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Frequently asked questions
The first recorded instance of the name 'Austria' appeared in 996, in a document of King Otto III. However, the area that is now Austria has been inhabited since the Paleolithic period.
Austria has been involved in several wars and conflicts over the years, including:
- The Thirty Years War
- The Second Turkish Siege of Vienna (1683)
- The Napoleonic Wars
- The First World War
Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia after Serbian-backed terrorists assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, in June 1914. This stoked old tensions across Europe, and other powers pledged support for either Austria or Serbia, eventually dragging several other countries into the conflict.
