Lexi Webster
Austria, a landlocked country in Central Europe, has a long and complex history. The area has been inhabited since the Paleolithic period, with the first traces of human settlement dating back to the Lower Paleolithic or Old Stone Age. Over the centuries, Austria has been occupied by various civilisations, including the Celts, Romans, Bavarii, and Franks. In the 19th and 20th centuries, Austria underwent significant political changes, including the establishment of the Austrian Empire in 1806, the formation of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1867, and the proclamation of the First Austrian Republic in 1919. However, the question of when was Austria freed specifically refers to the country's liberation from Nazi Germany in 1945, followed by a decade of Allied occupation until it regained its sovereignty and declared its neutrality in 1955.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of liberation | 1945 |
| Date of sovereignty declaration | 1955 |
| Date of becoming a member of the United Nations | 1955 |
| Date of becoming a member of the European Union | 1995 |
| Date of the first traces of human settlement | Lower Paleolithic Period (Old Stone Age) |
| Date of the first "state" on Austrian territory | c. 800 to 400 BC |
| Date of the first mention of the name "Austria" | 996 AD |
| Date of the first Christianization | 4th and 5th centuries |
| Date of the first Ottoman siege of Vienna | 1529 |
| Date of the second Ottoman siege of Vienna | 1683 |
| Date of the Treaty of Karlowitz | 1699 |
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What You'll Learn
Liberation from Nazi Germany in 1945
Austria was liberated from Nazi Germany in 1945, following the Vienna Offensive. On 27 April 1945, Austria was declared independent from Nazi Germany by the Allies, as a result of the Vienna Offensive. This was confirmed by the Berlin Declaration for Germany on 5 June 1945.
In the lead-up to liberation, on 29 March 1945, Soviet commander Fyodor Tolbukhin's troops crossed the former Austrian border. 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. Seven days later, Renner's cabinet took office and declared the independence of Austria from Nazi Germany.
Austria had been annexed by Nazi Germany in 1938, with the support of the Austrian population. Figures such as Karl Renner, an Austrian socialist politician, welcomed the Anschluss. During World War II, Austria was an integral part of the Third Reich, with 700,000 people, or 10% of the population, joining the Nazi Party. More than 1.3 million Austrians were drafted between 1938 and 1945, 242,000 of whom never returned home.
After liberation, Austria was occupied by the Allies and 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 occupation ended when the Austrian State Treaty came into force on 27 July 1955, and Austria declared its perpetual neutrality.
During the immediate post-war period, denazification took place, with the implementation of measures to address Austrian involvement in Nazism and the crimes of the Nazi regime. The Provisional State Government enacted a series of denazification laws, including the Prohibition Act and the War Criminals Act. Former Nazis were required to disclose their party membership and faced legal consequences, including tax surcharges, asset forfeiture, and occupational bans. However, the denazification process was criticized for doing little to raise awareness of Austrians' involvement in Nazi crimes, and Austria's role as the first victim of Nazi Germany was used to deflect guilt and strengthen its position in negotiations.
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The First Austrian Republic (1919-1933)
The First Austrian Republic, officially the Republic of Austria, was established in 1919 after the signing of the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, which marked the end of World War I and the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The Republic lasted until 1933 and was a period of significant political and economic upheaval.
During this time, Austria was reduced to its current frontiers, mostly consisting of German-speaking areas of the former empire. The Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye also forbade the union of Austria with Germany, leading to the adoption of the name "Republic of Austria". The new state successfully blocked land claims by its neighbours and stabilised its finances, ending international supervision in 1926.
The First Austrian Republic was characterised by violent strife between left-wing and right-wing factions, which culminated in the July Revolt of 1927 and the Austrian Civil War of 1934. The Social Democratic Party, which had established progressive socioeconomic and labour laws during its time in government, was a major force in the country. However, in 1933, Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss suspended parliament and established an authoritarian regime, outlawing the Social Democrats and imposing a new constitution.
The Great Depression hit Austria hard, and the collapse of the Creditanstalt Bank in 1931 further weakened the country's economy. In an attempt to improve the economic situation, Austria sought to conclude a customs union with Germany, but this was blocked by France and the Little Entente in 1931. The country's economic woes contributed to the rise of Austrofascism and the move towards dictatorship under Dollfuss, who had the support of fascist Italy.
The First Austrian Republic came to an end in 1933 with the establishment of an authoritarian government by Dollfuss, who used what he called the ""self-switch-off of Parliament" to consolidate power. This period saw the imposition of a new constitution, known as the "Maiverfassung", which cemented the power of the Austrofascists and set the stage for the country's subsequent annexation into Nazi Germany in 1938.
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The Austro-Hungarian Empire
The empire was a result of the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867, which was negotiated after the Austro-Prussian War of 1866. This war led to the dissolution of the German Confederation and the exclusion of Austria from German affairs. The Compromise was a deal struck between Emperor Franz Joseph and Hungary, which was then part of the empire. Hungary gained full internal autonomy and a responsible ministry, while the empire remained a single great state for war and foreign affairs purposes.
The two countries shared ministries of foreign affairs and defence under the direct authority of the monarch, as well as a finance ministry responsible for financing these portfolios. The Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia was an autonomous region under the Hungarian crown within the empire, and after 1878, Bosnia and Herzegovina came under joint military and civilian rule by the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
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The Holy Roman Empire
In the context of Austrian history, the Holy Roman Empire played a significant role in shaping the country's predecessor states and its eventual formation. In the late Iron Age, Austria was occupied by people of the Hallstatt Celtic culture, who established the kingdom of Noricum, which existed from around 800 to 400 BC. At the end of the 1st century BC, the lands south of the Danube became part of the Roman Empire, and during the Migration Period in the 6th century, they were occupied by the Bavarii, a Germanic people.
In 962, Otto I became the first Holy Roman Emperor, and he established the Bavarian Eastern March, which became known as Austria under the rule of Leopold I, count of Babenberg, in 976. Austria continued to be a part of the Holy Roman Empire, becoming a margravate of the Duchy of Bavaria in 996 AD and then an independent duchy in 1156. It was later elevated to an archduchy within the empire in 1453.
During the 16th century, Vienna became the administrative capital of the Holy Roman Empire, and the empire faced challenges due to the spread of Lutheranism and the Protestant Reformation in its territories. In 1517, Martin Luther posted his ninety-five theses, challenging the Catholic Christianity that underpinned the empire. Despite efforts by Emperor Charles V to condemn Luther, Lutheranism continued to spread, and the emperor worked to ensure the succession of a Catholic monarch, Ferdinand, as King of the Romans in 1531.
In the 18th and early 19th centuries, the Holy Roman Empire underwent significant changes and fragmentation, with attempts at centralization made by Maria Theresa and her son Joseph II. The empire was also impacted by the Napoleonic Wars, and in 1804, Holy Roman Emperor Francis II founded the Empire of Austria, also known as the Austrian Empire, in response to Napoleon's establishment of the First French Empire. This marked the unification of all Habsburg possessions under one central government.
The dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire was accelerated by French intervention, with Napoleon's victories over the Austrians leading to the Treaty of Pressburg in 1805, which effectively meant the end of the empire. In 1806, Emperor Francis II of Austria officially dissolved the Holy Roman Empire, and Austria became the Austrian Empire, marking the end of the empire's centuries-long influence on the region.
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The Roman Empire
The history of Austria dates back to the late Iron Age, when it was occupied by the Hallstatt Celtic culture (c. 800 BC). The Celts founded the kingdom of Noricum, the first "state" on Austrian territory known by name. In the west, the Raetian people maintained their seat.
Attracted by the rich iron resources and the strategic importance of the region, the Romans began to assert themselves in Austria. The Romans first arrived in 200 BC, and by 15 BC, they dominated the entire area. The lands south of the Danube became part of the Roman Empire, and the territory of present-day Austria corresponded roughly with the Roman province of Noricum. The most important Roman settlement in Austria was Carnuntum, the capital of the Roman province of Pannonia in today's Lower Austria. Carnuntum became the centre of Roman fortifications along the Danube.
In the Migration Period of the 6th century, the Bavarii, a Germanic people, occupied these lands until they fell to the Frankish Empire in the 9th century. The peaceful development of the Roman provinces was disrupted by invasions from the Naristi, Marcomanni, and Quadi Germanic tribes in 166-180 CE. Although the emperor Marcus Aurelius repelled these invasions, the country could not regain its former prosperity. In the 3rd century, the Roman frontier defences came under increasing pressure from the Alemanni, and in the 5th century, heavy attacks by the Huns and eastern Germans put an end to the Roman provincial defence system on the Danube.
During the Roman Empire, several cities in Austria, such as Linz, were established, and there is evidence of a Christian cult in the region from the 4th century. The biography of St. Severinus by Eugippius provides a unique literary source for the dramatic events of the second half of the 5th century, when several Germanic tribes settled on Austrian territory.
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Frequently asked questions
Austria became a free country in 1955 when it declared its neutrality.
Austria was last occupied by the Allies from 1945 until 1955, following World War II.
Yes, Austria has been part of various empires throughout its history, including the Holy Roman Empire, the Austrian Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Nazi Germany.
