Ruqayyah Snyder
Austria's relationship with the Allies during World War II is a complex one. Initially, Austria was annexed by Germany in 1938, becoming part of the Third Reich, and Austrians voted in favour of this union. However, in 1943, the Allies agreed in the Declaration of Moscow that Austria would be considered the first victim of Nazi aggression, and thus treated as a liberated and independent country after the war. This decision was influenced by the presence of Austrian resistance groups, who fought against the German army, and the recognition that the majority of Austrians were not Nazis, despite popular support for Germany's wartime policies. Following the war, Austria was jointly occupied by the Western Allies and the Soviet Union until 1955, when it was finally free of occupying troops and enacted a Declaration of Neutrality.
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What You'll Learn
Austria was considered the first victim of Nazi aggression
The Anschluss was a significant breach of the post-World War I international order. It was also a watershed moment in Nazi Germany's foreign policy, as the international community did not intervene or punish Nazi Germany for violating international treaties. This appeasement further encouraged Hitler's aggressive foreign policy.
In 1943, the Allies agreed in the Declaration of Moscow that Austria would be regarded as the first victim of Nazi aggression, without denying Austria's role in Nazi crimes. This "victim theory" became fundamental in Austrian society, allowing political opponents to unite and forget past conflicts. Textbooks in the 1950s and 1960s perpetuated this narrative, portraying the Anschluss as an act of German aggression against innocent victims and shifting blame to other countries.
Soviet propaganda during World War II also emphasized that ordinary Germans and Austrians were not responsible for Nazi crimes, aiming to differentiate them from the Nazis and encourage soldiers to treat civilians correctly. On April 4, 1945, the Soviet command issued an instruction to frontline soldiers proclaiming that Austria was Hitler's first victim and that the Red Army had come to liberate it and destroy German forces.
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The Allies liberated and occupied Austria after World War II
Austria was liberated and occupied by the Allies after World War II. In 1938, Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany, and it remained a part of Nazi Germany until the end of World War II. During the war, 950,000 Austrians fought for the Nazi German armed forces, and many others participated in the Nazi administration.
In 1943, the Allies agreed in the Declaration of Moscow that Austria would be regarded as the first victim of Nazi aggression and treated as a liberated and independent country after the war. In April 1945, the Soviets instructed Austrian politician Karl Renner to form a provisional government. Renner's cabinet took office, declared Austria's independence from Nazi Germany, and called for the creation of a democratic state. On April 27, 1945, the Allies declared the annexation of Austria by Germany as void and re-established an independent Austria.
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 was similarly subdivided, with the central district collectively administered by the Allied Control Council. The occupation of Austria by the Western Allies and the Soviet Union continued until 1955, with the situation becoming gloomier than ever in 1950. The Austrian economy, including USIA enterprises, reached 61% of pre-war levels in 1947, but food remained a significant problem. The country survived 1945 and 1946 on a "near-starvation diet," with daily rations remaining below 2000 calories until the end of 1947. Looting, raping, and hunger defined the end of the war for most Austrians.
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Austria was treated as an independent country after the war
Austria was treated as an independent country after World War II, but it was also occupied by the Allies. In 1943, the Allies agreed in the Declaration of Moscow that Austria would be regarded as the first victim of Nazi aggression and liberated after the war. This was a shift from the previous view of Austria as part of Nazi Germany after the Anschluss in 1938.
In the immediate aftermath of World War II, Austria was divided into four occupation zones, with Vienna similarly subdivided. The United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, the United States, and France jointly occupied these zones. The Western Allies successfully opposed the Kremlin's plans to impose burdensome war reparations on Austria, but they did consent to Moscow's demand that the Soviets were entitled to German assets in their zone of occupation. This resulted in a significant financial burden on Austria.
The Soviet troops engaged in systematic sexual violence and looting, which harmed their reputation and led to a change in propaganda. The new narrative emphasized that ordinary Germans and Austrians were not responsible for Nazi crimes and that Austria was Hitler's first victim. Despite these efforts, the Soviet troops' conduct continued to be an issue throughout 1945 and 1946, with Austrian police records indicating that "men in Soviet uniform" accounted for more than 90% of registered crimes during this period.
The Western powers replaced their military representatives with civilian diplomats in 1950, but the situation remained challenging due to international tensions and internal economic and social crises. The Austrian government and unions became deadlocked in negotiations, leading to the 1950 Austrian general strikes organized by the communists. However, the strikes failed to gain sufficient public support, and the Soviets and Western allies did not intervene.
The occupation of Austria by the Allies ended in 1955 with the Austrian State Treaty, marking the official recognition of Austria's independence.
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Austria was a fascist dictatorship before Germany took over
Dollfuss banned the Communist Party, the Social Democratic Republikanischer Schutzbund paramilitary organisation, and the Austrian branch of the Nazi Party. The path to dictatorship was completed on 1 May 1934, when the Constitution of Austria was recast into an authoritarian and corporatist document. The Federal State of Austria, also known as the Ständestaat, was a continuation of the First Austrian Republic and was led by Engelbert Dollfuss and Kurt Schuschnigg. It was an authoritarian government influenced by Italian Fascism and conservative Catholic ideologies.
The Fatherland Front's role in Austrian history has been a contentious point, with some historians considering it an exponent of Austrian and Catholic-clerical fascism, or "Austrofascism". They hold it responsible for the failure of liberal democracy in Austria. However, conservative authors emphasise its role in defending the country's independence and opposing Nazism. The Fatherland Front aimed to unite all Austrians, but only enjoyed the support of certain parts of society, mainly the Catholic Church, the Austrian bureaucracy and military, and most of the rural population.
While Austria's fascist regime used fascist-like symbols and assaulted the rights of citizens, it never achieved broad support among Austrians. Its most prominent policy was an embrace of Catholicism, and its economic and social policies more closely resembled those of Portugal under Salazar than Fascist Italy or Nazi Germany. Despite the regime's harsh deflationary policies, catastrophic economic contraction, and high unemployment, there was never any serious reappraisal of Austrofascism. Instead, Austria's fascist leader, Dollfuss, was romanticised as a resistance fighter because he rejected unification with Germany.
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Austria had popular support for Germany's wartime policies
Austria was occupied by the Allies and declared independent from Nazi Germany on 27 April 1945, following the Vienna Offensive. The country was divided into four occupation zones, jointly occupied by the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, the United States, and France.
Austria had been a part of Nazi Germany from 13 March 1938 until the end of World War II in 1945. This unification of the two countries is known as the Anschluss, which means "connection" or "joining" in German. The Anschluss was the result of a conspiracy by Austrian Nazis to seize the Austrian government and unite with Nazi Germany. Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg attempted to resist this conspiracy but was bullied into naming top Austrian Nazis to his cabinet and eventually resigned under coercion from the Nazis. On 12 March 1938, German troops marched into Austria, where they were met by enthusiastic crowds. Hitler appointed a new Nazi government, and Austria became a federal state of Germany.
The Anschluss was widely popular in both Germany and Austria. Most Austrians considered themselves ethnically German, and many supported Hitler even before he became German chancellor in 1933. Austrians participated in the Nazi administration and fought for the Nazi German armed forces during World War II. Approximately 950,000 Austrians fought for the Nazis, and others participated in the Nazi death camp personnel and senior Nazi leadership. The majority of the bureaucrats who implemented the Final Solution were Austrian.
After World War II, the Western Allies opposed the Kremlin's plans to impose burdensome war reparations on Austria, arguing that Austria was the first victim of Nazi aggression. This position was supported by Soviet propaganda, which aimed to differentiate ordinary Germans and Austrians from the Nazis. However, the Western Allies did consent to Moscow's demand for entitlement to German assets in Austria in their zone of occupation.
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Frequently asked questions
Austria did not join the Allies. After World War II, Austria was divided into four occupation zones and jointly occupied by the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, the United States, and France.
The Allies agreed in the 1943 Declaration of Moscow that Austria would be regarded as the first victim of Nazi aggression and treated as a liberated and independent country after the war.
The Soviet Union was one of the four Allied powers that occupied Austria after World War II. The Soviet Union played a significant role in establishing a provisional Austrian government and declaring the country's independence from Nazi Germany.
The Soviet occupation had both positive and negative impacts on Austrians. On the one hand, the Soviets helped to liberate the country from Nazi rule and establish a democratic state. On the other hand, there were reports of systematic sexual violence, looting, and repression against civilians by Soviet troops, which harmed their reputation and led to widespread protests.
The Western Allies, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, successfully opposed the Kremlin's plans for burdensome war reparations on Austria. They also played a role in negotiating and enforcing the terms of the occupation, such as the withdrawal of American food subsidies, which led to the 1950 Austrian general strikes.
