Damon Mcknight
Following World War II, Austria was jointly occupied by the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, the United States, and France, with Vienna subdivided among the four powers. The Soviet Union's occupation policies in Austria were largely shaped by the Moscow Declaration of 1943, which stated that Austria was Germany's first victim but would have to pay for its participation in Nazi aggression. The Soviet Union did not attempt to impose a communist dictatorship in Austria, and the country avoided some of the worst aspects of Germany's fate. The Soviet Union dismantled and extracted industrial equipment and assets, and while it arrested and detained Austrian civilians, the scale of political violence was more limited than in other countries occupied by the Red Army. In 1955, Austria was granted full independence and the last occupation troops left.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year Soviets left Austria | 1955 |
| Date of Austrian State Treaty | 15 May 1955 |
| Date Austria was free of occupying troops | 25 October 1955 |
| Austria's status during the Cold War | Neutral |
| Austria's pledge to the Soviet Union and the U.S.-led West | Non-unification with other German-speaking nations |
| Austria's agreement to pay for | "German assets" and oil fields left by the Soviets |
| Moscow Conference | 1943 |
| Percentage of Austrian agricultural output in the Soviet zone | 65% |
| Percentage of oil in the Soviet zone | Nearly all |
| Year Austria finalized its Marshall Plan program | 1947 |
| Year Austria received the first tranche of Marshall Plan aid | 1948 |
| Year the Soviet Union liberated Vienna | 1945 |
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What You'll Learn
Soviet occupation policies
The Soviet Union occupied parts of Austria, including Vienna, while Anglo-American troops entered from Germany and Italy. Austria was then divided into four occupation zones by the Four Powers: Britain, France, the US, and the USSR. Despite this, Moscow treated Austria as a defeated Axis power, and the country avoided some of the worst fates of Germany. For example, the Western Allies successfully opposed the Kremlin's plans for burdensome war reparations, and Austrians avoided the fate of the Volksdeutsche, ethnic Germans from Eastern Europe who were expelled to Germany or deported to the Soviet Union for slave labor.
The Soviet Union deployed NKVD (secret police) teams to extract reparations through seizures and confiscations. In less than a year, the Soviets dismantled and shipped industrial equipment valued at around $500 million to the East. Moscow also demanded and received entitlement to German assets in Austria, including oil fields, in their zone of occupation. From 1946 to 1955, Austria paid the Soviet Union 36.8 billion Schillings, or two percent of its accumulated GDP.
The Soviets also exerted control over the media. They insisted on specific hours of air time for their programming, such as the "Russische Stunde" (Russian Hour), and demanded that news from the Soviet zone be broadcast in the "official" version.
The Soviet repressive apparatus acted with relative restraint in the first months of occupation. This can be partly explained by the fact that Moscow did not fully control Austria, and the country was not a high geopolitical priority due to its distance from the Soviet Union's frontiers. The Kremlin prioritized having a friendly or communist regime in neighboring countries that shared a border with the Soviet Union, such as Romania or Poland.
In 1955, Austria was granted full independence and pledged total neutrality in the Cold War confrontation between the East and the West. The last occupation troops left on October 25, 1955.
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Austrian neutrality
In the aftermath of World War II, Austria was jointly occupied by the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, the United States, and France, and Vienna was subdivided among the four powers. This occupation was influenced by the Moscow Declaration of 1943, which stated that Austria was the first victim of Germany but also bore responsibility for participating in Nazi aggression.
Austria's economy was in a dire state, with food shortages and a lack of consumer goods production. The country survived 1945 and 1946 on a "near-starvation diet", and 65% of Austrian agricultural output and nearly all oil were in the Soviet zone, creating challenges for the Western Allies in feeding their zones. The Soviet Union deployed NKVD teams to extract reparations, confiscating goods and seizing industrial plants. From 1946 to 1955, Austria paid the Soviet Union approximately 36.8 billion Schillings, or two percent of its accumulated GDP.
The Soviet occupation policies in Austria were shaped by the fact that Moscow did not have full control of the country and that Austria was not a high geopolitical priority due to its distance from the Soviet Union's frontiers. The Soviet Union's primary goal was to ensure a friendly or communist regime in neighbouring countries like Romania and Poland, which posed a more direct military threat.
During this period, the Western Allies and the Soviet Union competed for influence in Austria. The Western Allies implemented the Marshall Plan, primarily targeting the Soviet zone, to strengthen their position. The Soviets insisted on specific broadcast hours for their programming, including news from their zone, which was often met with frustration by Austrians.
In 1955, Austria was granted full independence through the Austrian State Treaty, also known as the Austrian Independence Treaty, under which Austria pledged perpetual neutrality in the Cold War confrontation between the East and West. This treaty also stipulated that Austria would not seek unification with other German-speaking nations. The last occupation troops left Austria on October 25, 1955, marking the end of the country's occupation and the beginning of its neutrality.
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Soviet restraint
The Soviet Union's occupation of Austria after World War II was marked by a notable degree of restraint, particularly when compared to its actions in other countries it occupied. This can be attributed to several factors, including the Moscow Declaration of 1943, which acknowledged Austria as the first victim of Nazi Germany, and the geopolitical priorities of the Soviet Union.
Firstly, the Moscow Declaration of 1943 played a crucial role in shaping Soviet policies towards Austria. The declaration, agreed upon by the British, Americans, and Soviets, recognised that while Austria bore responsibility for its participation in Nazi aggression, it was also a victim of German aggression itself. This distinction influenced the Soviet Union's approach to Austria, leading to a more restrained occupation policy compared to other defeated Axis powers.
Secondly, the Soviet Union's actions in Austria were influenced by geopolitical considerations. Moscow did not exert full control over Austria, and the country was not a high priority for the Kremlin due to its distance from the Soviet Union's frontiers. Instead, the Soviet Union focused its attention on neighbouring countries such as Romania and Poland, which posed a more immediate potential military threat. As a result, the scale of political violence and repression in Austria was more limited than in other occupied nations.
Additionally, the Soviet Union's occupation of Austria was characterised by a focus on extracting reparations and consolidating its influence rather than imposing a communist dictatorship. NKVD (Soviet secret police) teams were deployed to confiscate industrial assets and production installations, with Austria paying the Soviet Union an estimated 36.8 billion Schillings, or two percent of its accumulated GDP, from 1946 to 1955. However, the Soviets did not attempt to establish a separate socialist government in their zone, as they did in East Germany. This restraint can be partly attributed to the presence of other Allied powers in Austria, which limited the Soviet Union's ability to act unilaterally.
The Soviet Union's restraint in Austria also extended to allowing the formation of a free provisional government following the liberation of Vienna in April 1945. This was in line with the Soviet premier Joseph Stalin's pledge in 1941 to regard the restoration of an independent Austrian republic as essential for postwar Europe. However, when the Communist Party performed poorly in the subsequent elections, Moscow only grudgingly accepted the results, highlighting the limits of Soviet restraint.
In conclusion, the Soviet Union's occupation of Austria was marked by a degree of restraint, influenced by the Moscow Declaration of 1943 and geopolitical considerations. The Soviet Union prioritised extracting reparations and consolidating its influence while avoiding the imposition of a communist dictatorship. Additionally, the presence of other Allied powers limited the Soviet Union's ability to act unilaterally, contributing to a more restrained occupation policy compared to other countries.
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Austrian independence
Austria's independence was a long and tumultuous process, shaped by the country's complex history and the Cold War dynamics of the mid-20th century.
After World War II, Austria found itself divided into four occupation zones, jointly occupied by the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, the United States, and France. This division mirrored the partitioning of Germany into East and West, but Austria's path to independence would differ significantly. The Moscow Declaration of 1943, signed by the British, Americans, and Soviets, acknowledged Austria's role as the "first victim" of German aggression while also acknowledging its participation in Nazi crimes. This declaration set the stage for Austria's eventual emergence as an independent state.
The Soviet occupation policies in Austria were influenced by the Moscow Declaration. While the Red Army occupied only parts of Austria, including Vienna, the country was jointly occupied by the Western Allies as well. This dynamic created a complex interplay between the Soviets and the Western powers, with the latter aiming to counter the Soviet influence. The Marshall Plan, for instance, channelled financial aid primarily into areas controlled by the American and British forces, targeting heavy industry in their zones.
The Austrian economy struggled in the post-war years, with food shortages and a weak consumer goods production sector. The country's agricultural output and oil resources were concentrated in the Soviet zone, which complicated the Western Allies' efforts to support their zones. The Soviets engaged in looting and extraction of reparations, seizing industrial plants and goods, and imposing occupation costs on Austria. However, they did not attempt to impose a communist dictatorship, resulting in a more limited scale of political violence compared to other occupied countries.
Despite the challenges, the possibility of re-establishing an independent Austria remained alive. In 1948, the outbreak of the Korean War heightened tensions, with fears that the Soviet attack on South Korea could be part of a global offensive. This context accelerated the rearmament of Austria's "secret ally", further complicating the situation. Nevertheless, in 1950, the Western powers replaced their military representatives with civilian diplomats, signalling a shift in strategy.
The turning point came in April 1955, when Austrian Chancellor Raab visited Moscow. In a surprising breakthrough, the Soviets agreed to grant Austria freedom by 31 December, in exchange for payments for "German assets" and oil fields left in the country. The Western powers were stunned by the agreement, which proceeded as promised. On 15 May 1955, the Austrian State Treaty was signed in Vienna by representatives of the major powers, including the Soviet Union, the United States, and Britain. The treaty came into force on 27 July, and on 25 October 1955, the last occupation troops left, marking the restoration of Austrian independence.
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The Austrian State Treaty
In the aftermath of World War II, Austria was jointly occupied by the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, the United States, and France, much like Germany. However, Austria avoided some of the harshest treatments of defeated Axis powers due to the Moscow Declaration of 1943, which acknowledged that Austria was the first victim of Nazi aggression, despite having contributed to Nazi war crimes. This declaration formed the basis of the Austrian State Treaty, which granted Austria independence.
The negotiations for Austria's independence gained momentum with the visit of Austrian representatives to Moscow in April 1955. During these talks, it was agreed that Austria would pay for the "German assets" and oil fields left by the Soviets and commit to perpetual neutrality, modelled after Switzerland. The Soviets also promised the release and repatriation of Austrians imprisoned in the Soviet Union.
The signing of the Austrian State Treaty was a significant event, marking the end of the occupation and the restoration of Austria's sovereignty. The treaty expressly recognised the Austrian state and included regulations regarding minority rights, specifically mentioning the Slovene and Croat minorities. Additionally, it prohibited Nazi and fascist organisations and forbade any future political union with Germany. Austria's independence was a notable achievement during the Cold War era, and 26 October became a national holiday, known as the Day of the Flag, to commemorate the departure of the last Allied troops.
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Frequently asked questions
The Soviet Union left Austria due to the Austrian State Treaty of 1955, which was signed by the Western powers and the Soviet Union. The treaty restored Austrian independence and required Austria to pledge total neutrality in the Cold War conflict between the US-led West and the Soviet Union.
The terms of the treaty included Austrian promises of perpetual neutrality and non-alignment with other German-speaking nations. Additionally, Austria agreed to pay for the "German assets" and oil fields left by the Soviets.
The Soviet Union's decision to leave Austria was influenced by a combination of internal and external factors. Externally, the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950 increased tensions between the Western powers and the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union's focus shifted to potential conflicts with neighboring countries such as Romania and Poland, which posed a more immediate military threat. Internally, the Soviet Union was recovering from the destruction and losses incurred during World War II, which weakened its position.
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