Österreich

Österreich, originally the name of a margravate with its centre at Vienna, which then became a duchy (1156) and was ruled by the Babenberg family. This house in time acquired Styria and what is now Oberösterreich. In the 13th c. Austria passed to Ottokar II of Bohemia. On his defeat by the German King Rudolf I of Habsburg in 1278, it came into the possession of the latter's family, which continued to rule it until 1918. From 1273 to 1308 and from 1438 to 1806 the Habsburg dukes of Austria were also emperors of the Holy Roman Empire (see Deutsches Reich, Altes). The Reformation made only temporary headway in Austria, which in the 17th c. became the strongest element in the Counter-Reformation (see Gegenreformation). In the Thirty Years War (see Dreissigjähriger Krieg) it was the strongest German power, only held in check by Swedish military force. By then Austria was a multi-racial state including, as well as Austro-Germans, the Czechs of Bohemia, the Hungarians, and the Croats.

In the 18th c. Austria became engaged under the Empress Maria Theresia in a struggle for hegemony with the newly emergent power, Prussia. The Napoleonic Wars brought military set-backs and the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire. The Emperor Franz II had meanwhile (1804) assumed the title of emperor of Austria as Franz I. The Austrian monarchy was able to reassert a dominating position at the Congress of Vienna (see Wiener Kongress) in 1815, and until 1848 it was the principal power in central Europe. After the war of 1866 (see Deutscher Krieg), Bismarck secured the exclusion of Austria from Germany (dissolution of the German Confederation). This set-back provoked trouble with the Hungarians, who demanded additional rights, and from 1867 to 1918 the country was designated the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy (Österreichisch-Ungarische Monarchie) or, more commonly, Austria-Hungary (Österreich-Ungarn).

After the removal of the Habsburgs in 1918 the Empire split into the so-called successor-states (Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Yugoslavia, and Romania), leaving only the former nucleus of Austria (plus Salzburg, acquired 1805, and Tyrol, less South Tyrol), but reunion with Germany (Anschluß) was forbidden by the Treaty of St Germain-en-Laye (see also Versailles, Treaty of). The province of Burgenland was, however, transferred from Hungary in 1921. The Federal Republic of Austria existed from 1919 to 1938, coming under increasing pressure from National Socialist forces within and without. In 1938 the country was occupied by Germany of which it became a part with the designation Ostmark. On 13 April 1945 Vienna was taken by Soviet forces, and in May other Allied forces entered Austria and four zones of occupation were established. The Federal Republic was reconstituted with K. Renner as first president, but wrangles between the occupying powers delayed final recognition. In 1955 an Austrian declaration of neutrality satisfied the Russians, and the forces of the four powers were withdrawn. See also Wien.