Page 52 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2016 - Austria

50  INTRODUCING A USTRIA

The First Republic
On 12 November 1918, the Provisional
National Assembly proclaimed the birth of
the Austro-German Republic. Its first elected
chancellor was the socialist Karl Renner. The
peace treaty, signed in St-Germain-en-Laye
(1919), imposed war compensations on
Austria and forbade unification with Germany.
During the 1920s, Austria’s economic situation
steadily worsened, giving rise to radical
sentiments. The worsening internal problems
were exploited by nationalist circles calling for
Austria to join with Germany. Chancellor
Engelbert Dollfuss, elected to office in 1932,
tried to counteract such dangers by intro-
ducing “strong-arm government”, repressing
the Social-Democratic opposition and dissolv-
ing Communist and Nazi parties. These steps
Depiction of the sensational murder of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
and his wife, Sophie led to bloody riots in Vienna and Linz, in
February 1934. In July of that year, the Nazis
World War I unsuccessfully attempted a coup, and
In 1908, Austro-Hungary decided on a formal murdered Dollfuss in the process. The new
annexation of Bosnia-Herzegovina, leading chancellor, Kurt Schuschnigg, under pressure
to increased tensions with Russia, which had from Adolf Hitler, agreed in February 1937 to
begun to strengthen its position in the admit Nazi politicians into his government,
Balkans, and with Serbia, which pursued its but resigned in the face of demands for
own expansionist aims. On 28 June 1914, in Austria to be incorporated into Germany.
Sarajevo, the Serbian student Gavrilo Princip His successor, the Nazi activist Arthur
shot dead the heir to the Austrian throne,
Franz Ferdinand. His assassination resulted in
the outbreak of World War I. Germany, Austria’s
old ally from the Triple Alliance, declared
itself on the side of Austria (Italy remained
neutral for a while), while the Entente coun-
tries – Russia, France and England – sided
with Serbia. The war exposed the weakness
of the Habsburg monarchy and brought
about its collapse. Charles I, Austria’s last Townspeople give the Nazi salute as German troops march
emperor, was exiled to Madeira in 1921. into Austria during the annexation

1908 Annexation 1914 Assassination of Archduke
of Bosnia and Franz Ferdinand, in Sarajevo. 1938 Anschluss – Austria’s
Herzegovina Outbreak of WWI integration into the Third Reich
1934 Workers riot in Vienna and Linz; 1943 Moscow
bloody suppression by the police Conference
1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960
1916 Death of Franz 1934 Nazi
Joseph I. Emperor Charles I 1918 End of WWI. coup failed. 1955 Treaty of State restoring 1961 Vienna
ascends the throne Collapse of Austro- Eng elbert full sovereignty to Austria. Summit of John F.
Hungary. Creation of Dollfuss killed Parliament declares Austria to Kennedy and
Archduke Franz the Republic of Austria be neutral for all time Nikita Khrushchev
Ferdinand’s jacket Engelbert Dollfuss

050-051_EW_Austria.indd 50 03/09/15 5:40 pm
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
History Portrait template “UK” LAYER
(Source v1.2)
Date 20th August 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm