Post -war period
27 April 1945 r. The existence of an independent state was proclaimed, establishing a temporary federal government under the leadership of Karl Renner. Austria has retained the boundaries of 1937 r., But it was divided into four occupation zones, remaining under the control of the winning powers – USA, Soviet Union, Great Britain and France. Sam Vienna, lying in the Soviet occupation zone, It was also divided into four occupation sectors. The city center was under the control of all powers, which changed every month. The situation of Austria and Vienna was very similar to the situation of Germany and Berlin, However, in the latter, the Soviet zone finally separated, while Austria remained united, For the local communist party (Unlike the situation in Germany) She lost the support of voters.
Cool relations between the powers caused, that the occupation stretched through 10 years. It was a hard time for the Austrians. The reconstruction of national monuments was expensive and slow, and trade was dominated by the black market. 15 house 1955 r. The Austrian State Treaty was ratified, in which Austria announced its perpetual neutrality. After the withdrawal of the Allied forces in December 1955 r. The republic obtained membership of the United Nations. As the capital of the neutral state, located in the immediate vicinity of the Warsaw Pact countries, In the years of the Cold War, Vienna became an attractive city for spies and diplomats. W 1961 r. Kennedy and Chruszczów met here, and in the year 1979 Carter i Breżniew.
The Austrian international opinion has suffered, when in 1986 r. Kurt Waldheim became the president of Austria, former UN Secretary General (Although it was revealed, that he served as a lieutenant in the German Wehrmacht branch, who was accused of war crimes). There was no specific evidence against Waldheim, But it was not accepted by the governments of many countries. In published in 1985 r. biography of Der Schwierigste Job der Welt Welt Waldheim did not mention his three -year military service. Only in 1993 r. Chancellor Franz Vranitzky admitted in his quite late commentary on the participation of Austria in World War II, that his compatriots "willingly served Nazism”.
W 1992 r. Waldheim was replaced by the same Austrian People's Party (OVP) Thomas Kleestil, who easily won the next election in April 1998 r.
European Union years
In the post -war years, Austria worked hard to compensate for economic differences. W 1972 r. concluded with the European Economic Community (current European Union) Free market economy agreement, And in July 1989 r. She submitted her candidacy for full membership. W 1994 r. Conditions and Austrians were agreed, As a result of the conducted 12 June 1994 r. referendum, approved their country's entry into the European Union ("for” it was told 66,4% voting). Formally, Austria has become an EU member 1 January 1995 r.
In February 2000 r. Austria has again become an object of international criticism, when it is the extreme right -wing freedom party (FPÓ) formed a new one with óvp, coalition government, headed by Chancellor Schlussel. For the first time in years 70. Social democracy of Austria (SPO) She was not in power at all, Even as a coalition partner. New administration, Although chosen in a democratic vote, She was doomed to failure before taking any action. The European Union immediately imposed sanctions on Austria in the form of cooling all high -level diplomatic contacts.
Few Austrians were satisfied with the agreement between Óvp and FPó, The more that it excluded the most popular from the area of interests, According to surveys, SPO party (supporting support 33% voting, to 26,9% acquired by óvp and fpó). Public demonstrations against the FPÓ party took place in several Austrian cities. For most Austrians, both those opposing fpó, as well as its supporters, However, the biggest concern was immediate, almost "ahead of” European Union reaction, testifying, in their opinion, with a small role, what Austrian state plays in the arena of European relations. Sanctions were not only unnecessary, but they even had the opposite effect to the intended, So they were annulled in September 2000 r.
On Austria's political failures, he has not yet achieved dust, When the country was shocked by another great tragedy, which all newspapers in the world wrote about in capital letters. In November 2000 r. worke, A dangerous fire broke out in the Gletscherbahn cable car riding to the top, in which he lost his life 155 People. It was the most tragic mountain catastrophe in the history of humanity.