Republic
W 1916 r. Franciszek Józef died and. His successor, Karol i, he abdicated in 1918 r. (As a result of the war losing by Austria), thus closing the period of several hundred years of reign of the Habsburg dynasty. 12 November 1918 r. Austrian Republic was proclaimed. Under the peace treaty, signed by the Allies 10 September 1919 r. W Saint-Ger-Main-en-Laye, Austria could not conclude the planned Union with Germany and was forced to recognize independent countries: Czechoslovakia, Polish, Hungarian and Yugoslavia. Earlier these countries, including Transylvania (areas of today's Romania), were largely under the control of the Habsburgs. The loss of such great territories caused Austria to many economic problems, Because new countries have refused to further supply basic raw materials and therefore many families, Especially in cities, was on the border of misery. Only in the middle of the years 20. The federal government stabilized the currency and established new trade relations, what created the foundation for the development of the new state economy.
The birth of fascism
After World War I. The remaining part of the country, however, was deeply influenced by the conservative federal government, which caused sharp conflicts between the capital and the provinces. These tensions intensified in July 1927 r., When right -wing extremists were acquitted in the assassination process (This problematic judgment seemed to be politically motivated). The Palace of Justice in Vienna then became the audience of great demonstrations, during which the police were killed from the bullets 86 People.
Political and social tensions, such as polarization of political fractions and an increase in unemployment, In combination with the global economic crisis, they gave the Federal Chancellor Engelbert Dollfus the opportunity to establish in 1933 r. authoritarian rule. In February 1934 r. During a short civil war, which brought hundreds of victims within four days, The right has confirmed its victory. In July, an outlawed National Socialist Party (Nazis) contributed to the murder of Dollfus. His successor Kurt Schuschnigg was unable to stop the wave of the growing threat from Germany. W 1938 r. capitulated and included national socialists in his government.
11 mark 1938 r. German troops entered Austria, without encountering great resistance. Adolf Hitler from Austria, who left Vienna ten years earlier as an underestimated and embittered artist, He returned triumphantly to the city and during the great demonstration at Heldenplatz met with his supporters.
13 March Austria was included in the German Reich (Connection). In the national referendum conducted in April, most of the Austrians supported the union with the Third Reich.
The Nazis entrance has resulted in tragic consequences for Austrian Jews (Although not only Jewish liberals and intellectuals escaped from Nazi Austria). Jewish population, constituting 10% residents of Vienna, has so far exercised normal civil rights. In May 1938 r. Nuremberg law was introduced in Austria, under which many rights were deprived of Jews, m.in. They were not allowed to perform specific professions or lectures at universities. They were also forced to wear the yellow star of David. 9 November 1938 r. The Vienna Jewish commune was shocked by racist violence – Shops were plundered and almost all synagogues were set on fire. Many Jews left the country, but about 60 thousand. were sent to concentration camps (it only survived 2 thous.).
During World War II, Austria became part of the German war machine, and the federal government with a puppet in the hands of German Nazis. Austrian military troops were incorporated into the German army. However, there were some signs of resistance to Germany – 100 thousand. Austrians were imprisoned for political reasons, a 2,7 thousand. Resistance members were lost. In the last two years of the war, Vienna was often bombarded by the Allies and many state buildings have been damaged or destroyed (not counting almost 86 thousand. residential houses). When the war was coming to an end, Allied troops entered Austria from the east and from the west. The Russians were the first to reach Vienna, occupying the city 11 April 1945 r.