These fourteen essays by leading Austrian historians and political scientists serve as a basic introduction to a small but sometimes trend-setting European country. They provide a basic up-to-date outline of Austria's political history, shedding light on economic and social trends as well. No European country has experienced more dramatic turning points in its twentieth-century history than Austria. This volume divides the century into three periods. The five essays of Section I deal with the years 1900-1938. Under the relative tranquility of the late Habsburg monarchy seethed a witch's brew of social and political trends, signaling the advent of modernity and leading to the outbreak of World War I and eventually to the collapse of the Habsburg Empire. The First Austrian Republic was one of the succession states that tried to build a nation against the backdrop of political and economic crisis and simmering civil war between the various political camps. Democracy collapsed in 1933 and an authoritarian regime attempted to prevail against pressures from Nazi Germany and Nazis at home. The two essays in Section II cover World War II (1938-1945). In 1938, Hitler's "Third Reich" annexed Austria and the population was pulled into the cauldron of World War II, fighting and collaborating with the Nazis, and also resisting and fleeing them. The seven essays of Section III concentrate on the Second Republic (1945 to the present). After ten years of four-power Allied occupation, Austria regained her sovereignty with the Austrian State Treaty of 1955. The price paid was neutrality. Unlike the turmoil of the prewar years, Austria became a "normal" nation with a functioning democracy, one building toward economic prosperity. After the collapse of the "iron curtain" in 1989, Austria turned westward, joining the European Union in 1995. Most recently, with the advent of populist politics, Austria's political system has experienced a sea of change departing from its political economy of a huge state-owned sector and social partnership as well as Proporz. This informed and insightful volume will serve as a textbook in courses on Austrian, German and European history, as well as in comparative European politics.

Austria in the Twentieth Century

A EuropeNow Editor’s Pick A Choice Outstanding Academic Title of the Year “Pieter M. Judson’s book informs and stimulates. If his account of Habsburg achievements, especially in the 18th century, is rather starry-eyed, it is a welcome corrective to the black legend usually presented. Lucid, elegant, full of surprising and illuminating details, it can be warmly recommended to anyone with an interest in modern European history.” —Tim Blanning, Wall Street Journal “This is an engaging reappraisal of the empire whose legacy, a century after its collapse in 1918, still resonates across the nation-states that replaced it in central Europe. Judson rejects conventional depictions of the Habsburg empire as a hopelessly dysfunctional assemblage of squabbling nationalities and stresses its achievements in law, administration, science and the arts.” —Tony Barber, Financial Times “Spectacularly revisionist... Judson argues that...the empire was a force for progress and modernity... This is a bold and refreshing book... Judson does much to destroy the picture of an ossified regime and state.” —A. W. Purdue, Times Higher Education “Judson’s reflections on nations, states and institutions are of broader interest, not least in the current debate on the future of the European Union after Brexit.” —Annabelle Chapman, Prospect

The Habsburg Empire

Beginning with the Congress of Vienna in 1815 and extending to the elections in November of 1986, this history of modern Austria has been written for the general reader and the student wishing an overview of the country's recent history. The first part of the book, covering the years from 1815 to 1918, includes a discussion of the events in Habsburg history that have a particular significance for the evolution of the later republic. Particular attention is paid to the unique aspects of the Austrian governmental system. The book concludes with an examination of the Kreisky era, the evolution of Austrian social democracy, and the political controversies after 1983.The main emphasis in the book is on political history and foreign policy, but attention is paid to the cultural history of Austria, focusing particularly on Vienna, throughout the nineteenth and twenieth centuries.

Modern Austria

Austrians today often seem to believe that they have two histories. One is their republican present; the other, the centuries that their forebears spent as part of the multi-ethnic Habsburg Empire. Contemporary Austria is a fixture among Europe's democracies. Yet, it did not achieve this state easily: World War I, the unification with Germany in 1938, and World War II were catastrophes for Austria. In 1995, it became part of the European Union, and its government, culture, and egalitarian economy are far cries from the monarchical and highly stratified society of the old Empire. The second edition of the Historical Dictionary of Austria has been thoroughly updated and greatly expanded. Through its chronology, introductory essay, appendix, bibliography, and hundreds of cross-referenced dictionary entries, greater attention has been given to foreign affairs, economic institutions and policies, social issues, religion, and politics.

Historical Dictionary of Austria

Not only does Keyserlingk show that Great Britain and the US recognized the Anschluss both in fact and in law throughout the war, he also reveals the growing importance of propaganda as a tool of government.

Austria in World War II

A political, cultural, and socioeconomic history of the Habsburg empire, discussing the rise of Habsburg power, its subsequent status and action as a great power, and its dissolution.

A History of the Habsburg Empire, 1526-1918

The emergence of central Europe and the Balkans as a major area of interest and international concern in post-Cold War Europe have given the fall of the Habsburg Empire and the consequences of that fall considerable contemporary resonance. The Empire was an experiment in multi-national politics, and how different ethnic and religious groups live or do not live together is very much what this book is about. The eight essays in this volume seek to unravel the complexities of the final twenty years of Austria-Hungary and its eventual disintegration, tackling from different angles the political, social and international challenges to the Empire's existence. The book successfully fills a gap in the market between expensive textbooks and very specialist articles and monographs and as such will appeal both to students and to the general reader interested in the Habsburgs and the Great War. From reviews of the first edition: 'The essays provide new insights into the question of Habsburg endurance, while offering perceptive suggestions about its ultimate collapse . . . [The book] represents a valuable attempt to publish new research and new perspectives on familiar questions. Carefully edited and with an excellent set of maps and a solid bibliography, the book offers students and specialists alike fresh thoughts about the Habsburg Monarchy, the Soviet Union, and Yugoslavia.' - Samuel R. Williamson, The International History Review

The Last Years of Austria-Hungary

A survey of the history of the Habsburgs, examining their political evolution from the Middle Ages to the twentieth century.

The Habsburgs

History of the House of Austria

Austria’s history dates to the Roman Empire, when the region now known as Austria was part of the provinces of Noricum and Pannonia. By the early medieval period, it became a frontier of the Carolingian Empire, and in 976 CE, the Babenberg dynasty established the March of Austria. The Habsburg dynasty rose to power in 1278, turning Austria into a dominant European power and, by the 16th century, a center of the Holy Roman Empire. After Napoleon’s dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, Austria became an empire in its own right. Following defeat in Austro-Prussian War (1866), Austria-Hungary was formed in 1867, lasting until World War I. Austria became a republic in 1918 but was annexed by Nazi Germany in 1938. After World War II, Austria regained independence in 1955, adopting a policy of neutrality and establishing itself as a prosperous modern republic within the European Union.

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History of Austria

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