Basic knowledge Austria

The year 2025 commemorates the "Declaration of Neutrality" 70 years ago by the Austrian parliament. This is an opportunity for civic education to take a closer look at the topic. Austria's neutrality has existed since 1955.Austria was incorporated by the Nazi regime in 1938 ("Anschluss") and was divided up after 1945 between the Allied occupying powers France (Vorarlberg, Tyrol), the USA (Salzburg, parts of Upper Austria), Great Britain (Carinthia, Styria) and the Soviet Union (parts of Upper Austria, Lower Austria and Burgenland) ("occupation zones"). Vienna was divided up by all four victorious powers. In order to be recognized as the "Republic of Austria" as a sovereign state, the Soviet Union first had to agree to Austria's commitment to be a neutral state in the future after lengthy negotiations.The State Treaty was signed on May 15, 1955, and the Neutrality Act was passed in parliament on October 26, 1955 (the first day without occupation).