RG 84: Austria

State Department and Foreign Affairs Records

Records of the Foreign Service Posts of the Department of State (RG 84)

Austria

On March 11, 1938 the German Army entered Austria and two days later Austria was incorporated (the Anschluss) into the German Reich. (Note 59) On March 15, 1938, Hitler appointed Austrian Nazi Arthur Seyss-Inquart as Reich Governor of Vienna and put him in charge of the regional government.

Immediately the Austrian Government imposed severe restrictions on racial and ethnic minorities, particularly the Jews.  In Austria the Nazis for the first time fully used the instrument of "Aryanization"-the outright confiscation of Jewish property for the benefit of German penetration. By the time the war began in September 1939 from half to two-thirds of Austrian Jews fled Nazi persecution.  Those who remained once the war began suffered the lost of much of their property and it is estimated that some 65,000 Austrian Jews were exterminated as part of the Final Solution.

Besides exploiting and exterminating the Jewish population, the Germans penetrated and exploited the Austrian economy.  Actually, the German exploitation of the Austrian economy is distinguished by the fact that long before the advent of Nazism, very close industrial, commercial, and financial relations existed between Germany and Austria.  There were many Austrian subsidiaries and affiliates of German enterprises.  After the incorporation of Austria into the Reich, these subsidiaries were usually merged with their parent companies.

By the time of Germany's defeat it had complete control of the Austrian economy.  The ten leading Austrian banks and credit institutions were controlled by German interests.  Six of the most important insurance companies were under German control.  Ten of the largest plants producing electricity and gas came under German control.  In mining and steel production, a practically monopolistic position was held by the Reichwerke A.G. Alpine Montanbetriebe Hermann Goering, Linz.  At least a dozen major Austrian firms manufacturing machinery and general metal products came under German control, as did a half-dozen major firms manufacturing electrical apparatuses and electric wires.  I.G. Farben controlled the three largest Austrian chemical firms, and at least a dozen other Austrian chemical firms were German- controlled.  Germans also controlled major Austrian firms involved in the oil industry, textiles, leather and rubber, food and tobacco, and paper and cellulose.

In part, because of Austria's subjugation to Germany, the conference of foreign ministers in Moscow in November 1943 officially declared that the former republic had been the first victim of the German aggression and held out prospects for the liberation of its people.  This increased Austrian resistance to the Germans and played a role in Allied assessments of Austrian participation in and responsibility for Hitler's war.

After the war an Allied Control Council was established for Austria.  On December 15, 1945, the Allies recognized a new Austrian Government.  On June 28, 1946, new control machinery was established for Austria by the Allies. (Note 60)  Austria regained its independence on May 15, 1955.    

Records of the U.S. Legation/Consul, Vienna, Austria

General Records 1936-1941(Entry 2050)
Boxes 1-75

Records of POLAD & USCOA, Vienna, Austria

General Records 1945-1952 (Entry 2054)
Boxes 1-134

1945

1946

1947

1948

1949

1950-1952

Supplemental General Records 1945-1946 (Entry 2055)
Boxes 1-2

Classified General 1945-1955 (Entry 2056)
Boxes 1-105

1945-1946

1947

1948

1949

1950-1952

Top Secret Telegrams Sent and Received 1945-1948 (Entry 2058)
Box 1

Top Secret USFA Cables 1947-1948(Entry 2059)
Box 1

Records of POLAD & High Commissioner USCOA, Vienna, Austria

Top Secret General Records 1945-1952(Entry 2057)
Boxes 1-7

Records of the U.S. Element of the Allied Commission for Austria

General Records 1945-1951 (Entry 2062)

Arranged alphabetically by subject and thereunder chronologically.
Includes abstract sheets for the documents in each folder.
Boxes 1-52

Austria Basic Handbook 1945 (Entry 2063)
Box 1

Austrian Military Government Handbook (Entry 2065)
Box 1

Index to Subjects 1945-1953 (Entry 2066)
Box 1

Handbook on Allied Commission 1949 (Entry 2067)
Box 1

Agenda of the Meetings of the Allied Council 1945-1955 (Entry 2069)
Box 1

Minutes of the Meetings of theAllied Council 1945-1955 (Entry 2070)
Boxes 1-4

Papers of the Allied Council 1945-1955 (Entry 2071)
Boxes 1-4

Proceedings of the Allied Council 1945-1955 (Entry 2072)
Boxes 1-36

Reports of the U.S. High Commissioner 1945, 1947-1955 (Entry 2082)
Boxes 1-5

Records of the Inter-Allied Command Files, U.S. Element

General Records 1945-1955 (Entry 2092J)
Boxes 1-57
Box 42 B/9/06

Refiles 1945-1955 (Entry 2092K)
Boxes 1-3