How Austria Became a Nation: A Historical Overview

According to some sources, Austria emerged from the remnants of the Eastern and Hungarian March at the end of the first millennium. It was originally a margraviate of Bavaria, then a duchy of the Holy Roman Empire in 1156, and later an archduchy in 1453. The word “Austria” is derived from the German name “Ostarrîchi”, which was first recorded in 996 AD.

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Austria

Austria was dominated by the House of Habsburg and its successors from 1273 to 1918. In 1806, when Emperor Francis II dissolved the Holy Roman Empire, Austria became the Austrian Empire, and was also part of the German Confederation until 1866.

After losing the Austro-Prussian War, Austria formed the Austro-Hungarian Empire with Hungary in 1867, which collapsed after World War I. In 1918, Austria became a republic and joined the Weimar Republic (Germany) in 1938 but was annexed by Nazi Germany in the Anschluss. After World War II, Austria was occupied by the Allied powers until 1955, when it regained its sovereignty and declared its neutrality.

Since then, Austria has been a member of various international organizations, such as the United Nations, the European Union, and NATO. The Celtic and Roman origins of Austria, and the role of the province of Noricum in the ancient world. The medieval period of Austria, and the rise of the Babenberg and Habsburg dynasties, as well as the conflicts with the Ottoman Empire. The modern era of Austria, and the transformations of the Austrian Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the First Republic, the Anschluss, the Second Republic, and the European Union.