Studies in Austrian and Central European History and Culture
Volume 2: Austria in the 20th Century
The essays in this volume analyze Austrian history from World War II to the present. Half of them concentrate on the period after World War II, from the occupation to Austria's momentous accession to the European Union in 1995. The time of the great coalition and the Kreisky era are also covered.
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Volume 1: South Tyrol: A Minority Conflict of the Twentieth Century
Volume 1: South Tyrol: A Minority Conflict of the Twentieth Century
Rolf Steininger
South Tyrol, a region in the heart of the Alps about half the size of Connecticut, brings into sharp focus an important part of twentieth century history. Tyrol,a province that had been part of Austria for over 500 years and was almost totally German speaking, was split in two after World war I and the southern part awarded to Italy as "spoils of war."
The first phase to follow after the split of Tyrol was systematic subjection by the Italian Fascists of what had been a regional majority in South Tyrol but was now a minority within Italy. In a second phase, to gain an Italian majority, the country was settled with Italians from the South, who had a totally different mentality from the Italians residing in South Tyrol. With the emergence of National Socialism in Germany, and eventually with the Hitler-Mussolini Agreement of 1939, a third phase emerged: an experiment in "ethnic cleansing" called the "Option".
Eighty-six percent of all South Tyroleans agreed to leave South Tyrol and become citizens of "Greater Germany". After World War II, the region was not returned to Austria: South Tyrol became the first victim of the Cold War. It took almost forty years of hard bargaining before South Tyrol was granted real autonomy. This resolution is now regarded as a model for solving minority conflicts.
Rolf Steininger traces the history of this troubled region during several periods: 1918-1922, in which he covers the period from the division of Tyrol to the march on Bozen: 1922-1938, in which he reviews fascist policy towards South Tyrol: the "Option" of 1939: the resettlement and so-called reunification from 1943-1945: South Tyrol's role as a bargaining chip in the Cold War, and the discussion of the plan negotiated in 1969 for a new autonomy for South Tyrol that came to be known as the "Package"
About the Author
Rolf Steininger is professor and head of the Institute of Contemporary History at the University of Innsbruck. He is European Union Jean-Monnet Professor, Senior Fellow at the Eisenhower Center of American Studies at the University of New Orleans, board member of the European Union Community Studies Association, and the author of numerous books, articles, and television documentaries.
Rolf Steininger
South Tyrol, a region in the heart of the Alps about half the size of Connecticut, brings into sharp focus an important part of twentieth century history. Tyrol,a province that had been part of Austria for over 500 years and was almost totally German speaking, was split in two after World war I and the southern part awarded to Italy as "spoils of war."
The first phase to follow after the split of Tyrol was systematic subjection by the Italian Fascists of what had been a regional majority in South Tyrol but was now a minority within Italy. In a second phase, to gain an Italian majority, the country was settled with Italians from the South, who had a totally different mentality from the Italians residing in South Tyrol. With the emergence of National Socialism in Germany, and eventually with the Hitler-Mussolini Agreement of 1939, a third phase emerged: an experiment in "ethnic cleansing" called the "Option".
Eighty-six percent of all South Tyroleans agreed to leave South Tyrol and become citizens of "Greater Germany". After World War II, the region was not returned to Austria: South Tyrol became the first victim of the Cold War. It took almost forty years of hard bargaining before South Tyrol was granted real autonomy. This resolution is now regarded as a model for solving minority conflicts.
Rolf Steininger traces the history of this troubled region during several periods: 1918-1922, in which he covers the period from the division of Tyrol to the march on Bozen: 1922-1938, in which he reviews fascist policy towards South Tyrol: the "Option" of 1939: the resettlement and so-called reunification from 1943-1945: South Tyrol's role as a bargaining chip in the Cold War, and the discussion of the plan negotiated in 1969 for a new autonomy for South Tyrol that came to be known as the "Package"
About the Author
Rolf Steininger is professor and head of the Institute of Contemporary History at the University of Innsbruck. He is European Union Jean-Monnet Professor, Senior Fellow at the Eisenhower Center of American Studies at the University of New Orleans, board member of the European Union Community Studies Association, and the author of numerous books, articles, and television documentaries.
