Summary
Highlights
Following the end of the Battle of Vienna in April 1945, Austria began its recovery from World War II. The first provisional government was formed on April 17, 1945, in the Soviet occupation zone. Austria was divided into four occupation zones: Soviet in the east, American and French in the west, and British in the south, leading to a visible demarcation line. Viennese streets saw joint patrols of Allied forces, and the American presence, characterized by goods like chewing gum and chocolate, was particularly popular amongst the population. The Marshall Plan played a crucial role in economic recovery, funding projects like the Glockner-Kaprun power plant.
In 1952, the Pummerin bell, newly cast, returned to Vienna, symbolizing the restoration of a cultural landmark. Austria strived for peace, freedom, and independence. After many setbacks, the Austrian delegation negotiated the State Treaty in Moscow in 1955. Chancellor Julius Raab announced the good news of impending freedom. The State Treaty was signed at Schloss Belvedere in Vienna, marking Austria's renewed independence. Leopold Figl, a founding father of the Second Republic, famously declared, 'Austria is free!'. This moment was broadcast live on radio, reaching millions of Austrians.
The same year, television began in Austria, initially in black and white, captivating audiences. The reopening of the State Opera and Burgtheater reinstated Austria's reputation as a cultural hub, bringing it back into the international spotlight. These grand events were broadcast by radio and television, further solidifying the new medium's popularity.
Television grew into a mass medium, boosted by sports broadcasts like the 1956 Olympic Games in Cortina d'Ampezzo, where Austrian skier Toni Sailer achieved great success, leading to rapturous celebrations upon the Olympians' return to Vienna. However, this period also saw challenges, such as the Soviet suppression of the Hungarian Uprising in 1956. Austria, despite its burgeoning economy, faced the responsibility of housing 180,000 Hungarian refugees, providing them with freedom and peace.
Austria experienced an economic miracle, with society becoming more mobile. The motorization wave rolled in, and the desire for travel took hold, with the number of car owners quintupling within a decade, reaching 1.3 million by 1960. The car became a status symbol. Simultaneously, youth looked for new idols, finding them in pop music. The 'Beat Mania' exploded, and when The Beatles came to Salzburg for a film shoot, the public's excitement was overwhelming.