Culture Austria

Austria’s over 8 million people—though unified by a strong national government and a centuries-long stretch of sovereignty and empire—have deep roots tying them to neighboring nations. Austria’s population is predominantly Germanic, but at different points in Austria’s history, its seats of power have been more closely associated with nations to the east, such as Hungary.

Austria’s diversity and long, complicated relationships with its neighbors is reflected in the fact that Croatian and Slovene are official languages in some regions. Today, most non-Germanic peoples living in Austria are there as migrant workers or temporary immigrants. Some estimates place the number of such workers as totaling some 20% of Austria’s population.

The cultural forces that split Germany into East and West following World War II have, in Austria, found a potent synergy. Today’s Austrians are powerful, flexible thinkers who approach national challenges creatively and openly. Having for several decades avoided the strife which has gripped many of their Balkan neighbors, Austria in the 21st century is notable for its strict constructionist, consensus-building polity.

Austria’s foundational history is largely unique in Europe. A Celtic enclave sandwiched between Visigoths to the north and Romans to the south, Austria’s early knowledge system was adorned with elements of animism and shamanism. Tribal peoples occupied its current borders until the 12th century, when a firmer national identity began to emerge.

Two centuries later, as feudalism gave way to nation-states and empires across Europe, Austria found itself hard pressed to expand and develop in kind. A dynamic German presence to the north and mountain buttresses along many of its borders directed Austrian ambitions across the plains of Bohemia.

The powerful Ottoman Empire proved an insurmountable deterrent until the 17th century, which saw the explosion of Austria’s imperial ambitions. The heights Austria reached during this period were precipitous, as the country’s leadership teetered dangerously close to dithering away its hard-won prizes in conflict with a radically reformed France.
By the close of the 19th century, Austria’s holding’s resembled a quilt, with pockets of land poached from surprising and diverse sources. The range of the many cultures represented in Austria at that time was too wide to be bound by the empire’s tenuous grasp. Insufficient cultural assimilation and flagging economic opportunities led to a combustible set of internal conflicts that caused the fledgling empire to unravel following World War I.

Austria’s imperial past is now thoroughly buried, and the country moves forward as an eager partner in multi-lateral initiatives, with increasing participation in international organizations.