THE ETHNIC GERMAN REFUGEE IN AUSTRIA 1945 TO 1954 STUDIES IN SOCIAL LIFE II EDITORS: GUNTHER BEYER JULIUS ISAAC ADVISORY BOARD P. J. BOUMAN, University of Groningen DAVID V. GLASS, University of London JEAN GOTTMANN, University of Paris WALTER HOFFMANN, University of Munster LIVIO LIVI, University of Rome THE ETHNIC GERMAN REFUGEE IN AUSTRIA 1945 TO 1954 by TONY RADSPIELER B. A., DR. OEC. PUBL. (ZURICH) PREFACES BY L. NEHER, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE NETHERLANDS NATIONAL REFUGEE AID COMMITTEE AND w. BICKEL, PROFESSOR IN THE UNIVERSITY OF ZURICH • MARTINUS NIJHOFF / THE HAGUE 1955 ISBN-13 978-90-247-0508-5 e-ISBN-13: 978-94-011-7910-2 DOl: 10.1007/978-94-011-7910-2 Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1955 Copyright I955 by Martinus Nijhott, The Hague, Netherlands All rights reserved, including the right to translate or to reproduce this book or parts thereof in any form TO MY WIFE PREFACE "The Ethnic German Refugee in Austria 1945 to 1954" is an objective book and that is why the reading of this extremely interesting study creates a feeling of sadness, but at the same time a conviction that it is still possible to alleviate the grief of the numerous refugees in Austria, provided properly co-ordinated assistance is offered. The resultant feeling of sadness, which is most acute, is due to the characteristic of this book in which facts and figures are given in a purely scientific and sober manner, thus driving home the truly horrible human folly that was at the bottom of two world wars. Millions of people were turned from house and home, people for whom the very notion of "native country" has become a lata morgana. As flotsam and jetsam they have drifted to lands and places where they are not at all or barely welcome, and where, on the whole, they cannot find a permanent and humane existence. This thorough study which is averse to sentimentality cannot fail to make a deep impression on the reader. Allowance is made for the difficult position in which Austria found herself after the first world war, and especially after the second; it is granted that nevertheless much has been done for the refugees there. Further it cannot be ignored that various official and private agencies have contributed greatly to lighten the burden of the refugees. Indeed, steps were taken to provide opportunities for many of the refugees so as to guarantee a stabilized existence. Neverthe• less one cannot but be convinced that much more could have been achieved, and can even now be achieved, if the problem is viewed more widely and if properly planned co-operation is implemented. However hard and cruel the lot of the elderly people, the apparent absence of any prospects, especially for the many young VIII PREFACE people, is a problem calling for concentrated attention and thoroughly applied efficiency. In the last chapter of the book we find a basis for our con• viction that many important improvements can be effected, now and in the future. It is clear that Austria, within the limits of its possibilities, can and must do a great job; but all the other countries will have to help, materially and practically. The result would be that in at least one country of our highly unbalanced world the problem of migrant refugees might speedily. become one of the past. A past whose immense sorrow and grief would not con• tinually be remembered, thanks to the fact that the refugees acquired a fully human existence, or were enabled to emigrate after appropriate preparations. The most fitting reward for the author of "The Ethnic German Refugee in Austria 1945 to 1954" will be that his work stimu• lated the energy and spirit of all those who can contribute towards that final good result. L. NEHER PREFACE The situation of Austria to-day is one of the most difficult experienced by any country in Europe. The geographic and economic structure given to it after World War I entailed a lack of stability which is still apparent. The country also suffered considerably in World War II. Moreover, although recognized as a victim of aggression, Austria is still occupied by Allied Forces, and whilst not constitutionally torn in two like Germany, she is in fact divided into zones with many difficulties of inter• zonal communication. After World War II this country, already so preoccupied with problems of her own, had an enormous influx of refugees on social and political grounds. The most important group are the several hundred thousand Ethnic Germans from Czechoslovakia and the whole of Eastern Europe including Russia. The present study deals with these Ethnic German refugees and their fate in Austria up to 1954. The refugee-problem is two-sided. On the one hand there are the intensely human problems of the refugees themselves. Uprooted from their whole traditional surroundings and mostly without any means of support, they have to build up a new life in a country, which, in spite of a common language and other cultural asso• ciations, they regard as a foreign one and in which they will easily feel discriminated against as they are not able to see the other side. But the many difficulties on the other side, the side of the country receiving the refugees, are there as well. There are demographic, social, economic and political implications: in which way will the immigrants alter the structure of the indigenous population, to what extent can they be assimilated? How will they affect the standard of living, will their presence lead to the rise of new industries or be a burden on the labour market? And do they not constitute a certain danger to the political stability of the country? Dr Radspieler's study is based on extensive research on the development of the Ethnic German refugee population in Austria and gives a comprehensive view of the many problems x PREFACE involved. By unravelling the numerous and in many instances contradictory statistics of this group, the author gives us the necessary basis for further investigation and an instructive survey of the development of the size and structure of the immigrant group. We learn that in spite of the common label of "Ethnic Germans", there are within this body sections with widely different backgrounds and considerable differences in cultural and economic status, which render the assimilation of at least a part of these refugees difficult and have indeed led to greatly varied naturalization rates among the separate groups. Whilst the demographic structure of the immigrants is favour• able, their occupational structure presents difficulties so that the refugees here as in Germany have contributed considerably to the unemployment figures. The chief obstacle to complete integration of the refugees into the Austrian economy at the present time, however, appears to be the lack of capital from which Austria is suffering. This has restricted the scope of the schemes set afoot in their aid, and for instance so far prevented the creation of a refugee credit institution on a national basis along lines similar to those adopted in Germany. The favourable development of Austrian economy during the last few years will, no doubt, further the final solution of the refugee problems, especially if, at least to some extent, re• emigration is made possible. In regarding the difficulties created by the immigrants and the considerable sums expended on the alleviation of their needs, the positive contribution to the Austrian economy by this group must not be overlooked. Examples are given of the stimulating activity of the Ethnic German refugees in the industrial as well as the agrarian sector by their introducing new processes and techniques. It may be hoped that the author of this well-founded study, by drawing attention to the hitherto somewhat neglected problem of the Ethnic German refugees in Austria, has con• tributed not only to theoretical research, but also in some degree to the practical solution of one of the major problems of that country. W. BICKEL CONTENTS Index of Statistical Tables . XIV CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION . Definitions: Refugee (2); Ethnic German Refugee (2); Expellee (3); Displaced Person (4) - Austrian Government Refugee Nomenclature: (Fremdsprachige FZUchtlinge) Non-German Speaking Refugees (5); (Deutschsprachige FZUchtlinge) German Speaking Refugees (5); (Deutsche Staatsangehorige) German Citizens (6); (Sudtiroler) South Tyroleans (6); (Auslandjudische FZUchtlinge) Alien Jewish Refugees (6). CHAPTER II. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE ETHNIC GERMAN REFUGEE IN AUSTRIA. .. 8 A. ETHNIC GERMAN GROUPS IN AUSTRIA EXCEEDING 100,000. .. 8 The Danube Swabians: Historical Development (9); Economic Aspects (11); Cultural and Social Aspects (13); Recent Migratory Dispersions (14) - The Sudeten Germans: Geographical (15); Ethnic Groups (16); Historical Development (16); Economic Activity (17); Recent Migratory Trends (19). B. ETHNIC GERMAN GROUPS IN AUSTRIA NUMBERING 5-20,000 .. 20 The Transylvanian Saxons: Historical Development (21); Transylvanian Social Institutions (21); Economic Aspects (22); Migratory Dispersions (23) - The Carpathian Germans: His• torical Development (23); Four Linguistic Islands (24); Mi• gratory Dispersions (25) - The Slovenian Germans: The Kocevje Settlement (Gottschee) (26); Ethnic Germans diffused among Slovenian Population (27) - The Bukovina Germans: Historical Development (28); Recent Migratory Dispersions and Other Related Aspects (28) - Ethnic Germans from Polish Galicia (30). C. ETHNIC GERMAN REFUGEES IN AUSTRIA NUMBERING LESS THAN 5,000 . .. 30 Bosnia and Herzegovina (30) - The Ethnic Germans from Russia (31) - Sathmar (Satu-Mare) Romanian Ethnic Ger• mans (32) - Ethnic Germans from Bulgaria (32) - The Bessarabian Germans (32). SUMMARY ••••••••••• 34 CHAPTER III. STATISTICAL AND DEMOGRAPHIC ASPECTS 37 A. INTRODUCTION •••••••••••••••••••• , 37 B. REGIONAL DISTRIBUTION IN AUSTRIA. • • • • • . • • • •• 39 Distribution by Occupation Zones: US Zone (40); British Zone (40); French Zone (40); Soviet Zone (40); Vienna (41) - Loca- tion of Naturalized Ethnic Germans (41).