Magda Kordová (IMS IV)

“Volksgruppen in Österreich.”

Crossing the Austrian border from Czech republic in certain sense we don’t recognize that we are in a foreign country. It can happen when we see a name above a shop – for example ”Ruzicka” or when we open a telephone directory. The same happens when we enter Austria from the Hungarian side and discover the Hungarian influence in architecture and life style. There is no difference when we travel from other neighbouring countries (except Germany and Switzerland). What should not be forgotten is that in the core of this state, the capital city Vienna, has been for centuries under the influence of other nations, minorities. The minorities that have lived on the Austrian territory are not only from the bordering countries. Their structure has changed in course of time. And nowadays we can meet a high number of Turks and people from Balkan in different parts of Austria. I would like to focus on the development of the six oldest minorities in Austria and the existing associations of these minor communities. Multicultural society has got its history and context.

National minorities in Austria are defined as "groups of Austrian nationals living and residing in parts of the federal territory whose mother tongue is not German and who have their own traditions and folklore". This fact is contained in the so called Minority Act. I will concentrate on those, that have lived in Austria for centuries and are represented by big numbers. This is the Croat minority, the Slovene minority, the Hungarian minority, the Czech minority, the Slovak minority and the Roma minority. Through examples of historical backgrounds of these minorities we could get to know the situation in contemporary Austria better. It is important to mention that the term national minority (Minderheit) was replaced by term ”Volksgruppe”. This term is now widely used in Austrian society.

Historical background together with dislocation of minorities in different parts of the federal territory is in my point of view one of the most important factors that influence survival and development of the minority. When a community has the right to ”breath” then it can develop and survive. And this ”right” that should be above all ensured by the state is also dependent on the evolution of the state.

I would like to outline the historical development of national minorities on the Austria federal territory and will focus on the Croat, Hungarian, Slovene, Czech, Slovak and Roma minorities as mentioned above.

The Croat minority settled in western parts of Austria in 16^th century in the region at present called Burgenland and Lower Austria. In this region, because it borders with Hungary, the Hungarian minority had been present even before them. The Slovene minority was one of the first, coming to this territory as early as in 6^th century. At present these so called Slovenes of Alps live in Carinthia and Styria. The Czechs settled mainly in the capital city Vienna already in the time of Přemysl Otakar II. but are present also in Lower and Upper Austria. In the eastern regions of Lower Austria Slovak settlements can be found already since the 7^th century. The Roma minority, because it is not integral and consists of five larger groups in Austria today, is present in diverse parts of the country and their period of immigration is different.

Almost for all these groups one of the important moment was the year 1848/49, when the sense of national identity started to rise. In case of some minorities, as for example the Czechs, we can see huge immigration to Austria in the second half of the 19^th century. At\that time the first Czech associations were founded and some of them still exist. This fact documents the growth and development of the minority. The heyday of the Czech community in Vienna began after the turn of 19^th and 20^th century when first independent schools were founded. The number of Slovaks living in Vienna and Marchenfeld also reached its highest point in around 1900. The Roma people came to Austria at that time above all with Hungarians and Croats. In case of the Slovenes there was the ground for ethnically motivated conflicts based on different ideological views at the turn of the 19^th century. The Slovenes were supporters of Roman – Catholic Church while the Germans hold the view of liberal ideas, which was in their central importance. Development in these regions, new ways of tourism, industry and trade supported the use of German language and thus assimilation process.

The situation changed with the break – up of Austro – Hungarian monarchy. Shifting of boundaries, annexation of Burgenland and creation of legislative framework for the new state affected also the minorities. One example could be the situation in minority schooling system that Austria did not have at that time. With annexation of Burgenland Austria realised that it needs to establish something what already in the Hungarian side was existing – education for minorities ensured by law. In the period between World War One and World War Two the minorities were free to maintain contacts with their home countries. New associations have been founded. The commuting of people from rural areas to the city of Vienna became more evident. Integration and assimilation started to play its role more widely. In contrast to assimilation tendencies was the fact that in the second largest Czech town, that Vienna at that time was, Czech language became a language that was used almost exclusively by the minority in everyday life. In this time one of the main pillars can be seen in the Treaty of Saint Germain, where minority rights were proclaimed. Apart from these general minority rights the Treaty considered mainly the problem of Slovene community and shifting the Austro – Yugoslav border. In this case plebiscite was prepared in the Carinthian region and aim was to decide if South Carinthia should belong to Austria or to newly established Yugoslavia. The plebiscite decided for Austria. Several years of negotiations in the second half of 1920s that were aimed at creating cultural autonomy of Carinthian Slovenes, which implied, inter alia, a declaration of one's affiliation to the "Slovene community" (as a "community of a public law nature") through an entry into the "book of the Slovene people" (slowenisches Volksbuch), brought not positive results.

After so called ”Anschluss” in 1938 the situation for the minorities changed dramatically. The persecution was strong and very often forced to emigration. The extent of persecution was different according to the minorities and territory. Roma people from Austria were transported to concentration camps as well as Roma and Jews from other parts of Europe.

The end of World War Two and question if Austria was a victim of Germany (this is the topic called – ”Opfer Rolle Österreichs”) or accomplice together with Germany, influenced also the attitude towards minorities. Austria, that was finally accepted as the first victim of Germany, namely had to revamp not only itself but also its position to minorities, also because of the international control that was present in Austria until the State Treaty in 1955. The crucial factor was the start of Cold War and their influence that lasted till the 90^th.

While the Hungarian minority was free to maintain contacts with Hungary between the two wars, this was not so after World War II. As it was the case with the Croats in Burgenland, the economic changes after 1945 led to an increased rural exodus and commuting; there was also a general tendency of doing part-time farming or seeking industrial work. This social change - in the same way as the Iron Curtain - called into question the established value of Hungarian as a mother tongue and led to a strong linguistic assimilation, which could only be counteracted through intensive private education. The Slovene situation can be characterised by ideological and political gap within the Slovene group. Communism was present on one side and Yugoslavia put claims on South Carinthia. In this the Slovene minority was used as justification. The situation of the Czechs and Slovaks was identical. The situation was similar for the Slovenes. Within the Czechoslovak community two different groups appeared: one carried on maintaining official contacts with Communist government and the other developed independently. Efforts aimed at implementing and extending the rights of minorities and their protection as enshrined in the State Treaty of 1955 and a modern interpretation of this provision, have frequently been a topic on the political agenda. Limited contact with ”home countries” (especially from the Communist block) enhanced the demand of preserving and cultivating the language and culture mainly by the national communities alone. The demands were also thus strongly orientated to educational system for minorities. During the Cold war new immigration waves can not be forgotten, the waves of emigrants from the ”eastern block”. Austria thanks to its geographical location was one the first islands of democracy that refugees from communist countries could enter. In case of Hungary the strongest influx of immigrants was in 1956 and in case of Czechoslovakia after 1968, when approximately 10,000 Czechoslovak citizens applied for asylum. In the 60^th the Roma from Serbia and Macedonia came to Austria but these were mainly migrant workers.

The fall of the Iron Curtain has had a very positive effect for all above mentioned minorities. The fact that it was now easier for them to get in contact with friends and relatives has strengthened their identity.

As for minorities in Austria one factor should not be forgotten. Since the mid- eighties the frontal person in Austrian FPÖ is Jörg Haider. Since that time this right- wing party’s influence has grown and won also position in the government in February 2000. Since the census in 1991 the number of immigrants has risen and Haider’s rhetoric focused on immigrants and minorities limitation in Austria. Resistance against this has been expressed in demonstrations against the newly established government that was formed by FPÖ and ÖVP in February 2000.

The legislative framework for national minorities is contemporary, not constructed only by the Republic of Austria but also by the European Union (since 1995). Some remains of the past, especially from the Austro – Hungarian past, still exist in the way every federal land and commune, acts a little differently in the national minority policies.

In the second part of my text I would like to concentrate on the institution of the minorities that are forming structural base for the community life and on the institutions that mediate life of the national minorities to other minor and to major societies.

The essential elements for persevering of every national minority in the major society is religion, language and cultural heritage. Therefore the state should develop a legal framework in which the rights for minorities are ensured. As the Report by the Republic of Austria from 2000 says ”The parties undertake to promote the conditions necessary for persons belonging to national minorities to maintain and develop their culture, and to preserve the essential elements of their identity, namely their religion, language, traditions and cultural heritage.” The structure of minority associations could be divided to approximately three groups. Firstly these can be cultural associations aimed at theatre, music, literature, but also sport, etc.. Secondly it can be educational associations and thirdly socially - political associations. I will focus on the first two types.

If we start with Burgenland Croats, their cultural associations consist of approximately 32 music bands, 14 theatre groups, 12 choirs and 40 local cultural associations. The activities are mostly carried out by volunteers who are not paid. When bigger projects are organised - for example summer festivals - there is a need of professional cultural management that the minority has to establish. The Burgenland – Hungarian Cultural Association´s aim is to preserve cultural heritage by promoting folk dance groups. There is an umbrella organisation of Independent Hungarian Associations that prepares cultural programmes outside of Burgenland, mainly in Vienna. In case of Slovenes there is an umbrella organisation - Slovene Cultural Association (Slovenska prosvetna zveza) that is comprising 23 local cultural organisations. There is also Christian orientated Association and the Cultural and Communication Centre that is active in cultural branch. In Styria the Slovenes are represented by Cultural Association for Styria (Kulturverein für Steiermark) that resides in Graz. Some of the Czech associations are also in umbrella organisations. As already mentioned above not a few Czech associations have roots in the second half of the 19^th century and at the beginning of the 20^th century. As we read in the names of these associations they refer to the 19^th century heritage: Lumír Choral Society (Gesangverein Lumír), Narodní Dům Association (Verein Narodní Dům) for cultural work, Slovanská Beseda Association (Verein Slovanská Beseda). Slovak umbrella association is Austro – Slovak Cultural Association (Österreichisch – Slowakischer Kulturverein) that organises cultural and educational projects from preschool stage further on. The Roma self organisation started in 1988, when Austria commemorated 50 years of Anschluss. Romano Centro Association represents various Roma groups. Vienna Romano Drom Association focuses on the production of theatre plays in Romany and other works of literature. Other cultural associations are in Burgenland and other regions where the Roma population lives. Cultural associations are followed by social, political, academic and other associations. I would like to outline the educational associations as I find them important for the national communities survival. In the areas where the minorities live – especially Burgenland, Carinthia and Styria bilingual schools were established or the system of bilingual instruction in some classes has been created. This is mainly at grammar schools, but the possibility to be instructed in the minority language continues to the end of secondary school. For example in the capital of Burgenland, in Eisenstadt, there is even a possibility to attend academic programs in Hungarian and in Croatian and Hungarian and Croatian higher education is also available. The Czechs in Vienna re-established the Komenský school that the Czechs and the Slovaks attend. Czech, Slovak and Hungarian children have the possibility to attend the "European Grammar School" (Europäische Mittelschule) where Czech, Slovakian and Hungarian are second languages of instruction after English. The Minority Schools Act for Burgenland (1994) stipulated that, subject to demand instruction in Romany must be provided. Still the children attend classes with Croats and Hungarians. The schooling system for minorities deals also with teacher training and access to textbooks. Language tuition is organised not only for children and youth but one of the very important aim of many cultural centres and associations is to offer language courses for wide public. It refers especially to Croats, Hungarians and Slovenes. Some of the cultural associations publish books and issue magazines. Weekly ”Naš tydenik” in Slovene comes out, Hungarians have a journal ”Hirhozo”. For Czechs and Slovaks the Cultural Club of Czechs and Slovaks (Kulturklub der Tschechen und Slowaken) issues a journal. The cultural and educational associations are in my point of view the most important elements. With the knowledge of culture and language the sense of identity rises and it strengthens self-confidence. Schools and children environment are the best start for intercultural understanding. Lastly I would like to say that the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF) and above all it’s weekly magazine ”Home, Strange Home” (Heimat fremde Heimat) helps two-fold. Austrian society as a whole is thus informed about cultural and other events of the minorities. The Croats, Hungarians and Slovenes also have broadcast in their language.

There are six judicially confirmed national minorities in Austria. The largest are the Slovenes (Slovenci) that are followed by, the Croats in Burgenland (Gradišćanski Hrvati), Hungarians (Magyarok), Romas and Sintis (Le Rom thaj le Sinti), Czechs (Češi) and Slovaks (Slováci). But Austria is much more colourful in these days and this can be above all seen in Vienna. In the past this city had a large Jewish community, which is still though in a limited rate present and developing in Vienna. Coming to Viennese ”Naschmarkt” you can smell and taste fruits, vegetables, herbs from different parts of Europe and listen to the voices and different languages of marketers. As I mentioned in the first paragraph the federal lands of Austria have their own character also due to the influence of national minorities living in the territory already for centuries. I think that those nationalities that are now selling cheese, fruit and vegetables in the market in Viennese city centre will once characterise one square, suburb or territory and will become confirmed as minorities living in the Austrian lands for centuries. Also their way to Austria was influenced by various reasons. These people had very often to leave something behind in the country they had lived in, they had to bring and offer something to the country they newly entered. It is has been a long lasting process and, as I briefly hinted in the second paragraph, it can be affected by external influences. The state should develop space for establishing associations important for the existence and development of minorities and form framework for their protection.

Report by the Republic of Austria (Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities),Vienna, 30 June 2000

Initiative Minderheiten: http://www.initiative.mindeheiten.at

Burgenländisch-Kroatisches Centar: http://www.hrvatskicentar.at

ORF-Minderheitenredaktion: http://volksgruppen.orf.at

European Centre for Minority Issues: http://www.ecmi.de