Deutschösterreich

Deutschösterreich, meaning German Austria, was a short-lived provisional state established in the aftermath of World War I. Its formation on November 12, 1918, was a direct consequence of the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The provisional national assembly declared the "Republic of German Austria" on this date, asserting its right to self-determination and its desire to unite with Germany. This aspiration for a Greater Germany was largely driven by ethnic German populations within the former empire's Austrian territories.

However, the Allied powers, particularly France, were strongly opposed to such a union, fearing a strengthened Germany. The Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, signed in 1919, formally prohibited the union of Austria with Germany. The territory designated as Deutschösterreich was thus compelled to adopt the name "Republic of Austria." Despite the official prohibition, the concept of Deutschösterreich reflected a significant current of political and national sentiment in the immediate post-war period, symbolizing a desire for national identity and unity among German-speaking Austrians.