Background: Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian Empire, Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in World War I. Following annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938 and subsequent occupation by the victorious Allies in 1945, Austria's status remained unclear for a decade. A State Treaty signed in 1955 ended the occupation, recognized Austria's independence, and forbade unification with Germany. A constitutional law that same year declared the country's "perpetual neutrality" as a condition for Soviet military withdrawal. Following the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991 and Austria's entry into the European Union in 1995, some Austrians have called into question this neutrality. A prosperous, democratic country, Austria entered the Economic and Monetary Union in 1999.
March 18th 2008Europe » Austria » Carinthia » Klagenfurt Hello everyone!
Here is an update on my activities since I last wrote! We have now been in Austria for 2 weeks. Since I last wrote, we began our semester at school and now we are already on Easte ... [full story]
February 1st 2008Europe » Austria » Carinthia » Klagenfurt In Poggersdorf (near Klagnefurt) -
tomorrow night (saturday), I will be attending a birthday party for who knows who... a friend of a couch surfer. I will hopefully surf nearby for 1 or 2 nights. F ... [full story]
January 31st 2008Europe » Austria » Carinthia » Klagenfurt So... a few things changed. No big deal- I've started couch surfing in Klagenfurt because things with my 'friend' here didn't work out so well. Bah! Sorry I haven't posted much about Bologna, Chio ... [full story]
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