Everyone Wanted to be Victim: How Victims of Persecution Disappear Within a Victimised Nation

Abstract

For more than four decades the Allied declaration of Moscow 1943 which had stated that in 1938 Austria had been the first victim of Hitler’s aggression policy stood in the centre of Austrian postwar identity. This declaration not only shaped Austria’s identity dealing with her own past but also Austrian politics concerning victims of National Socialist persecution. Furthermore the impending State Treaty finally signed in 1955 influenced these politics. Austrian governments made every effort to avoid Austria being seen responsible for National Socialist crimes committed on her territory so as not to be forced to pay any reparations due to the State Treaty. Efforts of the Austrian parliament to reduce the chances for restitution were blocked up by the Allied Council. It was the Allied Council as well which had forced the Austrian parliament to stricter denazification measures in 1947. From this time on former National Socialists saw themselves as victims of Allied pressure. While Austria denied any responsibility for National Socialist crimes she cared for returning soldiers of the German Army. The legal measures for this group were built parallel to these for victims of persecution thus recognising the victim’s status of these soldiers. Finally, almost all Austrians felt themselves to have unjustly suffered by National Socialism and World War II not regarding their own involvement in the regime. Thus the victims of persecution became just one small group of victims beside other much larger groups and by and by they disappeared at least from public opinion.