Technology and Business in Austria

Brief history

Austria was conquered by the Celts, Romans, Lombards, Huns, Bavarians, Goths, French, Germans, and Babenberg. They dominated the country from the 10th to the 13th century. Their successors were the Habsburg who governed the country up to the 20th century.

In 1806 the Austrian Empire was founded. The Empire was dismantled with the Napoleonic wars. After Napoleon’s abdication, the House of Habsburg recovered most of its territories. In 1918 the Habsburg Empire was dissolved after its defeat in World War One. That same year the German Austria state was declared. One month later the German-Austrian Republic was proclaimed.

The first Republican government was headed by the socialist Karl Renner in 1918. In 1932, Engelbert Dollfuss’s Christian-Social government confronted social democracy and Nazism. In 1938 German troops invaded Austria. In 1945 Austria was divided in 4 zones after Hitler’s fall. Austria’s Second Republic was governed by conservatives and socialists.

Austria regained full independence in 1955. In 1994 Austria became a European Union member.

Cultural Differences: American vs. Austrian

When talking about the Austrian culture, people often think about their music. Austria has been the birthplace of many famous composers such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Joseph Haydn, Franz Schubert. Eighteenth and nineteenth century composers were drawn to the city due to the patronage of the Habsburgs, and made Vienna the European capital of classical music. While the most influential parts of American music to the world are