The democratic Republic that was proclaimed in 1918 only lasted for 15 years. In 1933 and 1934, Austria was transformed step by step into a dictatorship.

In front of you is a police barricade that can be pulled apart and quickly set up. On the wall just above it are photographs showing how barriers like these were used: for instance, to stop the May Day parade on the 1st of May 1933, violating the people’s right to the freedom of assembly.

In the 1920s, more and more people had begun to openly criticize parliamentarianism and democracy. Numerous politicians and journalists claimed democracy was incapable of solving problems. They portrayed compromises as a weakness, and the need to work together as a hindrance.

On top of this, the parties in Parliament were less and less willing to compromise. Political disputes were increasingly carried out in the streets.

On the 4th of March 1933, an event occurred that had severe consequences. Because the outcome of a vote in Parliament had been so close, all three presidents of the National Council resigned, so they could sit with their parties and cast a vote as regular members of Parliament.

Federal Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss’s government seized this opportunity, declaring that the Parliament was incapable of functioning in order to stop the National Council from coming together to reconstitute itself. From then on, the government determined the laws on its own—without the Parliament.

Democracy was dismantled step by step and fundamental rights were revoked. Censorship and the death penalty were re-introduced; and the Constitutional Court no longer had any power. The Communist Party and the National Socialist (Nazi) Party were both banned in 1933. In February 1934, the Social Democrat Party was banned too, following an unsuccessful attempt by armed units of the Social Democrats to remove the government.

Government opponents were harassed and intimidated—many went into exile, others were arrested.
The government openly declared its intent to abolish democracy. In a speech from 11 September 1933, Dollfuss clearly stated:

“The era of liberal capitalist social and economic order, the era of Marxist seducers of the people, the era of rabble-rousing demagogues and absolute party rule is over. What we want is Austria to be a social Christian German state, built on a corporative foundation, under strong authoritarian leadership. Led by the love for the Fatherland, led by the belief in Austria above all else, if it is meant to be.”

A new Constitution was instated in May 1934, formally sealing the fate of democracy. You can find a copy of that constitution in the display to your right next to the title “Constitutional Dictatorship”.

In the 1930s, anti-democratic sentiments were common in both politics and society. Throughout Europe, dictatorships and fascist states were on the rise. In 1922, Benito Mussolini and his collaborators founded a fascist state in Italy; in 1933, the National Socialist German Workers’ Party came to power under the leadership of Adolf Hitler in Germany.

In 1934, Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss was assassinated during an attempted coup orchestrated by the Nazis. Kurt Schuschnigg then took over and remained in power until Austria’s so-called “Anschluss” in March 1938, when Austria became part of Nazi Germany.


With an excerpt from:
Die Trabrennplatzrede – Ansprache von Bundeskanzler Engelbert Dollfuß mit Prinzipienerklärung des autoritären Regimes am 11. September 1933, Österreichische Mediathek.