Austria: Victim or Perpetrator

World War II is never far from your mind as you travel through Germany and Austria. Switzerland just keeps its mouth shut about the war, after all they were neutral, or so they say.  On our trip we began our orientation in each city with a walking tour led by an experienced guide. The guide pointed out significant architecture and historical places while giving a brief history of the area.  One thing became very clear. Many  buildings of historical value have been restored or rebuilt after suffering damage during the war.  Either incendiary or explosive bombs were responsible for the damage.  Most of the guides offered no opinion about the bombing but mentioned it as a fact explaining the condition and age of the buildings today.

However, in Salzburg, Austria our guide used the word "sadly" to describe the destruction of parts of the city. She went on to explain that the bombs sometimes (probably frequently) missed their targets and landed on civilian structures.  Frankly, I was more than a little angered by her attitude. Austria was a participating member of the Axis powers. As we learned during our trip to the Mauthausen camp there were more than 43 concentration camps in Austria during the war! The bombing of Austria was a natural consequence of their cooperation with the Nazis.

Our Viennese guide Wolfgang tried to explain the differences between German and Austrian attitudes about the war.  Germany long ago accepted its responsibility for the atrocities committed by its leaders and citizens. For the most part the national "psyche", if you will, does not wrap itself in the cloak of a victim but acknowledges itself as the perpetrator. Not so, Austria.

 Austria still sees itself as a victim despite the fact that in March 1938 they were absorbed into Hitler's Third Reich after a plebiscite in which 99% voted in favor of joining Germany.  Hitler was greeted in Vienna with delirious applause. Tellingly, Austrians were over-represented in the Gestapo and terror organizations generally.  Still,  despite its plethora of concentration camps and participation in Nazi terror campaigns, Austria continues to see itself as a victim of the war rather than a willing and even zealous participant.

Forgive me if I don't feel sad about the bombings Austrians suffered.  As the guide spoke I couldn't help but think that yes war is terrible, but as an important part of the terror campaigns of the Third Reich, Austria richly deserved their share of the bombings. It is sad that bombs missed their military targets and hit civilians but let's not forget the carpet bombing of London which was a deliberate attempt to obliterate an entire city.

It's long past time for Austria, as a nation, to "man up" and accept its responsibility for the atrocities committed within its borders.