Austrians in Australia

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The Riverside Center office building in Brisbane was built by the architect Harry Seidler (1923–2006), a born Austrian who immigrated to Australia in 1938 with his parents

According to statistics from 2016, around 25,000 Austrians in Australia or people of Austrian origin in Australia make up a relatively small ethnic group in Australia , which makes up 4.4 percent of all Austrians living abroad .

The relationship between Austrians and Australians can look back on a long tradition. Researchers and missionaries came to Australia as early as the early 19th century. Despite their small number, people of Austrian origin still play a not insignificant role in Australia, especially in terms of culture. The Austrian immigrants were and are respected. This reputation suffered considerably in Australia as a result of the two world wars. In both world wars, not only those involved in the war, but also people of Austrian origin, some of whom had lived in Australia for generations, were interned for many years. After the end of World War II , Austrians again emigrated to Australia and are now integrated into Australian society.

Terminology

Until the end of the First World War in 1918, Austria-Hungary was a multi-ethnic state that existed from 1867 to 1918 . In this monarchist state structure, German-speaking Austrians lived together with other speakers such as Serbs, Croats, Hungarians, Italians, Czechs and Romanians.

Early Australian censuses are often flawed because the question of nationality was confused with the question of the German language. In 1911, the Austro-Hungarian ethnic group in Australia numbered around 3,000, the majority of whom did not state German as their mother tongue. With the end of the First World War in 1918, the imperial Austria-Hungary fell. In 1921 there were 837 people in Australia who stated that they were citizens of the Republic of Austria .

prehistory

Researchers and missionaries were among the first Austrians to come to Australia.

The first Austrian to arrive on the Australian continent was Barnard Walford , who was born in Vienna and was a Jew . Walford had emigrated to London and was sentenced to seven years of labor in the Australian colony for stealing a laundry basket . He was deported to the Australian convict colony with the Third Fleet on the ship Active in 1791 . After his release, he married and settled in Tasmania with his family .

Other Austrians who arrived in the Australian convict colony in the early days and became famous were the naturalist and lithographer John Lhotsky (1795–1866), the adventurer and painter Eugene von Guerard (1812–1901), the printer and photographer Johann Degoutardi ( 1823–1883), the book author Emil Hansel and the entrepreneur and honorary consul Carl Pinschof (1855–1926), who was naturalized in 1909 and had to resign from all offices during the First World War. The Bohemian musician Ludwig D'Hage (1863–1960) should also be mentioned, for example, who only received Australian citizenship 42 years after his arrival.

An Austrian who was of great importance for early research on plants in Australia, but is hardly known there, was Ferdinand Bauer . On the recommendation of Joseph Banks, Bauer was involved in the first circumnavigation of the Australian continent as a draftsman for plants, which Matthew Flinders successfully carried out on the HMS Investigator from 1802 to 1803. During his participation in the voyages of discovery with Flinders, he created botanical drawings in 2073, which he brought to England. From there, Bauer returned to Austria-Hungary in 1814.

In the years from 1857 to 1906, eight Austrian naval ships landed in Australia. The frigate Novara , which successfully completed Austria's first and only circumnavigation and Novara expedition , anchored for six weeks in Sydney Harbor . The German-Austrian geologist Ferdinand von Hochstetter (1829–1884), the Austrian zoologist Georg von Frauenfeld (1807–1873) and the explorer and diplomat Karl von Scherzer (1821–1903) took part in this expedition . The first Austrian natural scientist to settle in Australia on Tasmania was Gustav Weindorfer (1874–1932).

In the period from 1848 to 1901, 99 Austrian Jesuit missionaries came to Australia. These were u. a. the scientist and Jesuit father Johann Nepomuk Hinteröcker and Father Anton Strele (1825–1897). Strele founded a missionary station for Aborigines in the Northern Territory .

Politics and migration

First World War

Before the First World War

In 1911, three years before the start of the First World War, the Hungarian-Austrian community in Australia numbered about 3,000 people. The ethnic group was very small. At the beginning of the First World War, there were around 4.5 million people in Australia. On October 29, 1914, the Australian Parliament passed the War Precautions Act , which gave the military extensive powers to arrest war opponents in Australia. This law also applied to people of Austrian origin who had lived in Australia for generations. The suspicion of disloyalty was sufficient for this. They were very respected until the outbreak of war. Numerous people of Austrian origin living in Australia, including some who had lived in Australia for decades, were interned. They were regarded as enemy aliens (German: hostile foreigners ).

Internment camp

Most of the internees from Austria-Hungary were in the Holsworthy internment camp near Sydney during World War I , where people of German origin , Italians, Japanese and Aborigines were also held. This camp consisted of tents and small huts. It was crowded and the plumbing was primitive. There were also reports of corruption and brutality by the guards.

In the Molongo internment camp, today in the Northern Territory , people from Austria-Hungary were also interned. It operated from 1918 to 1919. Up to 5000 German and Austro-Hungarian men, women and children from China and East Africa were to be detained in the internment camp.

There was an internment camp on Rottnest Island that operated from 1914 to 1915. In addition to people of German origin, people from Hungary and Austria were also held there, mainly from Slavic ethnic groups. These internees were held during the time when Austria-Hungary was still in power in their countries during the war. Many of the inmates were miners from Kalgoorlie . The first internees were housed in brick houses on the island, later in tents made to accommodate tourists. In September 1915, a total of 989 people were housed, including 841 Germans and Austro-Hungarian internees and 148 prisoners of war. The sanitary conditions were poor and the food rations were insufficient. The internees had to cook their own food as there was no large kitchen in the internment camp. There have been reports of ill-treatment by the guards. Despite these conditions, the internees managed to shape their lives. They formed a music band, held readings, opened coffee and bathed on the beach. The camp was closed at the end of 1915, the internees were transported to Garden Island in Western Australia and then taken to the Holsworthy Internment Camp in New South Wales .

Trial Bay Gaol prison building

A detention center called Trial Bay Gaol was originally a prison for convicts in New South Wales. Most of the internees during World War I were Germans and Hungarians-Austrians brought there from the Pacific, China, and Southeast Asia. Those who had a higher social or military status were not housed in the stone prison building, but in huts on the beach. They built their own furniture, held concerts and theater performances, read in the prison library and continued their education. The camp was separated from the main land by a fence. The inmates were able to move freely on the premises. When it was assumed that German warships would free the occupants, it was closed in 1918 and the internees were moved to Holsworthy near Sydney.

After the First World War

In 1921 only 837 Austrians were counted in Australia. From 1922 to 1932 the number of Austrians in Australia only increased by 260 people. Most of the people immigrated probably because of the aftermath of the Great Depression. It was mostly individualists who arrived without a family.

Austrian refugees from 1938

The sculpture Pyramid Tower by Herbert Flugelman , who came to Australia with his parents as a 15-year-old refugee in 1938.

After the so-called Anschluss of Austria in March 1938 and the November pogroms in November 1938, numerous Austrians fled abroad and to Australia, especially Austrian Jews. Australia undertook to take in 15,000 persecuted people from Europe before the Second World War , but only met this promise in small numbers. From 1938 to 1942, 2144 Austrians fled to Australia after they had been persecuted by the National Socialists .

Among the personalities who came to Australia at the time were musicians and conductors who made significant contributions to Australian culture. Mention should be made of the violist Richard Goldner , who founded the Musica Viva Australia . The conductors were Henry Krips , Walter Stiasny , Georg Tintner (1917–1999) and Eric Gross , a composer. The ballet group that Gertrud Bodenwieser founded celebrated success not only in Australia, but also internationally.

Steve Smerd made important contributions to Australian research in the early 1950s on radiation and solar physics. Walter Diesendorf (1906–1975) played a key role in the planning of the water and electricity supply project for the Snowy Mountains Scheme. Gustav Nossal was an important immunobiologist . Margaret Diesendorf (1912–1993) is considered to be the most talented Austrian poet in Australia. The screenwriters Sonja Berg , Heinz Monveiller , Rudi Krausmann and Josef Vondra , who live in Australia, should also be mentioned. Mark Siegelberg (1895–1986), who grew up in Vienna and was sent to a concentration camp, was an important journalist and author. He founded Neue Welt magazine in Melbourne in 1954 , which is still published today.

The architects Karl Langer , Kurt Popper and Harry Seidler (1923–2006) helped shape the architectural style of Australia. Sculptures by the sculptors Arthur Fleischmann and Herbert Flugelman have been placed in Australia. The painter Louis Kahan received the Archibald Prize for his portrait of Patrick White in 1962 .

Charles Anton played a major role in building up Australian skiing , in particular he was involved in building the ski area at Thredbo .

Second World War

Internment camp

After the beginning of the Second World War, all Austrians were declared war opponents of Australia and were held in large numbers in internment camps. During the Second World War there were a total of nine internment camps in Australia, as well as three small and only temporarily operated camps. A total of 7,000 people were interned in Australia who had lived in Australia for generations because they were considered enemy aliens .

The Enoggera internment camp, which was then set up near Brisbane, was operated during the First World War. In this camp, which was operated from 1940 to 1946, 1,800 people could be accommodated in five departments. Children and their parents were also interned there. Austrians, Germans, Italians and Japanese were arrested in the camp.

The largest Australian internment camp, the Holsworthy internment camp, which could accommodate up to 6000 people, existed as early as the First World War. Germans, Austrians, Italians and Japanese were interned as well as people of British, Austrian, German and Japanese origin who had lived in Australia for generations. Furthermore also Aborigines.

From 1944 the Austrians could apply for Australian citizenship because they were now considered friendly aliens . The internees, who came from England and Europe, were allowed to stay in Australia after the end of the war. The Japanese, however, were all repatriated.

After the Second World War

After the war, about 2,000 came enemy displaced persons (German: hostile displaced persons ) from Austria to Australia. In the 1947 census, 4,219 people of Austrian origin were counted.

A major wave of migration emerged in the 1950s when Australia eased its immigration policy . Australia needed workers to develop its economy. In particular, the modernization of the power supply was necessary to keep up with other countries. Just to build the Snowy Mountains System , which should secure the necessary industrialization of Australia through its hydropower, an additional 100,000 workers were required. Australian politics recognized at the time that the continued existence of Australian society could only be ensured with more working people. This discussion was conducted under the slogan parish or die (German: populate or die ). Workers from 30 countries came to Australia just to set up this power supply in the Snowy Mountains .

From 1961

By 1961, the number of Austrians in Australia rose to 23,807 people. The Austrians who were invited were mostly skilled craftsmen. They contributed to the development of the middle class in Australia. Migrants didn't have to worry about returning to Austria if they couldn't gain a foothold in Australia, and it revitalized the Australian economy. They were not subject to any pressure to assimilate, but founded their own clubs and maintained their Austrian tradition, like other nations.

After 1970

From 1970 mainly young Austrians without families, but also scientists and artists, came to Australia. In 1981, 23,462 Austrians were counted, this number was just below the count from 1961. While many migrants left Australia as Europe's economic prosperity developed, the number of Austrians in Australia has increased slightly in recent decades. According to Austrian statistics, around 25,000 people of Austrian origin currently live in Australia. In 1988 there were only 22,000.

Others

Sport and tradition

Immigrants from Austria founded football clubs in many large cities after World War II, which influenced Australian football. In almost all of Australia's larger towns there are Austrian clubs that deal with maintaining tradition. The Austria-Australian Society is located in Vienna and takes care of those returning to Australia.

economy

In the early days of Australia, Austrian immigrants mostly founded family businesses in the food and textile industries. Larger company start-ups by Austrians in Australia were rare until 1988, because only three exceptions are mentioned in a publication on the 200th anniversary of Australia.

The current export goods deliveries from Austria (2016) are mainly food and beverages, pharmaceutical products and plastics, wood and paper, furniture, goods made of iron and steel, various metal goods, machines and vehicles. Austria's imports were limited to mineral fuels, meat, beer, precious metals and stones, and wool. Austrian exports recorded a slight decrease in 2015 and increased significantly in 2016. Exports rose by 36.5% to EUR 1.039 billion, Austrian imports by 51.2%. Australia's trade deficit with Austria amounted to EUR 900 million in 2016. Around 110 Austrian companies have sales offices and representative offices in Australia. Austrian-run production facilities are a rare exception. Around 850 Austrian companies have regular business contacts in Australia. The total of direct investments by Austrian companies in Australia was estimated at around € 1.9 billion in 2016. The Austrian branches in Australia employed around 10,000 people in 2016.

literature

  • Gudrun Biffl : Austrians in Australia . In: Traude Horvath (Ed.): Emigration from Austria. From the middle of the 19th century to the present . Böhlau, Vienna / Cologne / Weimar 1996, ISBN 978-3-205-98565-5 , pp. 605-628 .
  • Karl Bittman (Ed.): Strauss to Matilda. Viennese in Australia, 1938–1988 . Sydney: The Wenkart Foundation, 1988, ISBN 0-7316-0982-4
  • Marlene Johanna Norst , Johanna McBride: Austrians and Australia . Athena Press, Sydney 1988, ISBN 0-7316-4361-5 .
  • Wolfgang Perndorfer: Multiculturalism in Australia. The Austrians in a multicultural society . Thesis. University of Graz, Graz 1992.
  • Elisabeth Welzig: A life between kangaroos, koalas and kiwis. Austrians in Australia and New Zealand . In: Traude Horvath (Ed.): Emigration from Austria. From the middle of the 19th century to the present . Böhlau, Vienna / Cologne / Weimar 1996, ISBN 978-3-205-98565-5 , pp. 605-628 .
  • Karl Zehden : Austria's appearance on the Australian world market. A commercial-geographical study . Steyrermühl, Vienna 1882.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Austrians Abroad 2016 , at statistik.at. Retrieved September 15, 2017
  2. ^ A b c Greetings from Governor-General Ninian Stephen and Prime Minister Bob Hawke (English). In: 200 years. History of the German-speaking Community in Australia. 1788-1988. Ed. Vd Europa Kurier Pty. Ltd. (German language edition of the week in Australia). January 1988 ISSN  0726-4860
  3. ↑ a b c d e f g Austrian immigration . S. 82. In: 200 years. History of the German-speaking Community in Australia. 1788-1988. Ed. Vd Europa Kurier Pty. Ltd. (German language edition of the week in Australia). January 1988 ISSN  0726-4860
  4. ↑ a b c Seven Austrians who became famous in Australia . P. 83. In: 200 years. History of the German-speaking Community in Australia. 1788–1988, p. 83. Ed. Vd Europa Kurier Pty. Ltd. (German language edition of the week in Australia). January 1988 ISSN  0726-4860
  5. ↑ John Lhotsky and the Expedition . In: 200 years of history of the German-speaking community in Australia. Part IS 83. Special Edition: The Week in Australia of January 1988. Europa Kurier Pty. Ltd. Bankstown. ISSN 0726-4860
  6. ↑ a b c d The Austrian Jesuits in Australia . S. 84. In: 200 years. History of the German-speaking Community in Australia. 1788–1988, published by Europa Kurier Pty. Ltd. (German language edition of the week in Australia). January 1988 ISSN  0726-4860
  7. ↑ Holsworthy (Liverpool), New South Wales (1914-20 and 1939-46) , on naa.gov.au. Retrieved September 15, 2017
  8. ^ Molonglo, Australian Capital Territory (1918-19) , on naa.gov.au. Retrieved September 15, 2017
  9. ^ Military Functions ( Memento of August 21, 2006 in the Internet Archive ), on rottnestisland.com. Retrieved September 15, 2017
  10. ^ Rottnest Island, Western Australia (1914-15 and 1940) , on naa.gov.au. Retrieved September 15, 2017
  11. ↑ Trial Bay, New South Wales (1914-18) , at naa.gov.au. Retrieved September 15, 2017
  12. ↑ a b c The second wave of immigration. Post-war immigrants . P. 85. In: 200 years. History of the German-speaking Community in Australia. 1788–1988, p. 85. Ed. Vd Europa Kurier Pty. Ltd. (German language edition of the week in Australia). January 1988 ISSN  0726-4860
  13. ↑ Enoggera (Gaythorne), Queensland (1914-15 and 1940-46) , on naa.gov.au. Retrieved September 15, 2017
  14. ↑ Holsworthy (Liverpool), New South Wales (1914-20 and 1939-46) , on naa.gov. Retrieved September 15, 2017
  15. ↑ Wartime internment camps in Australia on naa.gov.au. Retrieved September 15, 2017
  16. ↑ Foreign trade update Australia (full year 2016) (PDF), on wk.at. Retrieved September 15, 2017