Polemical Austria : the rhetorics of national identity : from empire to the second republic

Today Austria is a small, neutral, and economically successful country in the heart of Europe. Yet modern Austria is the product of a complex and turbulent history. Following World War I, Vienna lost its position as the capital of a large continental and multiethnic empire and became an alpine republic surrounded by larger states. Anthony Bushell s "Polemical Austria "examines this transition, asking how such an abrupt change has affected the way Austrians perceive themselves today. Bushell places particular emphasis on the role of language in Austrian national identity. Today Austria Is A Small, Neutral, And Economically Successful Country In The Heart Of Europe. Yet Modern Austria Is The Product Of A Complex And Turbulent History. Following World War I, Vienna Lost Its Position As The Capital Of A Large Continental And Multiethnic Empire And Became An Alpine Republic Surrounded By Larger States. Anthony Bushell's Polemical Austria Examines This Transition, Asking How Such An Abrupt Change Has Affected The Way Austrians Perceive Themselves Today. Bushell Places Particular Emphasis On The Role Of Language In Austrian National Identity -- Part 1. Towards A Theory Of Austria. Felix Austria? -- Locating Austria -- Austria And Concepts Of Identity -- Part 2. Writing Austria. Austria's Identity And The Response To Revolution -- Vienna : Print And Pre-eminence -- Part 3. Austria : Revived, Reviled, Revised. Failure At The First Attempt : The First Republic -- Austrian Identity And The Impediments Of History -- Voicing Austria In The Second Republic -- Challenging And Confirming Identity In The Second Republic. Anthony Bushell. Includes Bibliographical References (pages [280]-295) And Index. Austria today offers the picture of a small, neutral, and economically successful country in the heart of Europe. Yet modern Austria is the product of a complex and violent history. After the First World War, Vienna changed overnight from being the capital of a large continental and multi-ethnic Empire to being an alpine Republic surrounded by larger states. This study examines Austria's transition from a major power and multi-ethnic Empire to a militarily marginalised alpine Republic, and asks how those often sudden and violent changes, including two world wars and one civil war in the twentieth century, have been reflected in the way Austrians have perceived themselves. Whilst many studies map out the political events, this study places special emphasis on the language used by Austrians as they struggled to define themselves. -- From publisher's website This book maps the remarkable story of Austria's transition from Empire to modern Republic, and the language that reflects that violent history within Europe's own turbulent past.