In December 1945, in an article published in the magazine Österreichische Monatshefte, Leopold Figl, Austrian Chancellor, gives his views on the quintessential nature of Austria and the Austrian people and lays particular emphasis on their European roots and on the country’s central role in Europe.

On 14 August 1946, Oscar Pollak, Editor-in-Chief of the Austrian daily newspaper Arbeiter-Zeitung, condemns the fact that the national resistance movements against the Hitler regime did not culminate in a European revolution and European unity and underlines the responsibility of the Great Powers that participated in the Teheran, Yalta and Potsdam Conferences which led to the division of the continent.

On 8 July 1947, the Austrian Foreign Minister asks Alois Vollgruber, Austrian representative to the Conference on European Economic Cooperation in Paris, to ‘tread softly’ and to remain in the background, given the delicate situation in which the Austrian Government finds itself.

On 16 April 1956, the day of Austria’s accession to the Council of Europe, Leopold Figl, Austrian Foreign Minister, and Bruno Kreisky, State Secretary, attend a meeting of the organisation’s Committee of Ministers in Strasbourg for the first time.

In December 1959, the Austrian cinema newsreel reports on the political and diplomatic debates concerning the establishment of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).

On 12 December 1961, Bruno Kreisky, Austrian Foreign Minister, sends a letter to Ludwig Erhard, Vice-Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), German Minister for the Economy and President-in-Office of the Council of the European Economic Community (EEC), in which he formally requests the opening of negotiations with a view to the conclusion of an Association Agreement with the EEC, whilst respecting Austria’s principle of neutrality.

‘If we board, it will be with our boat.’ In 1988, the Swiss cartoonist, Hans Geisen, illustrates the difficulties involved in Austria’s accession to the European Communities, in particular because of its neutral status.

On 17 July 1989, in Brussels, Alois Mock, Austrian Foreign Minister, presents Austria’s official application for accession to the European Communities to Roland Dumas, French Foreign Minister and President-in-Office of the Council of the European Communities.

On 24 June 1994, in Corfu, Franz Vranitzky, Chancellor of Austria, signs the Treaty of Accession of his country to the European Union. From left to right: Ulrich Stacher, Director-General of the Federal Chancellery (Prime Minister’s Office) in Vienna, Manfred Scheich, Permanent Representative of Austria to the European Union, Franz Vranitzky, Austrian Federal Chancellor, and Alois Mock, Austrian Foreign Minister.