Page - 165 - in Otto Bauer (1881–1938) - Thinker and Politician

the national question 165 Austria-Hungary’s potential salvation.On the contrary, he claimed as late as 1918 that, as long asGerman imperialismprevailed, the only alternativewas topreserve theold structural frameworkof theparty andworkout a reform programmeforthemultinationalstate.Towardstheendofthewar,hisposition was close to the rightwingof theparty. The soledifferencebetween the two leading Social Democratswas that Bauer accepted the fall of themonarchy, whileRennerbelievedinitsrebirthuntil theend. Asexpected,thewarledtothedisintegrationofAustria-Hungary.Investigat- ingthecausesof itsdemise inTheAustrianRevolution (1923),Bauerconceded that ‘thegreatoldEmpire, thegreatoldeconomicunitywasnotdestroyedby the social revolutionof theGerman-Austrianand theMagyarproletariat, but by the national revolution of the Czech, the Polish, and the Jugo Slav bour- geoisie’.104 Inaccordancewithhisowndefinitionof thenation,heattributed thefallofAustria-Hungarymainlytoapsychological factor, ‘theoldtribal feud between thenations’, rather than to theeconomiccausesof thenationalities conflicts.105On3October 1918, theparliamentary fractionof the sdapunder Bauer’sleadershipadoptedtherightoftheSlavicnationstoself-determination. In its appeal, it demanded theunificationofallGermanterritories inAustria intoonestatethatwouldself-determineitsrelationstoneighbouringcountries, especiallyGermany. After thedemiseof themonarchy, thequestion forAustria’snational iden- tityamountedtowhetherAustria shouldmaintain itsnational independence or jointheReich.106Austriahadalwaysbeenacountrycharacterisedbymuch strongerGermaninfluencesthanthesheersizeofitsGermanpopulacesugges- ted.AnAnschluss toGermanywas in the interest of theGermanpopulation, whichwasthedecisiveaspect forGerman-AustrianSocialDemocracywhenit acceptedtheAnschlussproposalat theplenaryassemblyon6June1917.107Of allparty leaders,Baueradvocated itwith thegreatestpassion.Hearguedthat 104 Bauer1925,p.73. 105 Kulemann1979,p.48. 106 The demand for Austria’s annexation byGermany appeared in Austrian Social-Demo- craticthoughtasearlyas1880–SeeKonrad1978,p.25. 107 AccordingtoFröschlandZoitl 1985,p.242,AustrianattitudestowardstheAnschluss idea varied across different social classes.During the timesof themonarchy, sections of the bourgeoisiewere in favourof annexationbyGermany,while other sectionspleaded for national independence.Thedivisionbecamegreaterafter 1918.Thepeasantryandpetty bourgeoisieloathedtheProtestantPrussians.Theworkingclasswasgenerallyopposedto Germanchauvinismandimperialism,yetpartsofitcameoutinfavourofannexation.The intelligentsiawasoverwhelminglythemouthpieceofGermannationalism.