Carinthian Plebiscite

The referendum in 1920 in Carinthia was one of the referendums in the wake of the Treaty of Saint- Germain. You should decide on the membership of the state after the First World War through Yugoslavia claimed, mostly by Slovenes inhabited areas in the southeast of Carinthia.

Prehistory

After Carinthia had declared by the Carinthian state constitution of 1918 the membership of the Republic of German Austria, 1918, troops of the State of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes broke on 5 November (SHS - State ) in Southeast Carinthia one. SHS police moved forward in the Gail Valley, Rose and lower. Ferlach and the north of the Drava location peoples market were occupied. The state government moved its seat in the face of this threat to Spittal an der Drau.

On 5 December 1918 the provisional Carinthian Government decided under the Landesverweser Arthur Lemisch - without support from the Viennese government and even against their will - armed resistance against further penetration of SHS troops. The battle, also known as the Carinthian defensive struggle, started in the Gail Valley with the reconquest of Arnold Stein on 5 January 1919, a march against the Rose Valley and the reconquest of Ferlach. On 14 January, a truce was concluded; an American Commission ( the so-called "Miles Mission ", named after its leader Lt. Col. Sherman Miles ) studied the disputed territory of questions on the spot. Until May 7, 1919 all were appalled until the cleared loud armistice areas.

The Treaty of St. Germain of 1919 provided for a referendum in Southern Carinthia; without a vote the Canal Valley Italy and the Mießtal, Unterdrauburg and the community Zealand ( Kankertal ) were added to the SHS Kingdom and today belong to Slovenia. Following the decision of a referendum Yugoslavia again tried to create accomplished by force of arms facts. Regular troops under the command of General Rudolf Maister exceeded on 28 May 1919, the border and occupied on June 6, Klagenfurt, but she had to leave again in Paris to prompt the Supreme Council of the Allies. From then on remained under more fights. Until September 13, 1920, shortly before the referendum, the Southern Zone 'A ' by troops of the SHS - State was occupied and remained until after the referendum under SHS - control, the northern 'Zone B' remained under Austrian control. Had "Zone A" opted for a connection to the SHS Empire, had also in the "Zone B" (which also Klagenfurt included ) must be coordinated.

Yugoslavian propaganda poster: " In Yugoslavia, the farmer has the say in German Austria, the Jews and the barons! "

Newspaper front page: " Every vote saves a piece of native soil "

Vote

On 10 October 1920 a referendum in the border area of southern Carinthia was held in which the Slovene ethnic group accounted for about 70 % of the total population: 59.04 % of all votes went there to Austria. From the result showed that a significant proportion ( approximately 40%) of the Carinthian Slovenes voted to remain in Austria. The approval of the annexation to the SHS State in the southern, bordering Slovenia communities tended to be stronger than in the more northern communities.

The vote of the Slovenes in Austria is mainly due to the traditional social, cultural and economic ties within the historically grown borders of Carinthia. Klagenfurt was also responsible for the "Zone A" the economic and infrastructural center. Of the aims of Yugoslavia demarcation was seen at risk markets and threatened families of separation. Faith and cultural differences, the democratic form of government of Austria and its higher degree of development and prosperity as well as the commitments regarding the protection of minorities also played a role.

Follow

Following the referendum the SHS - State again tried to occupy Carinthia, but was forced to withdraw its troops from Carinthia after a categorical request by the Conference of Ambassadors in Paris on 16 October 1920 and subsequent representations of similar content by Britain, France and Italy. Also part of the Vienna Foreign Office made ​​vigorous protests. On 18 November 1920, the "Zone A" again came under Austrian administration. On November 22, the voting area returned under the sovereignty of Austria.

The 10th of October in Carinthia - not generally work-free - holiday. Schools, offices and agencies are closed on these days.

The referendum of 10 October 1920, one of the few cases democratic expression of the proclaimed by Woodrow Wilson self -determination of peoples after 1918. However, the promise given about two weeks before the referendum of the Carinthian Provincial Assembly that they are the " language and their national character [ which provides wants Slovenes ] now and forever true ", until today for controversies such as the place-name dispute.