Die politische Partizipation der bürgerlich-liberalen Frauenbewegung in Österreich 1918–1934

Abstract

When Austrian women were enfranchised in the context of the founding of the First Austrian Republic at the end of World War I, the women’s movement was faced with the problem of how to enter politics in a responsible way. While the scarcity of primary sources proves an obstacle in outlining this history in detail, this article nevertheless illustrates the main challenges facing members of the women’s movement in their attempts to find a place in political life. These included the political fragmentation and relative insignificance of the democratic liberal political camp and its concentration in Vienna, which induced women in the provinces to turn to the German nationalists instead. Faced with an aversion to “too much politics”, the women’s movement tried to provide a political alternative in the late 1920s by founding a Women’s Party. However, because it was unable to succeed amidst the political strife of the early 1930s, the women’s movement opted for Dollfuß’ authoritarian regime in 1933/34. It thus supported Austria’s de-democratization and ultimately deprived itself of any meaningful political influence.