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This book is about political conflict in the First Austrian Republic, in a region which can be aptly described as having been a focal point of social and political antagonism in the times under consideration. Its main subject, the somewhat nebulous phenomenon of political radicalism, was studied from a closer viewpoint and pinpointed in a representative selection of events. It was not only incidents of greater national significance, such as the outcome of the Schattendorf trial, the so-called Pfrimer Putsch or the deconstruction of democracy, that had contributed to the already tense atmosphere on the local front. Day to day scuffles, paramilitary parades, inflammatory speeches and street rallies triggered off a spiral of violence. This book focuses on the question of how and to what extent political parties and movements were able to influence the life and thought of so many people and made some of them become irreconcilable enemies. A glance behind the scenes of those inglorious times shall hopefully enable a far better understanding of what impact political interaction had on the region in question. After an introduction into the methodology and theory, followed by a brief summary of the political and economic situation in Austria after the First World War, the book continues with a description and history of the Upper Styrian industrial region. The major part of this study, however, deals with the origins and development of the most important regional political parties and movements and how political radicalism manifested itself in daily affairs. In this section, political leaders and other people who played a role in confrontation come to the fore and election results are presented and analysed, showing a substantial drift to the right by 1932. The growth of political radicalism during the First Republic can be seen in four phases, starting prior to 1927 and coming to a head in the 1931 Pfrimer Putsch and the uprisings of1934. According to Botz, acts of political violence were committed by individuals or groups in organised or random gatherings, demonstrations and skirmishes in guest houses and in the street. This atmosphere of unrest was aggravated further by acts of sabotage and terror carried out mainly by followers of the upcoming Nazi party. The struggle for ultimate national power can be seen as a battle between left and right ideologies against a background of national defeat, economic recession and increasing pressure exerted by certain other European states, all of which had specific interest in Austria. Finally, the issues and problems presented in this book are discussed and analysed in a conclusion. The dimensions of political radicalism are clearly defined and put into a regional context. As a consequence, the political interaction of conflicting parties, which can be traced on all social and political levels, becomes tangible. However, due to the lack of comparative regional studies, the question as to whether or not political radicalism was inherent to this particular region cannot be satisfactorily answered. - Dieses Buch befasst sich mit den politischen Auseinandersetzungen der Ersten Republik Österreichs in einer Region, die wohl als Kristallisationspunkt sozialer und politischer Gegensätze bezeichnet werden kann. Das Phänomen der "Radikalisierung des politischen Klimas" wurde aus einer kleinräumigen Perspektive betrachtet und anhand ausgewählter Ereignisse konkretisiert. Zur Verschärfung des ohnehin gespannten politischen Klimas in der obersteirischen Industrieregion trugen signifikante überregionale Ereignisse wie der Ausgang des Schattendorfer Prozesses, der so genannte Pfrimer-Putsch oder die sukzessive Ausschaltung der Demokratie bei. Hetzreden, Aufmärsche und Demonstrationen, die vor Ort die Stimmung aufheizten, lösten eine Spirale der Gewalt aus. In diesem Zusammenhang wurde der Frage nachgegangen, wie und in welchem Maße politische Parteien und Bewegungen das Leben und Denken so vieler Menschen beeinflussten oder dominierten und einige zu unversöhnlichen Gegnern machten. Ein Blick hinter die Kulissen dieser so unglücklichen Zeit soll eine verstärkte Einsicht in die Auswirkungen politischer Interaktion ermöglichen. Nach einer Erörterung der Methodik, der theoretischen Grundlagen und der politischen und wirtschaftlichen Ausgangslage in Österreich wird die obersteirische Industrieregion rund um Leoben vorgestellt. Als Schwerpunkt dieses Buches können die Abschnitte gelten, die sich mit der Tätigkeit der wichtigsten politischen Parteien und Bewegungen sowie der Radikalisierung des politischen Alltags in der Region beschäftigen. Anfänge und Entwicklung der politischen Landschaft werden unter die Lupe genommen und prägende Persönlichkeiten in ihrem lokalen Wirkungskreis dargestellt, ausgesuchte Wahlergebnisse präsentiert und analysiert. Die politische Radikalisierung läuft in mehreren zeitlichen Phasen ab und kann an exemplarischen politisch motivierten Zusammenstöße festgemacht werden. Dazu gehören sowohl Gewalttaten, die von Einzelpersonen oder Gruppen auf der Straße, bei Versammlungen in Vereinslokalen oder Wirtshäusern begangen werden, sowie die von der NSDAP vielfach ausgeübten Sabotage- und Terrorakte, als auch überregionale Ereignisse wie die Aufstandsbewegungen des Jahres 1934. Der Kampf um die Macht im Staate zwischen den Anhängern grundverschiedener Weltanschauungen spielt sich vor dem Hintergrund eines verlorenen Krieges und dessen Folgen, der wirtschaftlichen Stagnation und des zunehmenden Druckes durch außenpolitische Machenschaften ab. In den Schlussbetrachtungen werden die Grundprobleme der Region nochmals aufgerollt und analysiert. Die Dimensionen der politischen Radikalisierung können klar aufgezeigt und in einen konkreten regionalen Kontext gestellt werden. Die politische Interaktion der Konfliktparteien der Ersten Republik wird somit auf allen Ebenen nachvollziehbar. Dennoch kann die Frage nach dem Zusammenhang zwischen dieser spezifischen Region und der aufkommenden Radikalisierung ohne komparative Studien nicht hinreichend beantwortet werden.

This book is about political conflict in the First Austrian Republic, in a region which can be aptly described as having been a focal point of social and political antagonism in the times under consideration. Its main subject, the somewhat nebulous phenomenon of political radicalism, was studied from a closer viewpoint and pinpointed in a representative selection of events. It was not only incidents of greater national significance, such as the outcome of the Schattendorf trial, the so-called Pfrimer Putsch or the deconstruction of democracy, that had contributed to the already tense atmosphere on the local front. Day to day scuffles, paramilitary parades, inflammatory speeches and street rallies triggered off a spiral of violence. This book focuses on the question of how and to what extent political parties and movements were able to influence the life and thought of so many people and made some of them become irreconcilable enemies. A glance behind the scenes of those inglorious times shall hopefully enable a far better understanding of what impact political interaction had on the region in question. After an introduction into the methodology and theory, followed by a brief summary of the political and economic situation in Austria after the First World War, the book continues with a description and history of the Upper Styrian industrial region. The major part of this study, however, deals with the origins and development of the most important regional political parties and movements and how political radicalism manifested itself in daily affairs. In this section, political leaders and other people who played a role in confrontation come to the fore and election results are presented and analysed, showing a substantial drift to the right by 1932. The growth of political radicalism during the First Republic can be seen in four phases, starting prior to 1927 and coming to a head in the 1931 Pfrimer Putsch and the uprisings of1934. According to Botz, acts of political violence were committed by individuals or groups in organised or random gatherings, demonstrations and skirmishes in guest houses and in the street. This atmosphere of unrest was aggravated further by acts of sabotage and terror carried out mainly by followers of the upcoming Nazi party. The struggle for ultimate national power can be seen as a battle between left and right ideologies against a background of national defeat, economic recession and increasing pressure exerted by certain other European states, all of which had specific interest in Austria. Finally, the issues and problems presented in this book are discussed and analysed in a conclusion. The dimensions of political radicalism are clearly defined and put into a regional context. As a consequence, the political interaction of conflicting parties, which can be traced on all social and political levels, becomes tangible. However, due to the lack of comparative regional studies, the question as to whether or not political radicalism was inherent to this particular region cannot be satisfactorily answered.