In the news1955
Austria State Treaty signed in 1955
In 1955, the Austrian State Treaty was signed, ending the Allied occupation and restoring Austrian sovereignty.
Born 11 Jan 1955
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11 Jan 1955
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In the news1955
In 1955, the Austrian State Treaty was signed, ending the Allied occupation and restoring Austrian sovereignty.
What people wore
Youth rebellion and hidden fashion
Young people often defied strict prohibitions against modern styles by hiding items like blue jeans at school and changing into them only after classes. While authorities and parents viewed these trends as immoral, the youth actively sought out items associated with American culture.
Daily life
Housing shortages and lack of modern plumbing
In 1951, only 14% of Vienna flats had a bathroom, 44% had running water inside, and 40% had an internal toilet. Many families relied on public bathhouses, which saw 5 million visitors annually in 1950.
In the news1959
The introduction of the first Steyr tractors in 1959 revolutionized agricultural work, making many manual farm roles obsolete.
Music
Jukeboxes were popular and expensive in Austria
In the 1950s, US jukeboxes became popular in Austrian espresso bars, with 2,790 units installed by 1957. These machines cost between 40,000 and 80,000 Austrian schillings, while a small Steyr-Puch 500 car cost 30,000 schillings.
In Europe1957
Six countries signed the Treaty of Rome, the start of what became the European Union.
Getting around
Post-war train travel with occupation checkpoints
In 1951, a train journey through the Mürztal and over the Semmering pass to Vienna still required identification papers for crossing occupation zones, and the trip could take over 1.5 hours.