Summary: The Raising of the B-Gendarmerie
The year 1952 - a look at the political and strategic situation and the raising of the military forces in the Second Republic
Walter Blasi/Wolfgang Etschmann
The Second Republic’s orientation toward the West manifested itself for the first time in 1948 with the adoption of the Marshall Plan which aimed at strengthening the European states to prevent them from being susceptible to Sovietcommunist influence. The communist takeover in Budapest and Prague as well as the assumed communist threat from within, which articulated itself in the general strike against the 4th Wage and Price Agreement, caused Austria’s government to become a "secret ally” of western occupation powers. This resulted in an orientation toward the West of Austria’s foreign and security policy between 1950 and 1953.
The communist takeover in Prague sparked the secret rearming of Austria, which was primarily pushed ahead by the USA. For the US Supreme Commander and High Commissioner in Austria GEN Keyes it was of great importance to avoid the buildup of a military vacuum which, in case of an agreement with the communist side, might be used for overthrowing the government. He put massive pressure on the Pentagon and the Austrian government to set up special gendarmerie [rural police] units, which, in winter 1950/51, resulted in raising a 500 men strong alert battalion in each western zone of occupation.
These alert battalions, a "Special Gendarmerie” and later known as "B-Gendarmerie” [Ready Gendarmerie] formed the nucleus of the precursor of the Austrian Army. In addition the defense potential, referred to as "Aufgebot”, was recorded while preparations for establishing an Austrian Army got under way. On 1 August 1952 these special formations were turned into "gendarmerie schools” and at the same time the first military officers started their service.
As on 10 December 1945, the Allied Council had prohibited Austria to engage in any military activity, all activities of the B-Gendarmerie had to be conducted with utmost caution. When US support became more explicit and was tolerated by the Western Allies, Soviet suspicion grew. However, Austria always denied the military character of its gendarmerie schools. Training at these schools was limited due to inadequate infrastructure, lack of personnel and financial restrictions, although Washington had included Austria into the "Military Assistance Program” as early as 1948. Under this covert assistance program armament shipments and financial support for Austria’s remilitarization program started and continued until October 1955.
When in 1955 the State Treaty signaled the end of the country’s allied occupation, some voices called for retaining the B-Gendarmerie instead of establishing an army or for keeping its law enforcement body alongside with an army, respectively. Such ideas were bound to fail due to material and personnel shortages. The Federal Chancellery, which was responsible for military matters, established the National Defense Agency on 15 July 1955 as its Department VI. About a week later the gendarmerie schools, renamed into "Provisorische Grenzschutz-Abteilungen” [Temporary Border Protection Units] were incorporated into that Department. Thereby, the B-Gendarmerie became part of the Armed Forces of the Second Republic.
Ihre Meinung/your opinion/votre opinion:
