Rumänien - Österreich

Romania-Austria: Living in lands held by the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, mainly in the Hungarian portion of the empire (Transylvania) as well as in Bukovina were a high percentage of ethnic Romanians (1910 6.5 %, called "Vlachs" during earlier periods). Between 1718 and 1739 the region of "Lesser Walachia" west of the Olt River belonged to the Austrian monarchy. After 1774 the provinces of Moldavia and Walachia, which had been under Turkish rule, came increasingly under Russian influence, in 1859 they were able to declare their independence under the name "Romania" and attained complete sovereignty in 1877. On October 30, 1883, King Carol I of Romania signed a secret pact with the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy which was never ratified by the parliament. However, in subsequent years considerable economic ties were established and deepened. In World War I Romania remained neutral at first, but declared war on the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy on August 27, 1916, occupying Transylvania after Russia had laid claim to the region. Austro-Hungarian and German troops forced the Romanians to flee and occupied most of the country. On May 7, 1918 Romania signed a peace treaty with the Central Powers. After the war the Romanian national assembly of Bukovina and the national assembly in Alba Iulia decided on November 28, 1918 and December 1, 1919, respectively, to reunify Transylvania with Romania. In the peace treaties ending the war (Pariser Vororteverträge) this resolution and Romania's occupation of eastern Banat were confirmed, giving the country 112,400 km² of land and 6.2 million inhabitants once held by the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy (Successor States).

Literature: U. Bindreiter, Die diplomatischen und wirtschaftlichen Beziehungen zwischen Österreich-Ungarn und Rumänien 1875-1888, 1976.