How did "de-Nazification" efforts by Austria's occupiers proceed after WW2?

Question

In his book, At Memory's Edge by James E. Young, the author states:

In fact, unlike Germany’s near obsession with its Nazi-past, Austria’s relationship to its wartime history has remained decorously submerged, politely out of sight. Austria was a country that had (with the tacit encouragement of its American and Soviet occupiers) practically founded itself on the self-serving myth that it was Hitler’s first victim. That some 50% of the Nazi SS was composed of Austrians, or that Hitler himself was Austrian born was never denied. But these historical facts also never found a place in Austria’s carefully constructed post-war persona.

How did "de-Nazification" efforts by Austria's occupiers proceed post-WW2 as opposed to in Germany?

Answer 1

Austrian here. My grandparents told me some stories about that time. And I read a lot about the Nazi period and denazification in Germany and Austria.

Overall, the denazification process in Austria was similar to Germany. Of course, Nazi-symbols and scriptures were rigorously banned, and you could run into serious trouble for possessing them. All persons related to the Nazis were investigated and eventually arrested.

The main difference is that Austria was considered - and most Austrian considered themselves - the first victims of Nazi Germany's invasion (first mentioned by the Allies on 1. Nov 1943 in the Moscow declarations source). It was not until the 1990s that there was a public debate about the guilt that Austria brought upon itself. And as late as 1998 the "Historikerkomission", the Austrian committee for history was founded. The committee was the first to investigate the dispossession of Jewish property during the Nazi occupation. Even today there are numerous trials regarding the restitution of former Jewish property to the rightful owners. source

I hope this answered your question. I can also elaborate more on this if you like.