This day commemorates Austria’s Declaration of Neutrality in 1955. It was enacted as a constitutional act of parliament. It was as a result of the allied occupation of the Soviet Union, the United States, the United Kingdom and France between 1945 and 1955. The Soviet Union would not have agreed to the signing of a State Treaty in May 1955 if Austria had not committed itself to declare neutrality after the allied forces had left the country. The final foreign troops left Austria on 25th October 1955.
The day is celebrated each year with a series of events in Vienna.
- The Federal President and the Federal Minister for Defense attend a Mass on the Heldenplatz.
- The Federal President followed by the Federal Government lay wreaths at the tomb of the unknown soldier in the Crypt of the outer Burgtor.
- A special meeting of the Council of Ministers is held.
- The government attends a Concert for Austria at the Vienna Staatspoer
- Finally the new recruits of the Austrian Armed Service are sworn in.
Austrian citizens can visit any federal museum for free. Various institutions also traditionally open their doors for the day. Around the country so-called “marches for fitness” are organised to raise awareness among the population about
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