Austria was the Austrian Empire from about 800 to 1867 and was ruled by The House of Habsburg for most of that period. Between 1867 and 1918 it was a part of Austria-Hungary. Then it became a republic. The "First Republic" was from 1918 to 1938. From 1938 to 1945 Austria was part of Nazi Germany. The "Second Republic" was started in 1945.