History of Austria wanting to annex the country to the German Third Reich, resulting in the assassination of Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss. While the coup failed, Adolf Hitler succeeded in annexing Austria on 12 March 1938 as "Ostmark", until 1945. Austria was partitioned after the Second World War and then in 1955 became the independent sovereign state (Second Republic) that has existed to the present day. In 1995, Austria joined the European Union. The modern state of Austria is considered to have three geographic zones. The biggest third consists of the Alps, which covers 62.8% of the country's landmass. In the north, across the
Vice-Chancellor of Austria Vice-Chancellor of Austria The Vice-Chancellor of Austria (German: "Vizekanzler") is a member of the Federal Government and the deputy of the Chancellor. The current Vice Chancellor of Austria is Heinz-Christian Strache, in office since 2017. Art. 69(2) of the Constitution of Austria states: In practice, the Vice-Chancellor is normally the leading member of the junior party within the current coalition government, frequently the party chairman. If only one party is represented in the government, the Vice Chancellor is often the Chancellor's presumed successor. Austria annexed by Nazi Germany in 1938 (see Austria under National Socialism for details). Independence restored in