AUSTRIA CZECHOSLOVAKIA: TERRITORIAL PROBLEMS: AUSTRIAN-CZECHOSLOVAK BOUNDRY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP08C01297R000400230002-3
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 18, 2012
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: May 23, 1944
• Content Type: MISC

Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/10/18: CIA-RDP08C01297R0004-6023660-Y STATE
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AUSTRIA
CZECHOSLOVAKIA:
TERRITORIAL PROBLEMS: AUSTRIAN.CZECHOSLOVAK BOUNDARY
I. 2MILPROOPEN
The problem is to determine the boundary between
Austria and Czechoslovakia in Southern Bohemia and
Southern Moravia.
Certain Austrian legitimists seek the return to an
independent Austria of about 70 square miles of
CzechoeloVak territory near Gmfind (Tfeba) and relde-
berg (Mikulov). The Czechoslovak Government in
London demands the integral restoration of the 1937
frontiers. The area Is particularly important because
of its railway communication*.
The Treaty of St. Germain in 1919 awarded to Czecho-
slovakia &Jean area including the railway station
of %And (Ceske' Velenice), an important junction for
Southern Bohemia, but not the town itself, and the
town of reldeberg (Valtice), near Nikolsburg. This
frontier gave Cztchoelovakia control over the Thaya
River south of Beiclav and over the tundenberg0reldsberg-
Znaim (Bfeclav-Valtice-Znojmo) railway. The Czechs
had claimed both regions on ethnic and Strategic grounds
and had assorted that their cession to the new Republic
would not injure Austria. Both the American and British
delegation, at Paris had made reservations concerning
0m6nde.primarily on ethnic grounds. Mr. Lansing pro-
posed that the parts of the territory assigned to
Czechoslovakia, in excess of the old administrative
frontier, should be reduced to the immediate regions
of Gmfind and reldsberg.
The Munich Settlement transferred a considerable por-
tion of SOuthern Bohemia and Southern Moravia to the
German Reicto.including Gmeind and reldsberg.
II. Atinagank 4OLUTI0NS
boittOrnt3011 91 .111312 Auatrion-cnc4os1oVsli
Frontier
The total frontier area in Southern Bohemia and
Southern Moravia involves about 2,160 square miles,
"
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? Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/10/18: CIA-RDP08001297R000400230002-3
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with a population (1830) of about 096,000 (41
percent German, 58 percent Czechoslovak). The
area is important economically because of its'
light industries and agriculture. Its railway
connections are of primary significance. Strate-
gically, the area guards the entrance into Southern
Bohemia and, through the Moravian Gap, into South-
ern Moravia.
B. Re.o tioo Via laiumlary amigo
w Aga rp.t.dOers{ Ida hula&
This solution would involve about 70 suart miles
of territory in the region of Gmand (Trawl) and
Feldsberg (Mikulov) county. The lack of preci-
sion as to the area claimed and the absence of
census data by communes render it impossible to
state exactly the total population and ethnic
distribution in this small area. According to
the Czechoslovak census of 1930, Feldeberg dis-
trict, of which the disputed area constitutes
about one-half, had a population of 35,900, of
whom 30,400 (82 percent) were German-Austrians
and 4,400 (12 percent) were Czechoslovaks. The
1910 (Austrian) census also showed Feldsberg to
be overwhelmingly German. Restoration of Gmfind
to Austria would cut the communications from Ceski
velenice to Plzen (Pilsen) and Prague, while res-
toration of Feldsberg to Austria would cut the
railway from Bfeclav to Znojmo and river communi-
cations on the Thaya.
C. Reteptioqsa Ilammalsu UMW Boundary
Retention of the bounder,' established at Munich
would involve cession to Austria of an tree of
about 2,288 square miles, from Krumlov Cooky' to
Rodonin, with a total population of about 447,000
(1930), 56 percent German-Austrian and 46 percent
Czechoslovak. Cession to Austria would breach the
Southern Bumava (B8bmerwald) barriers or Czecho-
slovakia and bring the Austrians within a few
miles of,Ceski Hudfjovice (Hudweie), Hradec Jin-
eichuv (Neuhaus), and Brno (Hrfinn), the forti-
fied points of Znojmo (Znaim) and Mikoleburg would
fall into Austrian hands, together with all avenues
of approach
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? ? Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/10/18 : CIA-RDP08001297R000400230002-3
Of *
and
the
Folds
Pr
bands.
cos4de
Bohu
Cse
the Jt
nomie:
from Austris. Into Southern Bohemia
Not only ?Eleind ant:Peidsbergt but
tfjovice-Lins route. the Liandenburg.
in, and the Bfectlav.ond of the
letina 'route, vou3A tail into Austrian
itention of this boundar-:.voUld disrupt
the , communications ? Southern
11Outhern. Moravia and -111oUld eliminate
Control over ' the Tbay,a,-- River and over
?Ohl River south or Bee1av. Eco.
'territory- is isliportant for Its. light
industries, especially textiles, and agriculture.
Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/10/18: CIA-RDPO8C01297R000400230002-3
Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/10/18: CIA-RDP08001297R000400230002-3
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III. DOCUMENTATION
A. Ayallathos Memoranda
Cze oslo k-4uptn frontier: Historic/3;
Survex, 1918-1939. T-360; August 5, 1943).
gust2g12yAk.Austrian. F ntie ; Alternative
Ttrritortal Adjustments T-359; August 5, 1943).
Suelcten Geman Pr b e at the Parts Peace
Conferenge of UR T-176; Dec. 5, 1942)
Sections of this memorendum are devoted
especially to the Aunt-Ian claims and
proteets at tt'e Farts Conference concern-
ing the Austro-Czechoslovak frontters (p.43)
Distribution of Germans In Bohemia, Moravie,
and Silesia (T-214; Jen. 14, 1943)
A statistical analyst@ based on the 1930
Czechoslovak census (k. 24)
B. Othet Studies
Auatria and the DanubianFLEW= Okiallallit
Presentetionr-
Studtes of
the
Peace Alms of the European
Nattone.
No.
A-4. Counctl on Foreign
Relations
(n.
10).
with two en-endices.
Prepared and Reviewed by4
TSOINHoward (Drafting Officer)
CE;JWRIddleberger
SE:Cl/Cannon
ECA:HVVFay
TS:CEBlack
MEBredshav
JCCamnbell
Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/10/18: CIA-RDP08001297R000400230002-3