The wish of European nations for every single one of them to have its own state, did not materialize even after two world wars.
After the disintegration of the old empires, in our case Austria-Hungary, the question of a new delimitation came into the foreground and it would be solved at the Paris peace conference. Decisive for the definition of the border with Austria was the Treaty of Saint-Germain, which, for Carinthia region, foresaw a plebiscite on October 10th, 1920. Slovenes, who after 1920 remain in the now Austrian areas of Carinthia, do herewith become a national minority, the status of which is regulated by the very peace treaty mentioned above.
After the end of the Second World War, Austria was re-established by means of the Austrian State Treaty within the pre-Anschluss borders. The key for the regulation of the minority question lies with the Article 7 of the named treaty, which until today remains fundamental for the rights of the Slovenian national minority in Austrian Carinthia. Soon it became clear, that the provisions of both peace treaties will remain nothing but words on a piece of paper, for as of today the Slovenian national minority is still fighting for the fulfilment and respect of all rights, to which it is entitled according to its minority status.
|
