ABSTRACT
The initiative that led to the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) in 1968 was a significant effort by Austria to rebrand its self-image and to prove its commitment to international peace and security. The Austrian government was eager to establish international organizations, such as the headquarters for the International Atomic Energy Association in Vienna (1957), to underline its policy of neutrality. This was welcomed by the superpowers and sometimes seen as a possible political lever. Promoting disarmament was an important pillar of Austrian diplomacy, especially in the nuclear field. Its nuclear-free status, laid down in the State Treaty of 1955, quickly became a central element in the self-image of Austrians. With the country being a model for the concept of a nuclear-free zone in Europe sui generis, nuclear demilitarization plans like the Rapacki Plan were met with enthusiasm in Vienna. This article sheds light on Austria’s political and diplomatic efforts to achieve nuclear disarmament and contribute to the NPT process, explaining them as a result of the political leadership’s quest to reinvent Austria’s identity as a neutral broker for security.
