Elisabeth Piller

For many Austrians, the years after 1945 were marked by scarcity, hunger, and deprivation. To survive, they relied heavily on international and especially American humanitarian aid. This project examines U.S. food aid to Austria after World War II, focusing on U.S. motives, Austrian reception, and the impact on transatlantic relations. Its findings will provide an important corrective to the extensive research on U.S. aid to post-war Germany and will shed light on the less studied period of Austrian-American aid relations prior to the European Recovery Program (Marshall Plan). The project situates the Austrian experience within a broader European and transatlantic framework, highlighting both the representative and unique aspects of the Austrian-American case.