§ Mr. ATTLEE(by Private Notice) asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can make any statement on the situation in Vienna?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir John Simon)The tragic events which occurred yesterday in Vienna have been extensively reported in to-day's Press. I have also received the official version of the events of yesterday, communicated verbally to the Diplomatic Corps in Vienna last night. A summary is as follows:
It appears that about 11 o'clock yesterday morning a hundred men wearing Austrian Army uniform seized the 1943 Federal Chancery and made prisoners of the three Ministers of the Austrian Government who were present, namely, the Chancellor, Major Fey and Herr Karwinsky. The Chancellor was shot twice at close quarters. Simultaneously the Radio Headquarters were seized and a broadcast given out to the effect that Dr. Dollfuss had resigned and that Herr Rintelen had taken his place as Chancellor. There was no truth in these statements. Regular troops,. who were quickly 'Drought on the scene, recaptured the radio building and surrounded the Federal Chancery.
Throughout the afternoon negotiations proceeded between the insurgents and the regular forces, Major Fey acting as intermediary. The insurgents requested a safe conduct to the German border and this was promised to them, provided the three Cabinet Ministers were released unharmed. The German Minister at Vienna took part in these negotiations. The insurgents finally evacuated the Federal Chancery about 7 p.m., but about an hour previously the Chancellor had died of his wounds.
I understand that the insurgents are now in custody, the safe conduct promised to them being treated as having lapsed by reason of the death of the Chancellor, and that the identity of those who actually fired on the Chancellor is known.
In spite of the temporary success of the insurgents in seizing the Federal Chancery and the radio station, they received no general support from the population either in Vienna or the provinces, where, according to our latest reports, everything is now under control.
I called on the Austrian Minister this morning to express on my own behalf, and on behalf of His Majesty's Government, our horror at this cowardly outrage and our sympathy with Dr. Dollfuss' relations. Baron Franckenstein informed me that he had heard officially from his Government that Dr. Dollfuss lived for a considerable time after he was shot and was allowed to bleed to death by his assassins, who refused him both medical and spiritual aid.
I may add that the attitude of this country as to the independence and integrity of Austria, in accordance with 1944 the relevant treaties, as stated in the declaration which I made on behalf of His Majesty's Government in February last, remains unchanged by these tragic events.
§ Sir AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINIs my right hon. Friend able to say if there is any information from the Italian Government which he can give to the House? There is a report in the papers of the movement of troops towards the Tyrolean frontier.
§ Sir J. SIMONNo, Sir. I think that I am right in saying that up to the present we have had no communication from the Italian Government. As my right hon. Friend will be aware, these matters happen very hurriedly, and I think that I am right in saying that Signor Mussolini is not in Rome.