Wikipedia
An Austrophile is somebody who is fond of Austrian culture and Austria in general but not born there. Historically it could be applied to the wider Austrian Empire, but since 1918, it has applied to the more limited boundaries of the modern nation-state of Austria. It was later sometimes taken as part of a wider Germanophile attitude and generally linked to the admiration of the Germanic culture of the German-speaking world or countries, mainly Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
In Britain, during the 18th century, there were a number of prominent Austrophiles, including Prime Minister Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Austrophiles sought an alliance with Austria against France. Opposed to the Francophiles, who saw French dominance in Europe as inevitable both culturally and militarily, they obtained the Anglo-Austrian Alliance.
The movement led to British support for the Austrian Empress Maria Theresa during the Austrian War of Succession. They were opposed by the Austrophobes, who tried to draw attention to Austria's perceived autocracy and suppression of Protestant minorities.
Category:Austrian culture Category:Austrian nationalism Category:Political ideologies Category:Admiration of foreign cultures