Styria (duchy)

The Duchy of Styria (German: Herzogtum Steiermark) was a duchy of the Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution in 1806, and a crownland of Austria-Hungary until its dissolution in 1918. This mountainous and scenic region, which became a center for mountaineering in the 19th century, is often called the "green march", because half of the area is covered with forests and one quarter with meadows, grasslands, vineyards and orchards. Styria is also rich in minerals, soft coal and iron, which has been mined at Erzberg since the time of the Romans. The Windisch Buheln is a famous Austrian wine-producing district. Styria was for long the most densely-populated and productive mountain region of Europe.

20th century

Following World War I, Styria was divided in the Treaty of Saint Germain. Lower Styria with the cities of Celje and Maribor became part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, while the rest remained with Austria. Other than in Carinthia, no fighting resulted from this, in spite of minority populations on both sides (the larger cities of Lower Styria were largely German-speaking).

Related Topics:
World War I - Treaty of Saint Germain - Lower Styria - Celje - Maribor - Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes - Carinthia

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Lower Styria was reattached to the Reichsgau Styria from 1942 to 1945, when it was returned to Yugoslavia. Today, it makes up about the eastern third of Slovenia.

Related Topics:
Reichsgau - 1942 - 1945 - Yugoslavia - Slovenia

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