Population Survey of Solbad Hall (1945) – Demographic Structure after the Second World War

Historical Context ​

Following the end of the Second World War, Solbad Hall came under French military administration. In order to restore public administration, organize food supplies, and assess the consequences of Nazi rule, the occupation authorities carried out comprehensive population surveys during the summer of 1945. These records not only documented the size of the local population but also reflected the profound demographic changes caused by war, persecution, forced labor, displacement, and migration. The following statistical analysis is based on the population survey conducted by the French Military Authority on 20 July 1945 and provides valuable insight into the demographic composition of Solbad Hall in the immediate post-war period.

Statistical analysis by Elisabeth Walder based on the population survey conducted for the French Military Authority in Solbad Hall on 20 July 1945. The evaluation illustrates the demographic composition of the population in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War. Source: Hall in Tyrol City Archives (StAH), Miscellania collection.

Statistical Analysis 

The population survey of 20 July 1945 recorded a total of 9,420 inhabitants in Solbad Hall, illustrating the remarkably diverse demographic composition of the town immediately after the war.
At the Wiesenhof in Gnadenwald, 92 Jewish refugees and Displaced Persons (DPs) were registered. These individuals were Holocaust survivors or refugees awaiting repatriation or emigration to new countries.
Among the 325 persons classified as "foreigners" were primarily forced laborers and foreign civilian workers who were still present in Solbad Hall in July 1945 and whose repatriation had not yet been completed.
The category of 465 German nationals (Reichsdeutsche) comprised individuals who had moved from the German Reich to Solbad Hall during the National Socialist period.
The survey also recorded 1,019 South Tyrolean Optants—South Tyroleans who had chosen German citizenship under the 1939 Option Agreement and had subsequently been resettled to Tyrol or other parts of the German Reich during the war.
Furthermore, the statistics listed 1,379 members of the Nazi Party (NSDAP). This figure included residents of Solbad Hall and the municipality of Absam, which had been incorporated into Hall during the Nazi period.
Finally, the survey identified 250 members of the resistance. This group included both former forced laborers and foreign workers as well as resistance members from Hall in Tyrol and the surrounding communities of Absam, Mils, Gnadenwald, Tulfes, Volders, and Ampass. The figures demonstrate the broad regional character of the resistance movement and highlight the close cooperation between local resistance groups and foreign forced laborers during the final phase of the Second World War.

Historical Commentary ​

Displaced Persons (DPs)

The term Displaced Persons (DPs) was used by the Allied authorities after the Second World War to describe people who had been forced from their homes by war, persecution, deportation, or forced labor and who were unable or unwilling to return immediately to their countries of origin.
This group included

• Holocaust survivors,
• former concentration camp prisoners,
• forced laborers,
• prisoners of war,
• political refugees.

Several DP camps were established in Tyrol after the war. At the Wiesenhof in Gnadenwald, 92 Jewish Displaced Persons were registered in July 1945. Most were awaiting emigration to Palestine, the United States, or other countries under the supervision of the Allied military authorities and the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA).

read more: 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forced_displacement

rudolphina.univie.ac.at/en/displaced-persons-migration-in-the-post-war-period

Why were people classified as "Reichsdeutsche"?

The term Reichsdeutsche referred to citizens of the German Reich.
Following the annexation (Anschluss) of Austria in March 1938, many German civil servants, soldiers, police officers, party officials, and civilian workers moved from Germany to Austria.
The French Military Government recorded them separately because many had settled in Austria only during the Nazi period, and their legal status was subject to review after the war.

read more:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reichsdeutsche

Who were the South Tyrolean Optants?

The South Tyrolean Optants were the result of the 1939 Option Agreement negotiated between Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini.
German-speaking South Tyroleans had to choose whether to

• resettle to the German Reich (Optants), or
• remain in Italy (Dableiber) and accept continued Italian rule.

Many Optants moved to Tyrol or other parts of the German Reich during the war. Thousands were still living there in 1945 and were therefore recorded separately in post-war population surveys.

read more: 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Tyrol_Option_Agreement

Why were 1,379 NSDAP members listed?

After the liberation of Tyrol, the French Military Government introduced a comprehensive denazification program.
Former members of the Nazi Party (NSDAP) and its affiliated organizations were required to register with the occupation authorities and complete detailed questionnaires concerning their political activities.
The objective was to determine

• the position each individual had held during the Nazi regime,
• whether they had participated in Nazi crimes,
• whether they could remain in public employment.

Consequently, the figure of 1,379 NSDAP members does not indicate active political membership in July 1945. Rather, it represents former party members living in Solbad Hall and the incorporated municipality of Absam who had been officially registered by the French Military Government.

read more: 

www.historisches-lexikon-bayerns.de/images/e/e6/Artikel_46003_bilder_value_2_entnazifizierung_c.pdf

Denazification in Austria after 1945

Following the collapse of Nazi Germany, Austria implemented a comprehensive program of denazification based primarily on the Prohibition Act (Verbotsgesetz) of 8 May 1945, which outlawed the NSDAP and all its affiliated organizations.
Former Nazi Party members were investigated according to the extent of their political responsibility.

Major offenders

This category included

• senior Nazi Party officials,
• members of the SS and Gestapo,
• leading government officials,
• persons involved in Nazi crimes.

Many were interned, prosecuted before Austrian People's Courts (Volksgerichte), or permanently removed from public office.

Lesser offenders

These individuals had belonged to the Nazi Party but had not occupied leading positions.
Depending on their case, they could lose political rights temporarily, be dismissed from public service, fined, or later reinstated after review.

Followers (Mitläufer)

Many people had joined the NSDAP for professional or social reasons without exercising significant authority.
After registering with the occupation authorities and undergoing investigation, many were eventually allowed to return to civilian life.

People's Courts

Austria established special People's Courts (Volksgerichte) to prosecute Nazi crimes, including

• denunciations,
• abuse and ill-treatment,
• murder,
• participation in concentration camp crimes,
• Gestapo activities,
• war crimes.

Between 1945 and the early 1950s, these courts conducted tens of thousands of proceedings and played a central role in Austria's early confrontation with the National Socialist past.

read more: 

fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volksgericht

Population survey of Solbad Hall, 20 July 1945. The chart shows the percentage distribution of the total population, Jewish displaced persons (DPs), foreign nationals, German Reich citizens, South Tyrolean optants, NSDAP members, and members of the resistance.

Historical Commentary 

The pie chart illustrates the proportional distribution of selected population groups in Solbad Hall based on the population survey conducted by the French Military Authority on 20 July 1945. It demonstrates that the overwhelming majority of those recorded belonged to the local population while also highlighting the extraordinary demographic diversity that characterized the town in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War.
With 73%, the total local population represented by far the largest share of those recorded. In addition, 1% consisted of Jewish Displaced Persons (DPs)—Holocaust survivors awaiting repatriation or emigration. 2% were classified as Foreign Nationals, primarily former forced laborers and foreign civilian workers whose return to their home countries had not yet been completed. Another 3% were recorded as German Reich Citizens (Reichsdeutsche), individuals who had moved from the German Reich to Tyrol during the National Socialist period.
A significant 8% of those recorded were South Tyrolean Optants, German-speaking South Tyroleans who had relocated following the 1939 Option Agreement between Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy.
Particularly noteworthy is the 11% share of former NSDAP members. This figure reflects the comprehensive registration of known Nazi Party members carried out by the French Military Government as part of the denazification process and illustrates the extensive political influence of National Socialism on local society.
In contrast, 2% were identified as Resistance Members. Although comparatively small in number, this group included men and women from Hall in Tyrol and the surrounding communities, together with former forced laborers and foreign workers, who had actively opposed or resisted the National Socialist regime.
Overall, the chart provides a concise visual overview of the complex demographic composition of Solbad Hall in July 1945 and illustrates the profound social and political consequences of the Second World War during the first months of Allied occupation.

Summary

The population survey conducted by the French Military Authority on 20 July 1945 provides a unique insight into the demographic composition of Solbad Hall immediately after the end of the Second World War. The statistical analysis records not only the local population but also Jewish Displaced Persons, former forced labourers and foreign nationals, German Reich citizens, South Tyrolean Optants, registered former NSDAP members, and members of the resistance. The figures illustrate the profound social changes caused by National Socialist rule and highlight the complex challenges faced during the first months of Allied occupation. The charts are based on the original historical population survey and were scientifically analysed by Elisabeth Walder.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why did the French Military Authority conduct a population survey?

After the end of the Second World War, the French occupation authorities required accurate demographic information to organize civil administration, food distribution, housing, and the denazification process.

When was the survey compiled?

The original population survey was prepared on 20 July 1945 for the French Military Authority in Solbad Hall.

Why are former NSDAP members listed separately?

The registration of former Nazi Party members formed part of the Allied denazification programme, which sought to identify individuals who had participated in the National Socialist system.

Who were the South Tyrolean Optants?

South Tyrolean Optants were German-speaking inhabitants of South Tyrol who, following the 1939 Option Agreementbetween Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, opted for German citizenship and relocated to Tyrol or other parts of the German Reich.

Who were the Jewish Displaced Persons?

Jewish Displaced Persons were survivors of the Holocaust who remained in temporary accommodation after the war while awaiting repatriation or emigration.

Why are resistance members included in the survey?

The survey also documented individuals who had actively opposed the National Socialist regime or supported its collapse. Their inclusion highlights the role of the Austrian resistance in the immediate post-war period.

Who prepared the statistical analysis?

The historical statistical analysis and graphical presentation of the population survey were prepared by Elisabeth Walder.