The Soviet Union was one of the four allied occupying powers in Austria after World War II. Its policies influenced the political reconstruction of the country and Austria’s development between1945 and 1955. This volume publishes documents from Russian archives, including orders by Stalin, Politburo decrees, reports of Soviet officers in Austria to the Central Committee of the CPSU, and correspondence between the leaders of the Austrian Communist Party and Stalin. The documents focus on Austria’s political development, its perception by Soviet officers and diplomats, and on the political intentions and measures taken by the Soviet occupation forces. All documents are published in the Russian original and in German translation.