How a Liberal Austrian Newspaper Once Served as a Conduit for Cold War Intelligence

Entertainment · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Die Presse is a cornerstone of Austrian journalism, branding itself as a champion of free markets since 1848. Yet, its history is far more complex than its liberal slogan suggests, involving unexpected contributors like Karl Marx and allegations of covert collaboration with the CIA during the height of the Cold War.

Founded in Vienna on July 3, 1848, by entrepreneur August Zang, Die Presse emerged as a liberal-bourgeois voice during a period of revolutionary upheaval. This legacy remains central to its identity, captured in the slogan 'Free since 1848.' The publication has navigated significant turbulence, including a major staff fracture in 1864 that led to the creation of the Neue Freie Presse. Following the devastation of the Second World War, resistance fighter Ernst Molden revived the paper in 1946, drawing on his extensive experience as a former editor of the defunct Neue Freie Presse.

The paper’s ideological trajectory is distinct within the Austrian media landscape. It maintains a classical liberal stance, prioritizing free-market principles and limited government intervention, which often places it at odds with the country's traditional neocorporatist political structures. This positioning distinguishes it from other quality dailies like Der Standard or the Wiener Zeitung. Curiously, its archives hold unexpected intellectual artifacts; during the early 1860s, the publication hosted a series of dispatches regarding the American Civil War authored by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, which were subsequently compiled into a notable volume.

The institution has faced its share of controversy and financial instability. By the 1960s, it required support from the Austrian Chamber of Commerce to remain solvent, and since 1999, it has been under the ownership of Styria Medien AG, a media group established by the Catholic Church. Perhaps most startling are the 2009 allegations regarding its Cold War activities. Reports suggested that long-time editor Otto Schulmeister maintained ties with the CIA, and internal agency documents from 1951 allegedly labeled the paper as subsidized. During that era, the publication was reportedly utilized to circulate George Orwell’s Animal Farm within the Soviet-occupied zone of Vienna, highlighting the paper's role as a silent participant in geopolitical influence campaigns.

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