The area highlighted in purple in this map is the province of Voralberg, the westernmost state of Austria. However, culturally, the region has more in common with its Swiss neighbours to the west due to the fact that the two both speak the Alemannic dialect of German, as opposed to Austria’s typical Austro-Bavarian dialect.
Due to this cultural connection, after World War One there was a referendum put to the people of Voralberg, asking them whether they wished to cecede from the newly-created state of Austria and instead join the Swiss Confederation. 80% voted in favour of joining Switzerland, but due to intervention from the Austrian government, as well as the Allies, Swiss liberals, and Swiss of non-German extraction (fearing it would tip the scales in favour of the German-speaking populace even further) it was never implemented. Voralberg remains a part of the state of Austria to this day.
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