Explore the 1948 Exhibition: Women's Rights & Equal Cigarette Rationing in Austria

This historical account details the post-World War II cigarette rationing system in Austria, where men received twice the ration allocated to women. It highlights the legal and political challenges women faced in seeking equal treatment, culminating in a parliamentary decision in 1948 to grant equal rations.

Following World War II, Austria faced significant supply shortages, leading to rationing of essential goods, including cigarettes. Initially, men aged 18-65 received a 'M(en)'s smoker card' for 40 cigarettes monthly, while women aged 25-55 received a 'F(emale)'s smoker card' for only 20 cigarettes. This discriminatory allocation mirrored and intensified pre-existing inequalities. Two Viennese women, Frieda Schöberl and Hildegard Suscher, challenged this system in 1947 by lodging complaints with the Constitutional Court, arguing for equal 'M-smoker cards'. The court rejected their appeals, citing a greater need for tobacco among men. Concurrently, the unequal distribution was a topic of parliamentary debate since February 1946, with promises to rectify the situation once tobacco imports increased. By March 29, 1948, with improved foreign imports, women began receiving the same tobacco ration as men, thus resolving the supply disparity.