October 26 marks the day that followed the day on which the last foreign troops left the Austrian territory. Therefore this day is celebrated as a National Day.
After the end of the WW II, Austria was occupied by the four Allied powers (Soviet Union, United States, Great Britain and France) and accordingly divided into four zones. The largest and richest of which was the Soviet section and included Vienna.
Schutzmantelmadonna, Zirl in Tirol
The Franciscan priest, Petrus Pavlicek /6 January 1902 in Innsbruck, Tirol, † 14 December 1982 in Vienna/, founded a prayer community with the name: The Atonement Crusade of the Rosary. He was inspired by information concerning the apparitions of Mary at Fatima in Portugal.
Atonement for the many offenses against God,
The conversion of sinners, and
Peace and the salvation of the world.
By 1950, 200,000 Austrians were daily praying the Rosary, and by 1955, there were 500,000, about 10% of the Austrian population.
In 1955, the Russians agreed to peaceably leave Austria, the only country which the Soviets ever voluntarily left, until glasnost took hold around 1990. It happened Apr. 13, exactly on the anniversary of apparitions at Fatima!
Today Petrus' work continues in Vienna Father Benno Mikocki and the newspaper "Betendes Gottesvolk".