Austria's Annexation: Why Did It Join Germany?

Austria and Germany have a shared history and culture, with German being the official language of both countries. In 1938, Austria was annexed into Germany by the Nazi regime, in what was known as the Anschluss, which means 'joining' or 'connection' in German. This was seen as a reunification, as the two countries had previously been part of the Holy Roman Empire, which was officially a German polity from 1512. The Anschluss was also the fulfilment of Hitler's desire to create a Greater German Reich that included all ethnic Germans.

Austria and Germany's shared history and culture

Austria and Germany share a long history, with both countries having been part of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation for several centuries, and ruled by the House of Habsburg. The Holy Roman Empire included the bulk of present-day Germany and Austria, as well as territories in the Czech Republic, Slovenia, northern Italy, and western Poland.

The Duchy of Bavaria, established by the Germanic Baiuvarii (ancient German Bavarians) in early history, included the March of Pannonia, which became Austria in c. 970. From 555 to 843, the Duchy of Bavaria was ruled by Francia of West Germanic Franks. From 843 to 962, Bavarian Austria was under East Francia (the Kingdom of Germany), before separating from the Duchy of Bavaria to become a sovereign state in 1156. From 1156 to 1806, Austria (excluding its non-German lands) and other German states were part of the Holy Roman Empire, which was officially a German polity from 1512 and mostly led by Austria.

In the 18th century, the Kingdom of Prussia rose as a rival power to Austria within the Holy Roman Empire, and the two nations fought a series of wars over the province of Silesia (in modern-day southwestern Poland). After the Holy Roman Empire's end during the Napoleonic Wars, Austria and Prussia allied against the French Empire but were unsuccessful. In 1804, Francis II, the Holy Roman Emperor, proclaimed the Austrian Empire as the remaining German states had become clients of Napoleon's French Empire.

After Napoleon's defeat in 1815, Austria created the German Confederation, which included Prussia, but the lack of a central government led to diplomatic tension between the two nations, each of which had different proposals for unifying the German states. Austria proposed a union centred on and dominated by the Habsburgs, while Prussia wanted to exclude Austria and become the central force in unification. This controversy, called dualism, dominated Prusso-Austrian diplomacy in the mid-19th century.

In 1866, the Austro-Prussian War ended in Prussia's victory, and Austria was excluded from the subsequent creation of the North German Confederation and the German Empire in 1871. The Austro-Hungarian Empire was established in 1867 and was militarily allied with the German Empire, but Austria was now focused on the Balkan Peninsula while Germany built up its armaments. In 1914, the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, facilitated the First World War. After the war, both empires fell, and Austria briefly renamed itself the Republic of German-Austria, seeking unification with Germany. However, this was forbidden by the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye in 1919, and Austria and Germany remained separate during the interwar period.

In 1938, Nazi Germany, led by Austrian-born Adolf Hitler, annexed Austria into Germany in what became known as the Anschluss. This was seen as a reunification, and a plebiscite held in April 1938 claimed 99.7% approval for the annexation, although the validity of this result has been questioned. During World War II, there was no serious effort to unite the two countries, and after the war, Austria claimed independence and developed a separate national identity from Germany.

Today, Germany and Austria continue to have close relations due to their shared history and culture, with German being the official language in both countries. They are each other's most important economic partners, with an annual trade volume of over 100 billion euros. German-Austrian cultural and academic exchange is intense and wide-ranging, with many conductors, orchestras, musicians, and other artists working in both countries. German publishing houses hold shares in Austrian media companies, and there are numerous co-productions in radio, television, and film. German and Austrian media provide extensive coverage of each other, leading to a great deal of overlap in public debate on various issues.

The Nazi regime's annexation of Austria

The annexation of Austria, also known as the Anschluss, was the first act of territorial aggression and expansion by the Nazi regime. It was also the first major step in Hitler's desire to create a Greater German Reich.

The idea of a united Austria and Germany, or Anschluss, was not new. It had been a subject of debate since the 19th century, and gained support after the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918. However, the Treaty of Saint Germain and the Treaty of Versailles, which ended World War I, expressly forbade the unification of Austria and Germany.

Hitler, an Austrian himself, had expressed his desire for a union between his birth country and Germany in his earliest writings and speeches. In his book, Mein Kampf, he wrote:

> German-Austria must return to the great German motherland...People of the same blood should be in the same REICH.

Hitler's rise to power in 1933 brought the desire for unification closer to reality. The Nazis cultivated pro-unification tendencies in Austria and sought to undermine the Austrian government, which was controlled by the Austrofascist Fatherland Front and opposed unification. In 1934, Austrian chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss was assassinated by Austrian Nazis in a failed coup attempt. This prompted many leading Austrian Nazis to go into exile in Germany, where they continued their efforts to unify the two countries.

In early 1938, Austrian chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg announced a referendum on a possible union with Germany, to be held on March 13. Hitler, portraying this as defying the popular will, threatened an invasion and pressured Schuschnigg to resign. On March 11, the day before the planned referendum, the German army crossed the border into Austria, unopposed by the Austrian military. Schuschnigg cancelled the referendum and resigned.

Hitler's troops were greeted by cheering Austrians with Nazi salutes, flags, and flowers. On March 13, Austrian Nazi Chancellor Arthur Seyss-Inquart, who had been appointed by Hitler, signed the "Reunification of Austria with Germany" law. Austria was now a province of Germany. A referendum was held on April 10 to ratify the annexation, with 99.7% of voters in favour.

The annexation of Austria was a significant breach of the post-World War I international order. The international community did not intervene to stop the Nazis or punish them for violating international treaties. This act of appeasement allowed Hitler to continue his expansionary policies unchecked.

The Austrian Nazi Party's attempted coup in 1934

The Austrian Nazi Party's attempted coup in July 1934, also known as the July Putsch, was a significant event in the lead-up to the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany in 1938. The coup was planned in Germany with Adolf Hitler's approval and assistance from German officials. On July 25, 1934, Austrian Nazis, along with German SS soldiers, attacked the Chancellery in Vienna, intending to overthrow the Austrofascist regime led by Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss. They were successful in assassinating Chancellor Dollfuss, but the coup ultimately failed due to a lack of support from the Austrian military and the population at large.

The putsch was carried out by 154 SS men, who disguised themselves as Austrian soldiers and policemen. They stormed the Chancellery and killed Dollfuss, while the rest of the government managed to escape. Another group of putschists seized control of the RAVAG radio building and falsely announced that power had been transferred to Anton Rintelen, a pro-Nazi member of the Christian Social Party. This was the signal for Nazis across Austria to begin their uprising. Fighting broke out in several regions, including Carinthia, Styria, Upper Austria, and Salzburg, with particularly bloody clashes occurring in Schladming, Leoben, and Enns.

However, the majority of Austrians remained loyal to the government, and the coup was swiftly crushed by police, military, and paramilitary units. Over 200 people were killed in six days of fighting, and dozens of death sentences were imposed on the rebels, with 13 executions carried out. The failed coup enraged Benito Mussolini, the dictator of Fascist Italy, who had been allies with Dollfuss. Mussolini moved troops to the Austrian border and warned Hitler against invading Austria, which likely contributed to the coup's failure.

The aftermath of the July Putsch saw Kurt Schuschnigg become the new Chancellor of Austria, continuing the Austrofascist policies of his predecessor. Thousands of Austrian Nazis were arrested, and the Nazi Party was further marginalized. However, the failed coup also highlighted the instability of the Austrofascist regime and set the stage for Hitler's eventual annexation of Austria in 1938, known as the Anschluss.

The Austrian chancellor's referendum proposal

The referendum was called in an attempt to put Schuschnigg's mind at rest. In the preceding years, Schuschnigg had been pressured by Hitler to accept Nazi ministers into his government. Despite calling for a plebiscite on unification, Schuschnigg had cancelled the vote. However, in early 1938, under increasing pressure from pro-unification activists, he announced the referendum would be held on 13 March.

Hitler was infuriated by the referendum proposal and threatened to invade Austria. He demanded that Schuschnigg resign and that Arthur Seyss-Inquart, a member of the Austrian Nazi Party, be appointed as his replacement. On 11 March, the day before the planned referendum, Hitler's ultimatum was delivered: Schuschnigg must hand over all power to the Austrian Nazis or face invasion.

Faced with this threat, Schuschnigg cancelled the referendum and informed Seyss-Inquart that the plebiscite would not go ahead. Schuschnigg also offered his resignation to avoid bloodshed, but this was not accepted until after midnight, when President Wilhelm Miklas resigned himself to the inevitable.

The referendum proposal was ultimately unsuccessful in preventing the unification of Austria and Germany. On 12 March 1938, German soldiers crossed the border into Austria, encountering no resistance. The next day, Austria's parliament formally approved the annexation. A later plebiscite, held on 10 April, showed 99.7% approval for the unification.

The Allies' response to the annexation

The annexation of Austria into Germany, known as the Anschluss, was met with a moderate response from the Allies. The Allies were committed to upholding the terms of the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of St. Germain, which specifically prohibited the unification of Austria and Germany. However, their reaction was only verbal and moderate, with no military confrontation taking place. The loudest verbal protest was voiced by the government of Mexico, while other strong voices against the annexation, such as Fascist Italy, France, and Britain, remained at peace.

In Britain, Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain noted that the British ambassador in Berlin objected to the use of "coercion, backed by force" that undermined Austria's independence. Chamberlain also acknowledged that nothing could have stopped the annexation unless his country and others were prepared to use force. Winston Churchill, then a member of Parliament, disagreed with Chamberlain and warned that it was time for countries to take "effective measures" to respond to Germany's aggression.

The lack of a strong response from the Allies emboldened Hitler towards further aggression. Following the annexation of Austria, Hitler targeted Czechoslovakia, provoking an international crisis that ultimately led to the Munich Agreement in September 1938, where Nazi Germany gained control of the Sudetenland region.

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