Austria's Hitler: Elected Or Opportunist?

On March 12, 1938, German troops invaded Austria, unopposed by the Austrian military. The following day, Adolf Hitler arrived in his birthplace and declared Austria a province of the German Empire. A referendum was held on April 10, 1938, to legitimise the military action, with 99.7% of voters approving the Anschluss. However, the referendum was a sham, with political opponents and Austrian citizens of Jewish or Romani origin—around 360,000 people—being barred from voting. The ballot was not secret, and the yes option was placed in the centre of the paper and was much larger than no. Austrians who opposed the Anschluss did not dare to vote against it.

The Anschluss

By the 1920s, the proposal for a union had strong support in both Austria and Germany, particularly from Austrian citizens of the political left and centre. However, this popularity faded over time. After Adolf Hitler rose to power in 1933, the desire for unification became associated with the Nazis, for whom it was an integral part of their ideology.

In early 1938, Austrian chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg announced a referendum on a possible union with Germany, to be held on 13 March. Hitler threatened an invasion and pressured Schuschnigg to resign. On 12 March, the German army crossed the border into Austria, unopposed by the Austrian military. A plebiscite was held on 10 April, which resulted in 99.7% approval for the Anschluss. However, the vote was not secret, and it is estimated that about 70% of Austrians would have voted to preserve Austrian independence.

The referendum

On the 10th of April 1938, a referendum was held in German-occupied Austria to legitimise the country's military action. The official result showed that 99.73% of voters were in favour of the Anschluss, with a 99.71% turnout. However, it is important to note that the referendum was manipulated and not an honest reflection of the Austrian population's true opinions.

Firstly, the referendum question was designed to be leading: "Do you agree with the reunification of Austria with the German Reich that was enacted on 13 March 1938 and do you vote for the party of our leader Adolf Hitler?". The ballot paper also had a large circle for 'yes' votes and a small one for 'no' votes, which has been described as a nudge technique.

Secondly, the referendum was subject to large-scale Nazi propaganda. A propaganda campaign encouraged people to vote for the Anschluss, with slogans such as "Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Führer" ("One People, One Empire, One Leader"). The ballots were also not secret, and people had to vote under the supervision of campaign workers, which may have pressured them to vote yes.

Thirdly, the voting rights of around 360,000 people, or 8% of the Austrian population, were abrogated. Political enemies (communists, socialists, etc.) and Austrian citizens of Roma or Jewish origin were not allowed to vote.

Finally, the secrecy of the ballot was non-existent in practice. Many people marked the ballot paper in front of the campaign workers to avoid being suspected of voting against the Anschluss.

Given these factors, it is not surprising that the referendum resulted in such an overwhelming majority for the Anschluss. However, it is important to note that this result does not accurately reflect the true will of the Austrian people. According to some estimates, in a fair referendum, only about 20% of the Austrian population would have supported the Anschluss.

The invasion

On the morning of 12 March 1938, the German army invaded Austria. The previous day, Heinrich Himmler and several Schutzstaffel (SS) officers had landed in Vienna to arrest prominent representatives of the First Republic, such as Richard Schmitz, Leopold Figl, Friedrich Hillegeist, and Franz Olah.

The Austrian government had planned a referendum to assert its sovereignty for 13 March 1938, but Germany invaded the day before to prevent the vote from taking place. The German army crossed the border unopposed by the Austrian military. That afternoon, Hitler, riding in a car, crossed the border at his birthplace, Braunau am Inn, with a 4,000-man bodyguard. In the evening, he arrived in Linz to an enthusiastic welcome.

Hitler's journey through Austria became a triumphal tour that climaxed in Vienna on 15 March 1938, when around 200,000 cheering German Austrians gathered around the Heldenplatz (Square of Heroes) to hear him speak. Hitler declared that Austria was now a province of the German Empire, and that "the oldest eastern province of the German people shall be, from this point on, the newest bastion of the German Reich".

On 10 April, a referendum was held to legitimise the military action. More than 99% of the Austrian population voted in favour of the Anschluss, or unification with Germany. Opponents did not dare to vote against, as the vote was not anonymous. "Yes" was placed in the centre of the paper and was much larger than "No", and voters had to cast their ballot under the supervision of campaign workers.

The takeover allowed the Austrian Nazis to flaunt their antisemitism. They visited Jews at home, robbed them, and smashed their furniture. In Vienna, Nazis forced Jews to scrub pro-Austrian slogans off the streets. Many Jews tried to flee, and others committed suicide. In two weeks, more than 200 Viennese Jews took their own lives.

The Austrian Nazi Party

In 1938, Austrian chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg announced a referendum on the possible union with Germany, which was scheduled for 13 March. However, Hitler threatened an invasion and pressured Schuschnigg to resign. On 12 March 1938, the German army invaded Austria, and Hitler arrived later that day. On 15 March, Hitler officially declared that Austria was now part of the German Empire, and Austria became a German province known as the Ostmark.

A sham referendum was held on 10 April 1938 to legitimise the military action and annexation. The ballot was not secret, and opponents dared not vote against the annexation. The official result reported 99.73% in favour of the union, with a 99.71% turnout. However, it is estimated that in a fair referendum, the annexation would have been supported by only about 20% of the Austrian population.

The Austrian response

On the other hand, there was also significant opposition to the idea of unification with Germany, especially from the Austrofascist Fatherland Front, which controlled the Austrian government and opposed unification. Additionally, many Austrian socialists and left-wing circles vehemently opposed the Anschluss, seeing it as a threat to Austria's independence and sovereignty.

In the lead-up to the annexation, Austrian Chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg attempted to preserve Austria's independence by announcing a referendum on the issue, to be held on March 13, 1938. However, this referendum was ultimately cancelled due to pressure and threats from Hitler, who invaded Austria with German troops on March 12, 1938.

During the annexation, many Austrians cheered and welcomed the German troops, waving Nazi flags and giving Nazi salutes. This enthusiasm surprised both Nazis and non-Nazis, as it had been believed that a majority of Austrians opposed the Anschluss. However, it is important to note that the plebiscite held after the annexation was manipulated and coerced, with opponents too intimidated to vote against it.

In the years following the annexation, Austrians had mixed reactions to the Nazi regime. While some Austrians collaborated with the Nazis and participated in the persecution of Jews and other minority groups, others resisted and aided Jews, with some even counted as Righteous Among the Nations. Overall, it is difficult to generalize the Austrian response to Hitler, as there were varying degrees of support, opposition, and complicity within the population.

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