Austria's Defiance: Resisting Nazi Germany's Annexation

On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria to annex the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. This event, known as the Anschluss, was the culmination of a complex history between Austria and Germany, and it sparked a debate about the role of Austrians in the crimes of the Nazi regime. While some argue that Austria was a willing participant in the annexation, others contend that there was resistance and that the country was a victim of Nazi aggression.

The idea of a unified Austria and Germany, or Anschluss, had been proposed as early as the 19th century and gained support after World War I when Austria was stripped of its imperial land and faced an economic crisis. By the 1930s, the proposal had strong backing in both countries, especially among Austrian citizens of the political left and center. However, there was also opposition to the unification, particularly from the Austrofascist Fatherland Front, which controlled the Austrian government.

In the lead-up to the Anschluss, there were attempts by Austrian Nazis to seize power through a coup, which ultimately failed due to a lack of support from the Austrian military. Despite this, German Chancellor Adolf Hitler continued to pressure Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg to appoint members of the Austrian Nazi Party to his cabinet and give them full political rights. Facing a potential invasion, Schuschnigg called for a national plebiscite to decide the question of annexation once and for all. However, before the vote could take place, he succumbed to pressure from Hitler and resigned on March 11, 1938.

The next day, German troops crossed the border into Austria, encountering no resistance. Hitler himself accompanied the troops and was greeted by enthusiastic crowds in his birthplace of Braunau am Inn. The Austrian parliament formally approved the annexation, and Austria ceased to exist as a nation, becoming a province of Germany called Ostmark. A plebiscite held on April 10, 1938, recorded a vote of more than 99% in favour of the annexation.

While the Austrian state was a victim of Nazi aggression, many Austrians personally participated in the crimes of the Third Reich. Austrians were overrepresented in the SS, concentration camp personnel, and the leadership of the concentration camps. Additionally, anti-Semitism was deeply rooted in Austria, and the country had a significant Jewish population, making it a target for Nazi persecution. The degradation and expulsion of Austrian Jews became known as the Viennese model, which the Nazis later applied to other German-occupied countries.

Despite the complicity of some Austrians, there were also resistance efforts. The Austrian resistance was small but included both left-wing and conservative groups. During the war, tens of thousands of Austrians were arrested for political reasons, and many died in concentration camps or prisons. Additionally, a number of Austrians fought as Allied soldiers against the German army.

The Austrian chancellor's resistance

In early 1938, Schuschnigg became aware of a conspiracy by Austrian Nazis to seize the Austrian government and unite the nation with Nazi Germany. In response, he met with Nazi leader Adolf Hitler to try to reassert Austrian independence. However, Hitler bullied Schuschnigg into appointing several top Austrian Nazis to his cabinet, including Arthur Seyss-Inquart as Minister of Public Security.

To resolve the question of the Anschluss, Schuschnigg called for a national plebiscite, or vote, to be held on March 13, 1938. This vote would allow Austrians to decide for themselves whether they wanted their nation to remain independent or become part of the Third Reich. However, Hitler was determined to prevent this vote and demanded that Schuschnigg resign. Under pressure, Schuschnigg cancelled the plebiscite and offered to resign on March 11, pleading with Austrian forces not to resist a German invasion.

Despite Schuschnigg's pleas, Austrian forces did not resist the German advance. On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria, encountering no resistance. Hitler accompanied the troops and appointed a new Nazi government, with Seyss-Inquart as chancellor. On March 13, the Anschluss was officially proclaimed, and Austria became a province of Germany.

While Schuschnigg's efforts to resist the Anschluss ultimately failed, he was not alone in his resistance. The Austrian resistance movement, consisting of various groups with different ideological backgrounds, also opposed the Nazi annexation. These groups engaged in activities such as distributing anti-Nazi leaflets, providing aid to Jewish families during the Holocaust, and supplying intelligence to the Allies.

Hitler's invasion of Austria

On March 12, 1938, Hitler's invasion of Austria saw German troops march into the country to annex the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. This was the culmination of a conspiracy by Austrian Nazis to seize the Austrian government and unite with Nazi Germany.

In early 1938, Austrian Nazis, for the second time in four years, conspired to take control of the Austrian government by force. Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg, aware of the plot, met with Hitler in an attempt to reassert his country's independence. However, he was coerced into naming several top Austrian Nazis to his cabinet.

On March 9, Schuschnigg called for a national vote to settle the question of Anschluss, or "annexation," once and for all. Before the vote could take place, Schuschnigg gave in to pressure from Hitler and resigned on March 11. In his resignation address, under coercion from the Nazis, he pleaded with Austrian forces not to resist a German "advance" into the country.

Hitler accompanied German troops into Austria on March 12, where they were greeted by enthusiastic crowds. Hitler appointed a new Nazi government, and on March 13, the annexation was proclaimed. Austria existed as a federal state of Germany until the end of World War II, when the Allied powers declared the Anschluss void and re-established an independent Austria.

The invasion was justified by the Nazis, who claimed that Austria had descended into chaos and circulated fake reports of rioting and street fights caused by Communists. They also printed a phony telegram, supposedly from the new Austrian chancellor, stating that German troops were necessary to restore order.

The seizure of Austria demonstrated Hitler's aggressive territorial ambitions and the failure of Britain and France to take action against him for violating the Versailles Treaty. This emboldened him towards further aggression, including the targeting of Czechoslovakia and the dismantling of that country in 1939.

The Austrian public's response

There were several reasons for this support. Firstly, the union was a significant event, with the German chancellor invading Austria and bringing new promises from the Nazis. Secondly, Austria was very poor at the time, and people hoped for a dramatic improvement in their living conditions under Hitler. Thirdly, the sight of well-equipped German soldiers evoked a sense of satisfaction that the humiliations of 1918 had been overcome. Finally, many Austrians welcomed the Anschluss as a chance to put an end to the "Jewish Question". Indeed, anti-Semitism was even more deeply rooted in Austria than in Germany, and the country had a Jewish population of around 11%. As soon as German soldiers arrived in Vienna, there was an outbreak of anti-Semitic pogroms, with Jews being attacked and their property confiscated.

On the other hand, there were also Austrians who were devastated by the disappearance of their country and opposed the annexation. While the majority of the Austrian population initially welcomed Hitler, support for the Nazis waned over time. By 1941, only about a quarter to a third of Austrian voters in Vienna were in favour of the Anschluss, and in most rural areas, support was even lower. By the end of World War II, it is estimated that no more than one-third of Austrians had ever fully supported Nazism.

During the war, tens of thousands of Austrians were arrested for political reasons, and many died in concentration camps or prisons. Additionally, a number of Austrians fought as Allied soldiers against the German army. However, the Austrian resistance was hampered by the political antagonism that had weakened the First Republic of Austria between the two World Wars.

The Nazi government in Austria

Political Backdrop

Austria had been a part of the Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution in 1806 and was excluded from the German Confederation formed after the Austro-Prussian War in 1866. This exclusion caused tension between German Austrians and other ethnic groups, with many Austrians desiring a reunification with Germany.

In the aftermath of World War I, the Republic of German-Austria was established, and it attempted to unite with Germany. However, the Treaty of Saint-Germain and the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 forbade this union and stripped Austria of some of its territories. This left Austria in an economic crisis and with a sense of instability.

During the 1920s and early 1930s, support for unification with Germany grew, especially among Austrian citizens of the political left and center. However, the Austrofascist Fatherland Front, which controlled the Austrian government, opposed unification.

Rise of Nazism in Austria

Austrian-born Adolf Hitler, who had risen to power in Germany, sought to incorporate Austria into Nazi Germany as part of his "Heim ins Reich" concept. He cultivated pro-unification tendencies in Austria and worked to undermine the Austrian government. In 1934, Austrian Nazis assassinated Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss in a failed coup attempt. This led many leading Austrian Nazis to flee to Germany, where they continued their efforts.

In 1938, Austrian Chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg announced a referendum on the issue of unification, which was scheduled for March 13. However, under pressure from Hitler, Schuschnigg resigned on March 11, and German troops marched into Austria on March 12, unopposed by the Austrian military.

Establishment of the Nazi Government

Hitler appointed a new Nazi government in Austria, with Arthur Seyss-Inquart as Chancellor. On March 13, 1938, the annexation of Austria was officially proclaimed, and Austria became a province of Germany. A plebiscite held on April 10, 1938, showed 99.7% approval for the Anschluss, although there were allegations of coercion and voter manipulation.

The establishment of the Nazi government in Austria led to the persecution of Jews and the suppression of opposition. Social Democrats, Communists, and other dissenters were imprisoned or sent to concentration camps. The Aryanisation of Jewish wealth began immediately, and Jews were driven out of public life.

Aftermath

Austria remained a federal state of Germany until the end of World War II, when the Allied powers declared the Anschluss void and reestablished an independent Austria. The Second Republic was established, and efforts were made to come to terms with the country's Nazi past, although denazification was not as thorough as in Germany.

In recent years, far-right parties with roots in Nazi ideology have gained support in Austria, raising concerns about a resurgence of extremist ideologies.

The international response

Acceptance

The British government had made it known that it would not oppose the union of Austria with Germany. British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain reminded Parliament that their country had no treaty obligations with Austria.

Benito Mussolini, the leader of Italy, had publicly defended Austria’s independence but later supported Hitler.

Protest

The government of Mexico was the only one that did not accept the annexation and lodged a protest with the secretary-general of the League of Nations.

The United States followed the British and French policy of appeasement.

The Soviet Union demanded that the West should stop further German aggression and that the annexation should be handled by the League of Nations.

Winston Churchill, then a member of Parliament, disagreed with the British government's stance and declared:

> The gravity of the event of March 12 cannot be exaggerated. Europe is confronted with a program of aggression... unfolding stage by stage, and there is only one choice open, not only to us but to other countries who are unfortunately concerned—either to submit, like Austria, or to else take effective measures while time remains to ward off the danger and, if it cannot be warded off, to cope with it.

Plebiscite

On April 10, 1938, a plebiscite was held throughout greater Germany, asking whether voters supported the annexation of Austria into the Third Reich. The result was a vote of more than 99 percent in favour of Hitler. However, the validity of this plebiscite has been questioned due to the presence of officials directly beside the voting booths and the disenfranchisement of certain groups, such as former members of left-wing parties and Austrian citizens of Jewish or Romani origin.

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