Austria's Alliance With Germany In World War Ii

On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria to annex the country for the Third Reich. The annexation, known as the Anschluss, was met with enthusiasm by most Austrians, who supported the unification of all German-speaking peoples into one country. The next day, Austria was incorporated into Germany, and on March 13, the Anschluss was officially proclaimed.

Austrian Nazis had long conspired to unite their nation with Nazi Germany, and Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg attempted to maintain his country's independence by meeting with Hitler. However, he was coerced into naming Austrian Nazis to his cabinet and eventually resigning. A referendum on the annexation was planned for March 13, but it never took place. Instead, a manipulated plebiscite was held in April, showing overwhelming support for the union.

During World War II, hundreds of thousands of Austrians fought as German soldiers, and many served in the SS. Austrians also played a significant role in the Holocaust, with many serving as camp personnel and members of the Nazi leadership. The Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria was the main Nazi camp in the country, and thousands of prisoners were worked to death there.

After the war, the idea that Austria was Hitler's first victim gained traction, and the country was treated more leniently than Germany during the denazification process.

Austria's annexation by Germany

Background to the Annexation:

The idea of unifying Austria and Germany, or the Anschluss, emerged after the 1871 unification of Germany, which excluded Austria. This proposal gained support, especially among Austrian citizens of the political left and centre, due to Austria's economic struggles after losing its imperial lands.

Rise of Nazism in Austria:

Austrian nationalism and support for unification with Germany were exploited by the Nazis, for whom the incorporation of ethnic Germans outside Germany was integral. The Austrian Nazi Party, though initially unsuccessful, gained popularity after Hitler rose to power in Germany. Their propaganda campaign, using slogans like "One People, One Empire, One Leader," contributed to the growing desire for unification.

Attempts at Annexation:

Austrian Nazis attempted to seize power through a coup in 1934, resulting in the assassination of Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss. This failed coup forced leading Austrian Nazis into exile in Germany, where they continued their efforts. In 1938, Austrian Chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg faced increasing pressure from pro-unification activists and called for a referendum on unification, scheduled for March 13.

Hitler's Invasion:

Hitler threatened to invade Austria if the referendum proceeded and demanded Schuschnigg's resignation. On March 11, 1938, the German Army crossed the border into Austria, unopposed. The next day, Hitler entered Austria with German troops, greeted by cheering crowds. A plebiscite held on April 10, 1938, approved the annexation with 99.7% approval, though it's estimated that about 70% of Austrians would have voted to preserve independence.

Aftermath of the Annexation:

Austria became a federal state of Germany, officially part of the German Reich, until the end of World War II. During this period, Austrians actively participated in the Nazi regime, with many serving in the Wehrmacht and the SS. The majority of bureaucrats who implemented the Final Solution were Austrian, and the Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp in Austria was one of the largest.

The annexation demonstrated Hitler's aggressive territorial ambitions and the failure of Britain and France to take action. It set the stage for further aggression, with Hitler targeting Czechoslovakia and provoking an international crisis that led to the Munich Agreement in 1938.

In summary, Austria's annexation by Germany was a complex and controversial event, shaped by political ideologies, economic factors, and power struggles in the lead-up to World War II. It had significant consequences for both countries and contributed to the escalation of conflict in Europe.

Austrians in the Nazi Party

Austrians played a significant role in the Nazi Party, both before and after the annexation of their country in 1938.

The Emergence of Austrian Nazism

Austrian Nazism, or Austrian National Socialism, emerged as a pan-German movement in the early 20th century. The German Worker's Party (DAP) was established in Austria in 1903, advocating for German nationalism and anti-clericalism. The party later changed its name to the German National Socialist Workers' Party (DNSAP) and adopted the swastika as its symbol in 1920.

The Austrian Nazi Party

The Austrian Nazi Party was initially weak, divided, and ineffective in the late 1920s and early 1930s. However, by 1931, the bulk of Austrian Nazis recognised Hitler as their leader. Despite facing suppression under the rule of Engelbert Dollfuss, who banned the party in 1933, the Austrian Nazis gained supporters as Hitler's popularity in Germany rose.

The Annexation of Austria

Austrian Nazis played a crucial role in the annexation of their country by Nazi Germany in 1938, known as the Anschluss. They conspired to seize the Austrian government and unite with Nazi Germany, leading to a failed coup attempt in July 1934. After the resignation of Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg under pressure from Hitler, German troops entered Austria on March 12, 1938, and were met with enthusiasm by the Austrian population.

Austrians in the Nazi Regime

Once Austria became part of Nazi Germany, many Austrians participated in the Nazi administration and the war effort. Austrians held prominent positions in the Nazi regime, including Adolf Hitler himself, who was born in Austria. Austrians were overrepresented in the SS, the elite military corps of the Nazi Party, and hundreds of thousands of Austrians fought as German soldiers during World War II.

The Holocaust and Austrian Perpetrators

Austrians were also disproportionately represented among perpetrators of the Holocaust. According to scholars, Austria represented about 8% of the population of the Third Reich but provided about 13% of the SS, 40% of concentration camp personnel, and up to 70% of concentration camp commanders. The majority of bureaucrats who implemented the Final Solution were Austrian.

Resistance and Exile

It is important to note that not all Austrians supported the Nazi regime. A small minority actively participated in the resistance against Nazism, and from March to November 1938, 130,000 people managed to escape from Austria.

Austrian resistance to Nazism

Austria was part of Nazi Germany from 13 March 1938 until 27 April 1945, when Allied-occupied Austria declared independence. During this time, 950,000 Austrians fought for the Nazi German armed forces, and many others participated in the Nazi administration, from death camp personnel to senior Nazi leadership. However, a small minority of Austrians actively participated in the resistance against Nazism.

The Austrian resistance was launched in response to the rise of fascism across Europe and, more specifically, to the annexation of Austria by Germany in 1938. An estimated 100,000 people participated in this resistance, with thousands subsequently imprisoned or executed for their anti-Nazi activities. The main cipher of the Austrian resistance was O5, where the 5 stands for E and OE is the abbreviation for Österreich with Ö as OE. This sign may be seen at the Stephansdom in Vienna.

The Austrian resistance groups were often ideologically separated and reflected the spectrum of political parties before the war. In addition to armed resistance groups, there was a strong communist resistance group, groups close to the Catholic Church, Habsburg groups, and individual resistance groups in the German Wehrmacht. Most resistance groups were exposed by the Gestapo, and the members were executed.

One of the most spectacular individual groups of the Austrian resistance was the one led by the priest Heinrich Maier. This very successful Catholic resistance group wanted to revive a Habsburg monarchy after the war and passed on plans and production facilities for V-2 rockets, Tiger tanks, and aircraft to the Allies. The intelligence they provided, later uncovered by the Gestapo, was necessary to enable the Allies to conduct precise airstrikes and minimize civilian casualties. The group also maintained contact with Allen Dulles, the head of the U.S. OSS in Switzerland, and their information contributed to key operations such as Operation Crossbow and Operation Hydra, both precursors to Operation Overlord. The Maier group was also one of the earliest to report the mass murder of Jews, utilizing contacts at the Semperit factory near Auschwitz.

Another notable resistance group was the Austrian Freedom Front, a partisan group led by the Communist leader Franz Honner and supported by the USSR. By the end of the war, the Austrian Freedom Front had become the only armed movement in Austria.

Resistance was also seen in the military, with a resistance group within the Wehrmacht led by Major Carl Szokoll, which planned "Operation Radetzky" to assist the Red Army in liberating Vienna and prevent major destruction. However, the operation was betrayed, and Robert Bernardis, Heinrich Kodré, Karl Biedermann, Alfred Huth, and Rudolf Raschke were sentenced to death and executed.

Overall, the Austrian resistance to Nazism was small but significant, with a diverse range of groups and individuals working to oppose the Nazi regime and assist the Allies during World War II.

Austrian Jews under Nazi rule

On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria, annexing the country for the Third Reich. The annexation, known as the Anschluss, was met with enthusiasm by most Austrians, who supported the union with Germany. However, for Austrian Jews, the annexation marked the beginning of a period of persecution and violence.

Prior to the Anschluss, Jews played an important role in Austria's economic and cultural life, with leading figures in various fields. In 1938, there were about 192,000 Jews in Austria, comprising almost 4% of the total population. The majority of Austrian Jews lived in Vienna, which was a significant centre of Jewish culture, Zionism, and education.

Following the German annexation, anti-Jewish legislation was immediately extended to Austria, and Jews were subject to discriminatory laws and public humiliation. They were barred from public transport, forced to wash sidewalks and toilets, and prohibited from certain professions. Jewish organisations and newspapers were shut down, and their leaders imprisoned. The widespread anti-Semitism in Austria led to the degradation and exile of the Austrian Jewish community, in what became known as the "Viennese model".

The Kristallnacht pogroms in November 1938 were particularly brutal in Austria. Synagogues were desecrated and destroyed, Jewish homes and businesses were looted, and thousands of Jews were arrested and deported to concentration camps. The Mauthausen concentration camp, established in 1938 near Linz, became the main Nazi camp in Austria, where thousands of prisoners were worked to death.

The deportation of Austrian Jews to death camps began in February 1941 and continued until March 1945. As a result of the Holocaust, an estimated 60,000 to 65,000 Austrian Jews were murdered, with fewer than 800 surviving until the liberation of Vienna by Soviet troops in April 1945. The persecution and extermination of Jews by German and Austrian Nazis resulted in a massive loss of life and a forced exodus of refugees.

Austrian war criminals

Austria was part of Nazi Germany from 13 March 1938 until 27 April 1945, when Allied-occupied Austria declared independence from Nazi Germany. During this time, many Austrians fought for the Nazi German armed forces, and others participated in the Nazi administration, from death camp personnel to senior Nazi leadership.

Adolf Hitler

Hitler was a German-Austrian Nazi dictator and leader. He was born in Austria and was the first Nazi Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945 and Führer from 2 August 1934 to 30 April 1945.

Ernst Kaltenbrunner

Kaltenbrunner replaced Reinhard Heydrich in January 1943 as the leader of the Reich Security Main Office (RSHA). He was promoted to SS-Brigadeführer and was the leader of the SS-upper section in Austria. He was sentenced to death at the Nuremberg trials in 1946.

Arthur Seyß-Inquart

Seyß-Inquart was an Austrian Nazi who, after the resignation of Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg, formed a new government as Hitler demanded. He completed the Anschluss (union) of Austria and Germany and was appointed the Reich Governor of Vienna and later the Reich Protector of Bohemia and Moravia. He was executed for war crimes in 1946.

Odilo Globocnik

Globocnik was an Austrian-born Nazi and SS leader. He was responsible for supervising the building of four extermination camps in Poland: Belzec, Sobibor, Treblinka, and Majdanek. He is thought to be responsible for the murder of about 2 million Polish Jews. After being captured, he committed suicide by consuming cyanide.

Ernst Kaltenbrunner

Kaltenbrunner replaced Heydrich in January 1943 as the leader of the Reichssicherheitshauptamt (RSHA). He was sentenced to death at the Nuremberg trials in 1946.

Amon Goeth

Goeth was an Austrian SS functionary and commandant of the Kraków-Płaszów concentration camp. After the war, he was convicted of homicide and executed by hanging.

Alois Brunner

Brunner was an Austrian SS officer with the rank of SS-Hauptsturmführer (captain) during World War II. He played a significant role in the implementation of the Holocaust by deporting over 100,000 European Jews to ghettos and concentration camps in eastern Europe. He was known as the right-hand man of Adolf Eichmann, the chief architect of the Final Solution. Brunner evaded capture and assumed various false identities before fleeing to Syria, where he remained until his death. He was tried and sentenced to death in absentia in France in 1954, later commuted to life imprisonment.

Adolf Eichmann

Eichmann was a Nazi lieutenant colonel and one of the chief organisers of the Holocaust. He was captured in Argentina in 1962 and taken to Israel, where he was tried and hanged for crimes against humanity.

Austrian Resistance

It is worth noting that while a vast majority of Austrians supported the Nazis, there was a small but not negligible Austrian resistance movement. This movement was hampered by the political divide between left-wing and conservative groups, which blocked cooperation between Austrian émigrés and resistance groups inside the country.

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