Germany's Annexation Of Austria: Understanding The Occupation

On March 12, 1938, German troops invaded Austria, annexing the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. This event, known as the Anschluss, saw the unification of Austria and Germany to form a Greater Germany. The German army met no resistance as they crossed the border, and on March 13, Austrian chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg resigned, with Hitler appointing a new Nazi government. On March 15, Hitler arrived in Vienna and gave a speech officially declaring Austria part of the German Empire. A referendum was held on April 10 to legitimise the military action, with 99.7% of Austrian voters supporting the annexation.

The Anschluss

In the 1920s, the proposal for a union gained strong support in both Austria and Germany, particularly from Austrian citizens of the political left and center. However, popular support for the unification faded with 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 "Heim ins Reich" ("back home to the realm") concept.

In early 1938, Austrian chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg announced that there would be a referendum on a possible union with Germany, to be held on the 13th of March. Hitler, portraying this as defying the popular will, threatened an invasion and secretly pressured Schuschnigg to resign. On the 12th of March, a day before the planned referendum, the German army crossed the border into Austria, unopposed by the Austrian military.

Hitler arrived in Austria later that day, visiting his place of birth and his parents' grave. On the 15th of March, he gave a speech in Vienna and officially declared that Austria was now part of the German Empire. Austria had become a German province, renamed the Ostmark. A plebiscite was held on the 10th of April, which resulted in 99.7% approval for the Anschluss. However, the vote was not anonymous, and it is estimated that about 70% of Austrians would have voted to preserve Austrian independence.

The annexation of Austria was the Nazi German regime's first act of territorial aggression and expansion. It was widely popular in both Germany and Austria, but it resulted in an outburst of public violence against Austria's Jewish population. The Anschluss was a significant step in Hitler's desire to create a "Greater German Reich", and it demonstrated his aggressive territorial ambitions and disdain for the post-World War I European order.

Hitler's visit to Vienna

On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria to annex the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. The German army invaded Austria and was met with no resistance. Hitler arrived later that day and visited his birthplace and his parents' grave.

Hitler had a strong connection to Vienna, having lived there from 1908 to 1913. He moved to the city to attend the Academy of Fine Arts, but the school rejected him twice based on the unsatisfactory quality of his drawings. During his time in Vienna, Hitler encountered fervent antisemitism and began to doubt democracy. He was also a regular at Café Central, which was frequented by Leon Trotsky, who would later be assassinated by Joseph Stalin's orders in 1940.

On March 15, two days after the annexation, Hitler gave a speech in Vienna's Heldenplatz (Heroes' Square). He declared:

> "As Führer and Chancellor of the German Nation and the Reich, I report before history the entry of my homeland into the German Reich."

He was received enthusiastically by the crowd of around 200,000 to 250,000 people. However, it is important to note that many Austrians chose to stay home and did not participate in the celebrations.

Hitler stayed at the Hotel Imperial during his visit to Vienna in March 1938. The hotel has hosted other notable figures such as John Kennedy, Nikita Khrushchev, Richard Nixon, and Queen Elizabeth II.

On April 9, 1939, Hitler returned to Vienna to congratulate the Austrian people for voting in favour of the annexation. He participated in a military parade and gave a speech inside the City Hall.

The Austrian referendum

On the 12th of March 1938, German troops invaded Austria to annex the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. This event is known as the Anschluss, which translates to 'joining' or 'connection' in German. The idea of the Anschluss was to unite Austria and Germany to form a "Greater Germany".

In the lead-up to the invasion, Austrian chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg had planned a referendum to assert Austrian sovereignty, which was to be held on the 13th of March 1938. However, Germany invaded Austria on the 12th of March, the day before the referendum was to take place, in order to prevent the vote from taking place.

On the 10th of April, the Nazis organised a referendum to legitimise their military action. The ballot was not anonymous, and opponents did not dare to vote against. The official result was reported as 99.73% in favour, with a 99.71% turnout. However, it is estimated that about 70% of Austrians would have voted to preserve Austrian independence if the vote had been anonymous.

The referendum question was:

> 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?

After the referendum's approval, Austria was integrated as several administrative divisions into Nazi Germany.

The Austrian Nazi Party

The origins of Nazism in Austria are disputed, with some arguing that it emerged from the German-Czech conflict within the multi-ethnic Austrian Empire, while others see it as a precursor to German Nazism. The Austrian Nazi Party failed to win any seats in the 1930 general election, but its popularity grew after Adolf Hitler rose to power in Germany. The idea of a united Austria and Germany, forming a "Greater Germany," resonated with many Austrians, particularly those on the political left and center. The Austrian Nazi Party, however, resorted to terrorist tactics, targeting Austrian governmental institutions and causing a significant number of deaths and injuries.

In 1938, the Austrian Nazi Party conspired to seize power and unite Austria with Nazi Germany. Under pressure from Hitler, Austrian Chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg met with Hitler and was coerced into appointing top Austrian Nazis to his cabinet. Despite attempts to assert Austria's independence, Schuschnigg ultimately resigned on March 11, 1938, and was replaced by Arthur Seyss-Inquart, a supporter of the Nazis. On March 12, German troops marched into Austria, and Hitler accompanied them, receiving an enthusiastic welcome from the crowds. The annexation was complete, and Austria became a federal state of Germany until the end of World War II.

While the Austrian Nazi Party played a role in the unification efforts, it is important to note that the unification of Austria and Germany was a complex process influenced by various political, economic, and social factors. The idea of the Anschluss gained support due to economic crises and the belief that a union would provide economic stability. Additionally, propaganda campaigns and the suppression of opposition voices contributed to the outcome.

The Austrian resistance

The main cipher of the Austrian resistance was O5, in which "O" indicates the first letter of the abbreviation of Österreich (OE), and the "5" indicates the fifth letter of the German alphabet (E). This sign can be seen at the Stephansdom in Vienna.

In addition to armed resistance, numerous individuals provided support to Jewish families during the Holocaust, risking imprisonment or death in Nazi concentration camps. These efforts included hiding individuals, managing or exchanging their property, and aiding their escape from Nazi persecution.

Another notable resistance group was the Carinthian Slovenes, who formed a nucleus of the resistance after targeted deportations and forced Germanisation by the Nazi regime in 1942. As much of the Slovene Lands in Yugoslavia had been annexed to the Reich, their activities should be viewed in the context of the Yugoslavian Slovene Partisan operations.

Former Crown Prince Otto von Habsburg, who would have been Kaiser of Austria had the monarchy been reestablished, was a prominent figure in the Austrian resistance. He strongly opposed the Anschluss and requested Austrian Chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg to resist Nazi Germany. Following the German annexation, Otto was sentenced to death by the Nazi regime, but he managed to escape and helped around 50,000 Austrians, including tens of thousands of Austrian Jews, flee the country.

Overall, the Austrian resistance was diverse and ideologically varied, reflecting the political landscape of the country before the war. Despite the risks and challenges, they actively opposed Nazi rule and contributed to the liberation of Austria from fascist oppression.

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