How Germany's Annexation Of Austria Fueled Ww2

On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria, annexing the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. This event, known as the Anschluss, saw Austria become a part of Nazi Germany until April 27, 1945, when Allied-occupied Austria declared independence. The annexation was met with overwhelming support from the Austrian population, with 99.75% of voters approving the union with Germany in a referendum. However, it also sparked a wave of street violence against Jewish people and property, leading to the Kristallnacht riots and violence in November 1938.

The annexation of Austria by Germany in 1938

In the years leading up to the annexation, Austrian Nazis made two attempts to seize the Austrian government by force and unite with Nazi Germany. The first attempt was in July 1934, when a pro-Nazi group assassinated Austria's chancellor, Engelbert Dollfuss. However, the coup failed as the Austrian military leaders did not support it. The second attempt was in early 1938, when Austrian Nazis conspired to seize the government, leading Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg to meet with Hitler to reassert his country's independence. During this meeting, Hitler bullied Schuschnigg into naming several top Austrian Nazis to his cabinet.

On March 9, 1938, Schuschnigg called for a national plebiscite, or referendum, to resolve the question of the annexation once and for all. However, before the vote could take place, Schuschnigg gave in to pressure from Hitler and resigned on March 11. In his resignation address, he pleaded with Austrian forces not to resist a German "advance" into the country.

On March 12, German troops marched into Austria, accompanied by Hitler himself, and were met with enthusiastic crowds. Hitler appointed a new Nazi government, and on March 13, the annexation was officially proclaimed. Austria became a federal state of Germany and was referred to as the Ostmark, with Vienna, its capital, becoming the seat of the Nazi Party.

The annexation was widely popular in both Germany and Austria, with 99.75% of Austrian voters supporting the union in a plebiscite held on April 10, 1938. The international community did not intervene to stop the annexation or punish Nazi Germany for violating international treaties, which allowed Hitler to continue his expansionary policies unchecked.

The annexation of Austria had far-reaching consequences. It marked the beginning of Hitler's takeover of Europe and was followed by the occupation of the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia and the invasion of Poland, which marked the start of World War II. Additionally, the Nazification of Austria led to the persecution of the country's Jewish population, with Austrian Nazis carrying out violent attacks and implementing discriminatory policies.

The Austrian population's support for the annexation

The annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany, known as the Anschluss, was met with enthusiasm by most Austrians. On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria, where they were greeted by cheering crowds. The Austrian population's support for the annexation can be attributed to several factors, including genuine enthusiasm for unification, relief that bloodshed was avoided, improved economic conditions, and the desire to resolve the "Jewish Question."

Firstly, there was a genuine and spontaneous enthusiasm for unification among the Austrian population. The idea of a united Austria and Germany, or "Greater Germany," had strong support in both countries, particularly among Austrian citizens of the political left and center. Austrians felt a sense of solidarity with their German neighbours and believed in the concept of pan-Germanism, which advocated for the unification of all Germans into one state. This sentiment was further fuelled by Nazi propaganda campaigns, which utilized slogans such as "Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Führer" ("One People, One Empire, One Leader") to garner support for the Anschluss.

Secondly, the population was relieved that the annexation occurred without bloodshed. By avoiding a violent conflict, the Austrian people believed they had overcome the humiliations of 1918 and felt a sense of satisfaction and unity. Additionally, the presence of well-equipped German soldiers marching through the country evoked memories of wartime solidarity and a sense of strength and order.

Thirdly, the Austrian people hoped for improved economic conditions under Nazi rule. Hitler's economic achievements in Germany were well-known, and Austrians had good reason to believe that their own economic situation would improve as a result of the annexation. Austria, stripped of its imperial land after the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, faced economic crises and high unemployment rates. The unification with Germany was seen as an opportunity to gain access to Germany's resources and improve living conditions.

Finally, the annexation was supported by those who wanted to resolve the "Jewish Question." The antisemitic sentiment was widespread in Austria, and the unification with Germany provided an opportunity to persecute and marginalize the Jewish population. The new regime openly sanctioned persecution and Aryanization, which only enhanced its popularity among those who held antisemitic views.

It is important to note that the true extent of Austrian support for the annexation is difficult to determine due to the presence of Nazi propaganda and the suppression of opposition voices. While the official referendum results showed overwhelming support for the Anschluss, it is estimated that about 70% of Austrians would have voted to preserve Austrian independence if the vote had been truly free and fair.

The Nazi government in Austria

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, saw Austria become a part of Nazi Germany from March 13, 1938, until April 27, 1945, when Allied-occupied Austria declared independence.

Fearing a loss of independence, von Schuschnigg called for a national plebiscite to take place on March 13, 1938, to allow Austrians to decide on maintaining their nation's independence. However, before the vote could occur, Hitler decided to invade Austria to prevent it. On March 11, von Schuschnigg cancelled the plebiscite, offered his resignation to avoid bloodshed, and pleaded with Austrian forces not to resist the German advance.

Hitler accompanied the German troops into Austria on March 12, encountering no resistance and receiving an enthusiastic welcome from the crowds. He appointed a new Nazi government, with Arthur Seyß-Inquart as the new Chancellor, and on March 13, the annexation was officially proclaimed.

During the Nazi rule in Austria, the majority of the population supported the regime. Approximately 950,000 Austrians fought for the Nazi German armed forces during World War II, and many others participated in the Nazi administration, including death camp personnel and senior Nazi leadership. The antisemitism that was widespread in Austria even before the Nazi rule led to mass violence against Austrian Jews immediately after the German annexation.

While a small minority of Austrians actively resisted Nazism, the majority either supported or acquiesced to the regime. It was only in the 1990s that Austria as a nation began to acknowledge its collective responsibility for the crimes committed during the Nazi occupation and officially abandoned the "victim theory," which portrayed Austria as an unwilling victim of Nazi aggression.

The Soviet occupation of Austria

Austria was occupied by the Allies and declared independent from Nazi Germany on 27 April 1945. The country was divided into four occupation zones, jointly occupied by the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, the United States, and France. Vienna, too, was subdivided, with the central district under the collective administration of the Allied Control Council.

Soviet occupation policies in Austria were largely shaped by the Moscow Declaration of 1943, in which the British, Americans, and Soviets proclaimed that Austria was the first victim of Nazi aggression, though it would also have to pay the price for its participation in Nazi crimes. This declaration meant that Austria would eventually emerge as an independent state.

The Red Army occupied only parts of Austria, including the capital, Vienna. The Soviets treated Austria as a defeated Axis power, but also adhered to the line that it was a victim of Germany. This meant that Austria avoided losing any territory and Austrians were not expelled or deported for slave labour. The Western Allies also successfully opposed the Kremlin's plans to impose heavy war reparations on Austria. However, the Soviets were entitled to German assets in their zone of occupation, and local governments were obliged to feed and clothe the Red Army, which was an enormous burden.

The fact that Moscow did not try to impose a communist dictatorship in Austria meant that the scale of political violence experienced by Austrians was more limited than in other countries occupied by the Red Army. According to research by Harold Knoll and Barbara Stelzl-Marx, in the initial eight months of occupation, Soviet military tribunals arrested around 800 Austrian civilians. By 1955, when the Red Army pulled out of the country, the Soviets had arrested 2,400 Austrians, 1,250 of whom were prosecuted for crimes ranging from war crimes to everyday criminal activity. Some 150 were executed, while others received lengthy prison sentences.

The number of Soviet troops in Austria greatly diminished over time, from around 700,000 during the Vienna Strategic Offensive to 50,000 when the occupation ended in 1955. The frontline troops were placed under stricter control in encampments and barracks, and the occupation troops that remained were more disciplined and better trained, mostly from the NKVD. As the war turned into occupation, sexual relations between Soviet men and Austrian women became less violent and more transactional, and in many instances, consensual. According to historian Barbara Stelzl-Marx, there were around 8,000 so-called 'soldier's children' born in Austria between 1946 and 1953, though the real number may have been around 30,000.

In 1955, the Soviets pulled out of Austria, along with the Western Allies, in exchange for Austria's promises that it would remain neutral during the Cold War.

The Austrian resistance movement

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

One notable resistance group was led by the priest Heinrich Maier. This group sought to re-establish a Habsburg monarchy after the war and played a crucial role in providing the Allies with information on the production sites of V-1 and V-2 rockets, Tiger tanks, and aircraft. They also maintained contact with Allen Dulles, head of the U.S. OSS in Switzerland, and their intelligence contributed to key operations such as Operation Crossbow and Operation Hydra. The Maier group was also one of the first to report the mass murder of Jews, utilizing contacts at the Semperit factory near Auschwitz.

Another form of resistance was provided by individuals who risked their lives to aid and protect Jewish families during the Holocaust. These efforts included hiding individuals, managing or exchanging their property, and aiding their escape from Nazi persecution. Among these individuals were Rosa and Anton Stallbaumer, who were arrested by the Gestapo in 1942 and sent to concentration camps. Anton survived, but Rosa died at Auschwitz at the age of 44.

The Austrian resistance was also involved in the Battle of Castle Itter in May 1945, just days before Germany's unconditional surrender. They fought alongside troops of the 23rd Tank Battalion of the US 12th Armored Division and anti-Nazi German Army soldiers to defend the castle against an attacking force from the 17th Waffen-SS Panzer Grenadier Division.

Overall, the Austrian resistance movement played a courageous and significant role in opposing Nazi rule, even as large portions of Austrian society actively or tacitly supported the Nazi regime.

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