Hitler's Austrian Attack: What Happened And Why?

On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria to annex the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. This event is known as the Anschluss, which translates to connection or joining in German. The annexation of Austria was the first act of territorial aggression and expansion by Nazi Germany, violating the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint-Germain, which expressly forbade the unification of Austria and Germany. The invasion was led by none other than Adolf Hitler, who was born in Austria and had written about his desire to unite all Germans in a Greater Germany in his 1925 book, Mein Kampf.

Hitler's Mein Kampf foreshadowed the annexation of Austria

Hitler's annexation of Austria, known as the Anschluss, was foreshadowed in his 1925 book, Mein Kampf. In the book, Hitler wrote about his country of birth, Austria, stating that "German-Austria must return to the great German motherland". He went on to say that even if the union were economically unimportant or even harmful, it should nevertheless be brought about because "common blood belongs in a common Reich". Hitler's nationalist ideas, which he picked up at a young age, were further reflected in his book when he wrote about acquiring foreign soil and territory once all Germans were united in one common state.

Hitler's desire for an Austro-German union was also evident in his earliest speeches and the Nazi Party Platform of 1920, which stated: "We demand the union of all Germans in a Greater Germany". In Mein Kampf, Hitler wrote that he would create a union between Austria and Germany by any means possible. This was further reinforced in a 1921 essay, where he argued that the German Reich's task was to incorporate German-Austrians into the Empire and dethrone the Habsburgs.

Hitler's plans for Austria were not just limited to rhetoric. In 1933, he was appointed Chancellor of Germany, and he fully intended to bring about an Austro-German union. However, it wasn't until 1938 that Hitler's plans came to fruition. On March 11, 1938, Hitler gave the Austrian government a series of ultimatums, demanding that Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg cancel a planned plebiscite on Austrian independence and resign. Hitler's demands were met, and the next day, German soldiers crossed the border into Austria, encountering no resistance. On March 13, the annexation of Austria was formally approved, and Austria became a province of Germany.

The annexation of Austria was a significant step in Hitler's desire to create a Greater German Reich and was the first major act of territorial aggression by Nazi Germany. It foreshadowed Hitler's aggressive foreign policy and expansionist ambitions, which would later lead to the invasion of Czechoslovakia and the start of World War II in 1939.

The Austrian chancellor was forced to resign

On March 11, 1938, Austrian Chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg was forced to resign by Adolf Hitler, who issued a series of ultimatums: Schuschnigg must cancel the upcoming plebiscite on Austrian independence, resign as chancellor, and Austrian President Wilhelm Miklas must appoint Austrian Nazi Arthur Seyss-Inquart as the new chancellor.

Hitler's demands came after Schuschnigg had attempted to assert Austrian independence by calling a plebiscite, which was scheduled for March 13, 1938. Hitler was infuriated by this move and decided to act.

Hitler's ultimatums were accompanied by a threat of military invasion. That evening, Schuschnigg announced his resignation on the radio, instructing Austrians and the Austrian military not to resist German troops if they invaded. He was unwilling to fight a war or spill blood for Austrian independence.

Within minutes of Schuschnigg's resignation, swastika armbands and flags appeared on the streets. Austrian Nazis now had free rein to attack their political opponents and Jews without fear of repercussions. They seized power in government buildings and dominated the streets with torchlight parades, chants, and salutes to Hitler.

Schuschnigg remained in Vienna, where he was placed under house arrest. The following day, March 12, President Miklas reluctantly appointed Seyss-Inquart as chancellor of Austria. This was a domestic change of power brought about by external pressure from Nazi Germany, but it was not enough for Hitler, who sent German troops across the border early that morning. They were not met with armed resistance but were welcomed with cheers and flowers.

On March 13, Austrian Nazi Chancellor Seyss-Inquart signed the "Reunification of Austria with Germany" law, formally incorporating Austria into Nazi Germany. This gave the annexation the appearance of legality. Austria was now a province of Nazi Germany, and the Nazis set about erasing any traces of a separate Austrian identity.

The Anschluss, or annexation, of Austria was the first act of territorial aggression and expansion by Nazi Germany. It was widely popular in both Germany and Austria, but it marked a terrible turning point for Austria's Jewish population, who faced violence, discrimination, and persecution.

Hitler's troops faced no resistance

Hitler himself crossed the border at his birthplace, Braunau am Inn, with a 4,000-man bodyguard. He was greeted by cheering Austrians with Nazi salutes, Nazi flags, and flowers. Hitler's tour continued to Linz, where 250,000 Austrians gathered to meet him. The enthusiasm displayed toward Hitler and the Germans surprised both Nazis and non-Nazis, as most people had believed that a majority of Austrians opposed the Anschluss.

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

Hitler's popularity reached an unprecedented peak after he fulfilled the Anschluss because he had completed the long-awaited idea of a Greater Germany. Bismarck had not chosen to include Austria in his 1871 unification of Germany, and there was genuine support from Germans in both Austria and Germany for an Anschluss.

The Anschluss was the first step in Hitler's takeover of Europe

The Anschluss, or the annexation of Austria, was the first step in Hitler's takeover of Europe. On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria, unopposed by the Austrian military. This was the first act of territorial aggression by Nazi Germany, and it was widely popular in both Germany and Austria. The annexation of Austria was a significant breach of the post-World War I international order, as it violated the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint-Germain, which expressly forbade the unification of Austria and Germany.

Hitler's desire for an Austro-German union was not new. He expressed his intention to unite all Germans in a Greater Germany in his earliest writings and speeches, including in his autobiography, Mein Kampf. As chancellor of Germany, Hitler fully intended to bring about this union. The annexation of Austria was part of Hitler's plan to redraw the map of post-World War I Europe, as he considered the postwar international borders unfair and illegitimate.

The Anschluss was made possible by several factors. Firstly, there was growing support in Austria for the Nazis from 1933, and the country had a semi-fascist government at the time. Secondly, the other European powers did not punish the Nazis for violating international treaties, which allowed Hitler to continue his expansionary policies unchecked. Finally, Austria was diplomatically isolated and facing an increasingly aggressive Nazi Germany. The international community showed little interest in maintaining Austrian independence, and even Mussolini, who had previously supported Austrian independence, grew closer to Hitler in 1935-36.

The annexation of Austria had far-reaching consequences. It transformed Austria almost overnight, as Austrian and German Nazis carried out the Nazification of all aspects of Austrian life. Austrians participated in the mass murder of Europe's Jews and fought in World War II. The Anschluss also marked a terrible turning point for Austria's Jewish population of about 200,000, who were subjected to public humiliation, discrimination, and violence.

The international community's failure to intervene and stop the Anschluss emboldened Hitler to continue his aggressive foreign policy. Just six months later, in September 1938, Hitler manufactured a crisis in the Sudetenland, a region of Czechoslovakia. World leaders from Italy, France, and Great Britain met with Hitler in Munich and appeased him by ceding the region to Nazi Germany. This set the stage for the invasion of Poland and the start of World War II in 1939.

The international community failed to intervene

The international community's failure to intervene in the Anschluss, the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany, was a significant act of appeasement that allowed Hitler to continue his expansionist policies unchecked. The Anschluss was the first act of territorial aggression by Nazi Germany, and the international community's inaction set a precedent for further aggression.

In the lead-up to the annexation, the international community showed little interest in maintaining Austrian independence. By early 1938, both France and Britain had accepted the idea of an Austro-German union as inevitable. This was due in part to the Dollfuss regime's brutal repression of Austrian Social Democrats in February 1934, which had cost the regime support in countries like Britain and France. Additionally, Italy, which had previously been a guarantor of Austrian independence, was no longer a reliable ally, as Mussolini drew closer to Hitler in 1935-36.

When Hitler issued a series of ultimatums to the Austrian government on March 11, 1938, demanding the cancellation of a planned referendum on Austrian independence and the resignation of Chancellor Schuschnigg, the international community did not intervene. The German military crossed the Austrian border on March 12, unopposed by the Austrian military, and Hitler himself travelled to Linz and then Vienna, receiving an enthusiastic welcome. On March 13, Austrian Nazi Chancellor Seyss-Inquart signed the "Reunification of Austria with Germany" law, formally incorporating Austria into Nazi Germany.

The international response to the annexation was muted. France and Britain protested the methods used by Hitler but accepted the fait accompli. The United States followed a policy of appeasement, and the Soviet Union demanded only that the West stop further German aggression. The government of Mexico was the only government to lodge a protest with the League of Nations, but this protest was ultimately futile.

The failure of the international community to intervene in the Anschluss had far-reaching consequences. It emboldened Hitler to continue his aggressive policies, leading to the Munich Agreement in September 1938, in which world leaders ceded the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia to Nazi Germany. In March 1939, Hitler occupied the rest of the Czech lands, and in September, he invaded Poland, starting World War II.

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