Hitler's Annexation: Merging Austria And Germany

On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria, annexing the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. This annexation, known as the Anschluss, was the culmination of years of political tension and intrigue, and it marked a significant step in Hitler's quest for a Greater Germany.

The idea of a unified Austria and Germany, or Anschluss, had been proposed as early as the 19th century, but it gained traction after World War I when the Austro-Hungarian Empire fell and Austria was left without significant territories it had ruled for centuries. The notion of Anschluss was supported by many Austrians, particularly those on the political left and center, who believed that a union with Germany was necessary for economic viability.

When Hitler rose to power in Germany in 1933, the desire for unification became associated with the Nazis and their concept of Heim ins Reich, which aimed to incorporate as many ethnic Germans as possible into a Greater Germany. Hitler himself, an Austrian-born German, had expressed his intention to unite Austria and Germany as early as 1925 in his book, Mein Kampf.

In the years leading up to the Anschluss, there were several failed attempts by Austrian Nazis to seize control of the Austrian government and unite with Germany. However, these efforts were thwarted by the Austrian chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss, who maintained a pro-Italian and anti-German stance. In 1934, Dollfuss was assassinated by Austrian Nazis in a coup attempt, but the coup ultimately failed.

Despite these setbacks, Hitler continued to pressure the Austrian government, and in 1938, he forced the Austrian chancellor, Kurt von Schuschnigg, to appoint several top Austrian Nazis to his cabinet. Schuschnigg attempted to assert Austria's independence by calling for a plebiscite on the issue of Anschluss, but he was bullied into canceling the vote and resigning.

On March 12, 1938, German troops crossed the Austrian border, and enthusiastic crowds greeted them. Hitler accompanied the troops and gave a speech in Vienna, boasting of his accomplishment in uniting his homeland with Germany. A controlled plebiscite was held on April 10, with an official approval rating of 99.7% for the annexation.

The annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany had far-reaching consequences. It demonstrated Hitler's aggressive territorial ambitions and the failure of the British and French to take decisive action. Austrians participated actively in the Nazi regime, with many holding prominent positions. The majority of bureaucrats who implemented the Final Solution were Austrian, and over 950,000 Austrians fought for the Nazi German armed forces during World War II.

Hitler's invasion of Austria met no resistance

Hitler rode in a car across the border at his birthplace, Braunau am Inn, with a 4,000-man bodyguard. In the evening, he arrived in Linz and was given an enthusiastic welcome. 250,000 Austrians gathered in Linz to meet Hitler and support the unification of Germany and Austria, or the Anschluss. 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 unification.

Hitler had originally intended to leave Austria as a satellite state with Arthur Seyss-Inquart, a long-time supporter of the Nazis, as head of a pro-Nazi government. However, the overwhelming reception caused him to change course and absorb Austria directly into the Reich. On March 13, Seyss-Inquart announced the abrogation of Article 88 of the Treaty of Saint-Germain, which prohibited the unification of Austria and Germany, and approved the replacement of the Austrian states with Reichsgaue.

The seizure of Austria demonstrated once again Hitler's aggressive territorial ambitions, and, once again, the failure of the British and the French to take action against him for violating the Versailles Treaty. Their lack of will emboldened him toward further aggression.

Austria was absorbed into the Third Reich

Hitler's invasion of Austria was met with no resistance and little response from foreign powers. Austria was, therefore, an easy target for Hitler, who was attracted to the country for its resources, such as manpower, raw materials, and large quantities of cash and gold.

The Austrian government was dissolved, and the name 'Österreich' (Austria's name in German) was banned from public use. The Nazis began to impose their ideology on Austrians and imprison those they identified as enemies.

Austria's absorption into the Third Reich was the result of several factors, including Hitler's threat of military force, Mussolini's withdrawal of support for Austrian independence, Austria's lack of a modern army, and the lack of response from the international community.

Hitler's popularity increased after the annexation

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 plebiscite was subject to large-scale Nazi propaganda, and the voting rights of around 360,000 people (8% of the eligible voting population) were abrogated. Nevertheless, historians generally agree that the result cannot be explained exclusively by opportunism or socioeconomic desires, and that it represented the genuine German nationalist feeling in Austria during the interwar period.

Hitler's popularity was also enhanced by the general anti-Semitic consensus in Austria, which meant that a substantial number of Austrians were more than ready to "fulfill their duty" in the "Greater German Reich". The persecution of the Jews began immediately after the annexation. They were driven through the streets of Vienna, their homes and shops plundered. Jewish men and women were forced to wash away pro-independence slogans painted on the streets of Vienna. The process of "Aryanisation" began, and Jews were driven out of public life within months.

Hitler's popularity was further bolstered by the fact that many Germans from both Austria and Germany welcomed the Anschluss as they saw it as completing the complex and long-overdue unification of all Germans into one state. Hitler's journey through Austria became a triumphal tour, with 250,000 Austrians gathering in Linz 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 annexation. Hitler commented:

> "Certain foreign newspapers have said that we fell on Austria with brutal methods. I can only say: even in death they cannot stop lying. I have in the course of my political struggle won much love from my people, but when I crossed the former frontier there met me such a stream of love as I have never experienced. Not as tyrants have we come, but as liberators."

Austria's sovereignty was lost

On March 9, Schuschnigg called for a national vote to resolve the question of the Anschluss once and for all. However, before the plebiscite could take place, Schuschnigg succumbed to pressure from Hitler and resigned on March 11. In his resignation address, he pleaded with Austrian forces not to resist the German advance into the country. The next day, Hitler accompanied German troops into Austria, where they were greeted by enthusiastic crowds. Hitler appointed a new Nazi government, and on March 13, the Anschluss was proclaimed.

Austria's loss of sovereignty was a result of Hitler's ambition to create a "`Greater Germany`" that encompassed all German speakers. Additionally, the annexation provided Hitler with access to new resources such as manpower for the military, raw materials, and large quantities of cash and gold. The loss of sovereignty was also facilitated by Hitler's threat of military force, the withdrawal of support for Austrian independence by Benito Mussolini, and Austria's lack of a modern army.

The international response to Austria's loss of sovereignty was muted, with most governments voicing only a mild dissatisfaction with Hitler's methods. This lack of a strong response allowed Hitler to proceed with his plans unopposed and consolidate his grip on Austria.

The Anschluss was reversed in 1945

The Anschluss, the annexation of Austria into the German Reich, was reversed in 1945. A provisional government in Allied-occupied Austria declared the Anschluss "null and void" on April 27, 1945, and Austria was recognized as a separate country. However, it remained divided into occupation zones and controlled by the Allied Commission until 1955, when the Austrian State Treaty restored its sovereignty.

The reversal of the Anschluss marked a significant moment in the history of Austria and Europe. It ended the union between Austria and Germany that had been imposed by Nazi Germany in 1938. The annexation had been the first act of territorial aggression by Nazi Germany, violating the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint-Germain, which expressly forbade the unification of the two countries.

The reversal of the Anschluss also had important implications for the future of Austria. With the declaration of independence, Austria began the process of rebuilding and recovering from the impact of Nazi rule. The country faced the challenging task of addressing the legacy of the Nazi occupation, including the persecution and murder of Jews, the suppression of dissent, and the imposition of Nazi ideology.

The Allied occupation and the subsequent restoration of Austrian sovereignty allowed Austria to re-establish itself as a sovereign nation and to redefine its national identity. The experience of Nazi rule and the reversal of the Anschluss shaped the political, social, and cultural landscape of Austria in the post-war era.

The reversal of the Anschluss also had broader implications for Europe. It marked a step towards the reorganization of the continent in the post-war period and the emergence of new borders and power dynamics. The Allied powers, including the United States, the Soviet Union, and the United Kingdom, played a crucial role in this process, influencing the future course of European politics and international relations.

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