Italy's Protection: Troops Defend Austria Against Hitler's Advance

The Anschluss, or the unification of Germany and Austria, was a significant event in the lead-up to World War II. On March 13, 1938, Austria was annexed into the German Reich, marking the first act of territorial aggression and expansion by Nazi Germany. This event, widely popular in both Germany and Austria, was the culmination of years of rising support for unification, particularly among Austrian citizens of the political left and centre.

The idea of a united Austria and Germany, or Greater Germany, gained traction after World War I, as the 1919 Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint-Germain prohibited such a union and stripped Austria of its imperial lands. By the 1920s, the proposal for Anschluss had strong support in both countries, driven primarily by the belief that Austria, without its imperial territories, was not economically viable.

The rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party in Germany further fuelled the desire for unification. For the Nazis, the incorporation of Austria was integral to their concept of Heim ins Reich (back home to the realm), which aimed to bring as many Volksdeutsche (ethnic Germans) as possible into a Greater Germany. Hitler himself, being Austrian-born, had expressed his desire for an Austro-German union in his earliest writings and speeches.

In the late 1930s, Austrian chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg attempted to assert Austrian independence by calling for a plebiscite (referendum) on the matter. However, this move infuriated Hitler, who responded with threats of invasion and forced Schuschnigg to resign. On March 12, 1938, German troops crossed the border into Austria, unopposed by the Austrian military, and the annexation was finalised the following day.

The Anschluss was a significant breach of the post-World War I international order and a clear violation of international treaties. Despite this, the international community's response was only verbal and moderate, with no military confrontation taking place. This lack of intervention emboldened Hitler toward further aggression, setting the stage for the invasion of Czechoslovakia and the outbreak of World War II.

Hitler's rise to power in Germany

Hitler's oratorical skills and use of propaganda quickly made him a dominant figure in the movement. In early 1920, the party changed its name to the National Socialist German Workers' Party, or the Nazi Party for short. Hitler's popularity grew nationwide as he exploited the unrest during the Great Depression, and in 1932, he placed second in the presidential race.

Hitler's various political manoeuvres resulted in the winner, Paul von Hindenburg, appointing him chancellor in January 1933. The following month, the Reichstag fire occurred, providing an excuse to override all guarantees of freedom with a decree. On March 23, the Enabling Act was passed, giving full powers to Hitler. When Hindenburg died on August 2, 1934, Hitler secured his position as Führer by merging the chancellorship and the presidency.

The Austrian Nazi Party

Austrian Nazis waged a propaganda and terror campaign beginning in May 1933, encouraged and funded by Germany. They staged disruptive protests, brawls with political opponents and the police, and set off explosives and tear gas bombs in public places and Jewish-owned businesses. The Austrian government responded by banning the Austrian Nazi Party and its affiliates in June 1933. However, the Austrian Nazis continued to operate illegally, and thousands of members fled across the border into Germany, where they formed a paramilitary unit known as the Austrian Legion.

On July 25, 1934, Austrian Nazis attempted a coup, during which they shot and killed Chancellor Dollfuss. However, the majority of Austrians remained loyal to the government, and the coup attempt failed. Austrian Nazis made another attempt to seize power in Austria in February 1938, when Hitler invited Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg to Germany and forced him to agree to give the Austrian Nazis virtually a free hand. Schuschnigg was bullied into cancelling a plebiscite on the Anschluss question and obediently resigned, ordering the Austrian Army not to resist the Germans.

On March 11, 1938, Hitler gave the Austrian government a series of ultimatums: Chancellor Schuschnigg must call off the plebiscite; Schuschnigg must resign as chancellor; and Austrian President Wilhelm Miklas must appoint Austrian Nazi Arthur Seyss-Inquart as the new Austrian chancellor. If these demands were not met, the German military would invade Austria. Schuschnigg gave in, and that evening, Austrian radio announced the cancellation of the upcoming plebiscite on Austrian independence. Shortly thereafter, Schuschnigg announced his resignation and instructed Austrians and the Austrian military not to resist German troops if they invaded.

On March 12, 1938, President Miklas appointed Seyss-Inquart as chancellor of Austria, and German troops crossed the border early in the morning. They were not met with armed resistance but were welcomed with cheers and flowers. On March 13, 1938, Seyss-Inquart signed the "Reunification of Austria with Germany" law, formally incorporating Austria into Nazi Germany.

The Austrian Civil War

The conflict began when Republican Protection League members fired on Austrian police who were attempting to enter the Social Democrats' party headquarters in Linz to search for weapons. The violence quickly spread to Vienna and other industrial centres in eastern and central Austria. The Austrian police and Federal Army, who had superior numbers and firepower, swiftly put an end to the uprising. The overall death toll is estimated at 350.

The socialists' defeat led to arrests, executions, and the banning of the Social Democratic Party. In May 1934, Austria's democratic constitution was replaced by an Austrofascist constitution, with the Fatherland Front as the only legal party. This outcome furthered the goal of Nazi Germany to redraw the map of post-World War I Europe and unite all Germans in a Nazi German empire.

The Anschluss

Hitler had long supported the idea of a union between his birth country of Austria and Germany. In February 1938, he invited the Austrian chancellor, Kurt von Schuschnigg, to Germany and forced him to agree to give the Austrian Nazis free rein. Schuschnigg later repudiated the agreement and announced a plebiscite on the issue of Austrian independence. However, he was bullied into cancelling the plebiscite and resigning. On 12 March, German troops crossed the border and were greeted by cheering Austrians. The next day, Austrian Nazi Chancellor Arthur Seyss-Inquart, who had been appointed by Hitler, signed the "Reunification of Austria with Germany" law, formally incorporating Austria into Nazi Germany.

The annexation of Austria was the first act of territorial expansion committed by Nazi Germany and was a significant breach of the post-World War I international order. It was also the first step in Hitler's plan to create a Greater German Reich that would include all ethnic Germans and the territories lost by Germany after World War I. The international community did not intervene to stop the annexation or punish Germany for violating international treaties, allowing Hitler to continue his expansionist policies unchecked.

The invasion of Austria

Austrian chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss was assassinated by Austrian Nazis in 1934, and his successor, Kurt Schuschnigg, continued to face pressure from pro-unification activists. In early 1938, Schuschnigg announced a referendum on a possible union with Germany, to be held on 13 March. Hitler, who had risen to power in Germany in 1933, threatened to invade and pressured Schuschnigg to resign. On 12 March, the day before the planned referendum, the German army crossed the border into Austria, unopposed by the Austrian military.

Hitler's plan was for Arthur Seyss-Inquart, a long-time supporter of the Nazis, to be appointed chancellor of Austria and to call for German troops to rush to Austria's aid, giving the invasion an air of legitimacy. Schuschnigg resigned on the evening of 11 March, and Seyss-Inquart was appointed chancellor after midnight on 12 March.

On the morning of 12 March, the 8th Army of the German Wehrmacht crossed the border into Austria. The troops were greeted by cheering Austrians with Nazi salutes, Nazi flags, and flowers. Hitler, riding in a car, crossed the border at his birthplace, Braunau am Inn, with a 4,000-man bodyguard. In the evening, he arrived at Linz and was given an enthusiastic welcome by 250,000 Austrians.

Hitler's journey through Austria became a triumphal tour that climaxed in Vienna on 15 March 1938, when around 200,000 cheering German Austrians gathered around the Heldenplatz (Square of Heroes) to hear Hitler declare the completion of the annexation of Austria to form a Greater German Reich.

The Anschluss was the Nazi regime's first act of territorial aggression and expansion, and it demonstrated Nazi disdain for the post-World War I European order. The other European powers did not intervene to stop the invasion or punish the Nazis for violating international treaties. This was a significant act of appeasement, allowing Hitler to continue his expansionary policies unchecked.

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