Austria's Annexation: Germany's Bold Move

On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria to annex the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. The annexation, known as the Anschluss, was the culmination of years of political tension and upheaval in Austria, which had seen the rise of Austrofascism and the suppression of dissent. The idea of a union between Austria and Germany (Anschluss) had been proposed as early as 1871, but it was under Hitler's leadership that this was violently realised.

The Anschluss was the annexation of Austria into the German Reich on March 13, 1938

In the 1920s, the proposal for a union was supported by many Austrian citizens, particularly those on the political left and centre. However, by the time Hitler rose to power in 1933, the desire for unification was largely associated with the Nazis. Hitler himself, an Austrian German by birth, had expressed his desire for a union between Austria and Germany in his earliest writings and speeches.

In the mid-1930s, Austrian Nazis attempted to seize the Austrian government by force, but their coup was unsuccessful. Austrian chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss was assassinated by Austrian Nazis during the coup attempt, and his successor, Kurt Schuschnigg, continued to resist unification. However, under increasing pressure from pro-unification activists, Schuschnigg eventually announced that there would be a referendum on a possible union with Germany, to be held on March 13, 1938. Hitler, portraying this as defying the popular will, threatened an invasion and pressured Schuschnigg to resign.

On March 12, 1938, the German army crossed the border into Austria, unopposed by the Austrian military. The next day, the annexation was proclaimed, and Austria became a federal state of Germany. A plebiscite was held on April 10, which resulted in a 99.7% approval for the union. However, the true opinions of the population are unknown, and it is estimated that about 70% of Austrians would have voted to preserve Austrian independence.

The idea of a union between Austria and Germany was not new and had support in both countries

The idea of a union between Austria and Germany, known as the Anschluss, was not new and had support in both countries. The unification of Germany in 1871 excluded Austria and the German Austrians from the Prussian-dominated German Empire. This led to the idea of an Anschluss, a united Austria and Germany that would form a "Greater Germany".

The idea of the Anschluss gained support after the Austro-Hungarian Empire fell in 1918. The new Republic of German-Austria attempted to form a union with Germany, but the 1919 Treaty of Saint Germain and Treaty of Versailles forbade both the union and the continued use of the name "German-Austria". The treaties also stripped Austria of some of its territories, such as the Sudetenland, leaving Austria without most of the territories it had ruled for centuries and amid an economic crisis.

By the 1920s, the proposal for the Anschluss had strong support in both Austria and Germany, particularly from Austrian citizens of the political left and center. One such supporter was Otto Bauer, the prominent Social Democrat leader who served as Austria's Foreign Minister after the war. Support for unification with Germany came mainly from the belief that Austria, stripped of its imperial land, was not economically viable.

However, popular support for the unification faded with time, and after Adolf Hitler rose to power in Germany in 1933, the desire for unification became associated with the Nazis. For the Nazis, the unification of Austria and Germany was an integral part of the ""Heim ins Reich" ("back home to the realm") concept, which sought to incorporate as many Volksdeutsche (ethnic Germans outside Germany) as possible into a "Greater Germany".

In the early 1930s, the Austrian government looked to a possible customs union with Germany, but ultimately, regional patriotism was stronger than pan-German sentiment. The idea of unification with Germany was not overwhelmingly popular among the Austrian population in 1919, and no nationwide referendum was held.

Hitler's rise to power in 1933 made the prospect of unification less attractive

The unification of Austria and Germany, known as the Anschluss, was a political union achieved through annexation by Adolf Hitler in 1938. The idea of a united Austria and Germany was first mooted in 1919, and it gained support after the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918. The new Republic of German-Austria attempted to unite with Germany, but the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint Germain forbade this union and stripped Austria of some of its territories.

The unification proposal had strong support in both Austria and Germany in the 1920s, particularly from Austrian citizens of the political left and center. However, after Hitler's rise to power in 1933, the desire for unification became less attractive and was instead identified with the Nazis. For the Nazis, unification was an integral part of their "Heim ins Reich" ("back home to the realm") concept, which aimed to incorporate as many Volksdeutsche (ethnic Germans outside Germany) as possible into a "Greater Germany".

Hitler, himself an Austrian German, had a strong personal interest in unifying Austria and Germany. In 1921, he wrote an essay arguing that the German Reich's task was to "incorporate the ten million German-Austrians in the Empire and dethrone the Habsburgs, the most miserable dynasty ever ruling." In his book Mein Kampf (1925), he wrote that he would create a union between his birth country, Austria, and Germany by any means possible.

Despite the decreasing attractiveness of unification after 1933, the idea did not completely lose support. In the early 1930s, the Austrian government considered a possible customs union with Germany. Additionally, the Nazi propaganda campaign, which used slogans such as "Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Führer" ("One People, One Empire, One Leader"), had some success in convincing Austrians to advocate for the Anschluss. However, by the end of 1933, Austrian public opinion about German annexation was largely against the idea, and the Austrian government worked to maintain its independence.

In conclusion, while the unification of Austria and Germany had support in the 1920s, Hitler's rise to power in 1933 made the prospect less attractive due to the Nazis' extremist ideology, violent tactics, and repression of dissenters and minorities. The Austrian government and many Austrians sought to preserve their country's independence and identity, but ultimately, they were unable to prevent the annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938.

Hitler's invasion of Austria was justified by claims of chaos and rioting in Vienna

Hitler, upon hearing this news, decided to invade Austria immediately to prevent the vote from taking place. He justified the invasion by claiming that Austria had descended into chaos and rioting in Vienna. The Nazis circulated fake reports of rioting in Vienna and street fights caused by Communists. German newspapers printed a phony telegram supposedly from the new Austrian chancellor saying that German troops were necessary to restore order.

Hitler's claims of chaos and rioting in Vienna were false, and the invasion of Austria was part of his larger plan to unite all Germans in a Nazi German empire.

The annexation was supported by most Austrians, who were relieved by the avoidance of bloodshed and hoped for economic improvements

The annexation of Austria by Germany, known as the Anschluss, was supported by most Austrians. The idea of a union between the two nations dated back to the 19th century, and by the 1920s, the proposal had strong support in both countries, particularly from Austrian citizens of the political left and center.

The Anschluss was supported by most Austrians, who were relieved by the avoidance of bloodshed and hoped for economic improvements. The invasion by German troops on March 12, 1938, was met with no resistance from the Austrian military and was instead greeted by cheering Austrians with Nazi salutes, Nazi flags, and flowers. The avoidance of bloodshed was a significant factor in the support for the annexation, as Austrians were profoundly relieved that violence had been averted.

Additionally, many Austrians hoped for economic improvements under Nazi rule. Austria had endured a prolonged period of economic stagnation, and most Austrians were aware of Hitler's economic achievements in Germany, leading them to believe that their expectations for a better material life would soon be fulfilled. The economic crisis in Austria, which left the country without most of the territories it had ruled for centuries, was a significant factor in the support for the Anschluss.

The annexation was also supported by those who welcomed it as a chance to put an end to the "Jewish Question." The open sanctioning and persecution of Jews by the new regime further enhanced its popularity among Austrians. The widespread antisemitism that followed the Anschluss, including attacks, humiliations, and the expulsion of Jews from the country's economic, social, and cultural life, was largely perpetrated by Austrian Nazis and their accomplices, rather than German invaders.

Finally, the initial enthusiasm for the Anschluss was both genuine and spontaneous, as Austrians were excited by the prospect of unification with Germany. The sight of well-equipped German soldiers marching through the country evoked a sense of wartime solidarity and a sense of overcoming the humiliations of 1918.

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