Germany's Annexation Of Austria: A Historical Overview

In March 1938, German troops invaded Austria and incorporated it into the German Reich. This was known as the Anschluss. The invasion was preceded by a conspiracy by Austrian Nazis to seize the Austrian government and unite with Nazi Germany. Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg tried to resist, but was pressured into naming several top Austrian Nazis to his cabinet. He resigned on March 11, 1938, and German troops, accompanied by Hitler himself, entered Austria the next day. A Nazi government in Austria, headed by Seyss-Inquart, was established and collaborated with Hitler in proclaiming the Anschluss on March 13.

Austrian Nazis conspired to seize the Austrian government and unite with Nazi Germany

In early 1938, Austrian Nazis conspired to seize the Austrian government by force and unite their nation with Nazi Germany. This was the second time in four years that such a conspiracy had been attempted. Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg learned of the plot and met with Adolf Hitler in the hopes of reasserting his country’s independence. However, Hitler bullied Schuschnigg into naming several top Austrian Nazis to his cabinet. On March 9, Schuschnigg called a national vote to resolve the question of Anschluss, or “annexation,” once and for all. Before the plebiscite could take place, Schuschnigg gave in to pressure from Hitler and resigned on March 11. In his resignation address, under coercion from the Nazis, he pleaded with Austrian forces not to resist a German “advance” into the country. German troops, accompanied by Hitler himself, entered Austria on March 12. A Nazi government in Austria, headed by Seyss-Inquart, was established; it collaborated with Hitler in proclaiming the Anschluss on March 13.

The British and French governments had made it known for some time that they would not oppose the union of Austria with Germany. The United States followed the British and French policy of appeasement. The Soviet Union demanded only that the West should stop further German aggression and that the Anschluss should be handled by the League of Nations. The government of Mexico was the only one that did not accept the Anschluss, and it lodged an ultimately futile protest with the secretary-general of the League of Nations.

Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg met with Hitler to reassert Austrian independence

In early 1938, Austrian Nazis conspired to seize the Austrian government and unite with Nazi Germany. Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg learned of the conspiracy and met with Hitler in February 1938 to reassert Austrian independence. However, he was bullied into appointing Austrian Nazi Party leader Seyss-Inquart to head the Ministry of Public Security, giving Austrian Nazis full control of the country's police forces.

Schuschnigg called a national vote to resolve the question of Anschluss, or "annexation", but before the plebiscite could take place, he gave in to pressure from Hitler and resigned on 11 March 1938. German troops, accompanied by Hitler himself, entered Austria the following day. A Nazi government in Austria, headed by Seyss-Inquart, was established and collaborated with Hitler in proclaiming the Anschluss on 13 March.

The British and French governments accepted the union of Austria with Germany, and the United States followed their policy of appeasement. The government of Mexico was the only one to lodge a protest with the League of Nations.

Hitler told Goebbels in 1937 that Austria would have to be taken by force

In 1937, Hitler told Goebbels that Austria would have to be taken by force. The following year, Austrian Nazis conspired to seize the Austrian government and unite their nation with Nazi Germany. Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg met with Hitler in the hopes of reasserting his country's independence, but was forced to name several top Austrian Nazis to his cabinet.

Hitler repeatedly threatened to invade Austria and forced Schuschnigg to implement measures favourable to Austrian Nazism. In March 1938, two demands were made for the postponement of a plebiscite and for the resignation of Schuschnigg. Schuschnigg gave way, and German troops, accompanied by Hitler himself, entered Austria on 12 March. A Nazi government in Austria, headed by Seyss-Inquart, was established and collaborated with Hitler in proclaiming the Anschluss on 13 March.

The international community showed little interest in maintaining Austrian independence. The British and French governments had accepted an Austro-German union as inevitable, and the United States followed their policy of appeasement. The government of Mexico was the only one that did not accept the Anschluss, lodging a protest with the secretary-general of the League of Nations.

German troops, accompanied by Hitler, entered Austria on March 12, 1938

Hitler had made his intentions towards Austria clear as early as the summer of 1937, when he told Goebbels that Austria would eventually have to be taken 'by force'. On March 11, 1938, two demands were made for the postponement of the plebiscite and for Schuschnigg's resignation. Schuschnigg gave way, and the following day, German troops entered Austria. A Nazi government in Austria, headed by Seyss-Inquart, was established and collaborated with Hitler in proclaiming the Anschluss on March 13.

The Anschluss was protested by France and Great Britain, but they ultimately accepted it as a fait accompli. The United States followed a similar policy of appeasement, while the Soviet Union demanded that the West should stop further German aggression. The government of Mexico was the only one that lodged a formal protest with the secretary-general of the League of Nations.

A Nazi government in Austria, headed by Seyss-Inquart, was established

On March 11, 1938, Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg gave in to pressure from Hitler and resigned. In his resignation address, he pleaded with Austrian forces not to resist a German “advance” into the country. The following day, German troops, accompanied by Hitler himself, entered Austria. A Nazi government in Austria, headed by Seyss-Inquart, was established. It collaborated with Hitler in proclaiming the Anschluss on March 13.

The Anschluss, or “annexation”, was the union of Austria with Germany. In early 1938, Austrian Nazis conspired to seize the Austrian government by force and unite their nation with Nazi Germany. Hitler had told Goebbels in the late summer of 1937 that Austria would have to be taken "by force". On March 9, Schuschnigg called a national vote to resolve the question of the Anschluss once and for all. However, before the plebiscite could take place, he resigned.

France and Great Britain protested against Hitler's methods but accepted the union. The United States followed the British and French policy of appeasement. The Soviet Union demanded only that the West should stop further German aggression and that the Anschluss should be handled by the League of Nations. The government of Mexico was the only one that did not accept the Anschluss, lodging a protest with the secretary-general of the League of Nations.

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