Austria's Role In Wwii: The Spark Ignites

On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria to annex the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. This event, known as the Anschluss, marked the beginning of World War II with Austria. The annexation was the result of a conspiracy by Austrian Nazis to seize the Austrian government and unite with Nazi Germany. Despite attempts by Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg to maintain his country's independence, he was coerced into naming top Austrian Nazis to his cabinet and eventually resigning. With enthusiastic support from the Austrian population, German troops entered Austria, and a new Nazi government was appointed. Austria was then absorbed into Germany as a federal state until the end of World War II, when the Allied powers declared the Anschluss void and reestablished an independent Austria.

Nazi Germany annexes Austria

On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria to annex the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. This annexation, known as the Anschluss, was the culmination of a conspiracy by Austrian Nazis to seize the Austrian government and unite their nation with Nazi Germany.

The Road to Annexation

In early 1938, Austrian Nazis conspired to seize the Austrian government by force, the second such attempt in four years. Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg, upon learning of the plot, met with Nazi leader Adolf Hitler in an attempt to reassert his country's independence. However, he was coerced into naming several top Austrian Nazis to his cabinet.

On March 9, Schuschnigg called for a national vote to resolve the question of annexation once and for all. However, before the plebiscite could take place, he 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 Annexation

The following day, March 12, Hitler accompanied German troops into Austria, where they were greeted by enthusiastic crowds. Hitler appointed a new Nazi government, and on March 13, the annexation was officially proclaimed. Austria became a federal state of Germany and existed as such until the end of World War II.

Aftermath

The Allied powers declared the Anschluss void after the war and reestablished an independent Austria. Schuschnigg, who had been imprisoned soon after resigning, was released in 1945.

The annexation of Austria was one of the first major steps in Hitler's plan to create a Greater German Reich, which included all ethnic Germans and territories lost by Germany after World War I. It also demonstrated Hitler's aggressive territorial ambitions and the failure of Britain and France to take action against him for violating the Versailles Treaty.

Austrian Nazis conspire to seize the Austrian government

In early 1938, Austrian Nazis conspired for the second time in four years to seize the Austrian government by force and unite their nation with Nazi Germany. Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg, learning of the conspiracy, met with Nazi leader Adolf Hitler in the hopes of reasserting his country’s independence but was instead bullied 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, however, 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.

The Austrian Nazi movement had been growing in strength since the late 1920s and early 1930s, when the Austrian Nazi Party was weak, divided, and ineffective. By 1931, the bulk of Austrian Nazis recognised Hitler as their leader, and he appointed a German Nazi to bring the Austrian party in line. Austrian Nazis gained supporters in 1931–1932 as Hitler’s popularity in Germany increased, and this was even more noticeable across Austria after Hitler was appointed German chancellor in January 1933.

In May 1933, the Austrian Nazis waged a propaganda and terror campaign, staging disruptive protests and brawling with political opponents and the police. They set off explosives and tear gas bombs in public places and Jewish-owned businesses. In response, the Dollfuss regime banned the Austrian Nazi Party and its affiliates in June 1933, but the Austrian Nazis continued to operate illegally within the country. Many fled across the border into Germany, where they formed a paramilitary unit known as the Austrian Legion.

On July 25, 1934, Austrian Nazis attempted to overthrow the Austrian government. Members of the Vienna SS took control of the Austrian chancellery, where the cabinet had been meeting, and in the process, shot and killed Chancellor Dollfuss. Other plotters seized control of the state radio station in Vienna and prematurely announced the coup. Outside Vienna, other Austrian Nazis also revolted against the government. However, the majority of Austrians remained loyal to the government, and the coup attempt failed.

After Dollfuss’s death, Schuschnigg took over as Austrian chancellor and dictator. He continued many of his predecessor’s authoritarian policies, and the Austrian government arrested thousands of Austrian Nazis, including a number of the conspirators.

In February 1938, Schuschnigg travelled to meet with Hitler, expecting to discuss the tensions between Austria and Germany. But Hitler was ready to take full control of Austria, and he made a series of demands, including that Austria’s foreign and military policies were to be coordinated with Germany’s, and that Austrian Nazi Arthur Seyss-Inquart was to be placed in charge of policing and security matters. Hitler used the presence of several German generals to intimidate Schuschnigg, who gave in and signed the Berchtesgaden Agreement.

On March 9, Schuschnigg attempted to assert Austrian independence by calling a plebiscite (referendum) on Austrian independence, to be held on March 13. In an attempt to prevent the German annexation of Austria, posters and propaganda urging voters to support Austrian independence appeared everywhere. It was even painted on the streets and sidewalks.

Hitler was infuriated by the plebiscite and decided to take action. On March 11, he gave the Austrian government a series of ultimatums: Schuschnigg must call off the plebiscite, resign as chancellor, and Austrian president Wilhelm Miklas must appoint 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, at 7:47 pm, Schuschnigg announced his resignation in the face of German pressure, and instructed Austrians and the Austrian military not to resist German troops if they invaded.

Within minutes of Schuschnigg’s resignation, swastika armbands and flags appeared on the streets. Austrian Nazis now had license 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. Austrian Nazis took over the country without firing a single shot.

Hitler bullies Austrian Chancellor into naming Austrian Nazis to his cabinet

In early 1938, Austrian Nazis conspired for the second time in four years to seize the Austrian government by force and unite their nation with Nazi Germany. Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg, learning of the conspiracy, met with Nazi leader Adolf Hitler in the hopes of reasserting his country’s independence. However, he was bullied by Hitler into naming several top Austrian Nazis to his cabinet.

On February 12, 1938, Schuschnigg met with Hitler at his mountaintop retreat in Berchtesgaden. Hitler lambasted the Austrian Chancellor, accusing him of avoiding a friendly policy and claiming that Austria's history was one of uninterrupted acts of high treason. He also threatened to invade Austria, pointing out that the country was isolated diplomatically and could not halt a Nazi invasion.

Hitler's demands included the release of all Nazis presently jailed in Austria, the lifting of the ban on the Austrian Nazi Party, and the appointment of Austrian lawyer and Nazi supporter Arthur Seyss-Inquart as the new Minister of the Interior with full control of the police. Schuschnigg was given three days to get the agreement signed by Austria's president, Wilhelm Miklas, or else face invasion.

Under pressure, Schuschnigg agreed to sign, but informed Hitler that only the country's president could ratify such a document. Hitler was furious and demanded that Schuschnigg guarantee it, but Schuschnigg said he could not. Hitler then abruptly dismissed him.

Schuschnigg returned to Austria and, despite his efforts to preserve Austrian independence, was unable to prevent the Nazi takeover. Miklas eventually caved in to Hitler's demands, granting a general amnesty for all Nazis in Austria and appointing Seyss-Inquart as Minister of the Interior.

On March 9, 1938, Schuschnigg called for a national vote to resolve the question of Anschluss, or "annexation," once and for all. However, before the plebiscite could take place, he gave in to pressure from Hitler and resigned on March 11. The next day, German troops marched into Austria, accompanied by Hitler himself, and were met by enthusiastic crowds. A new Nazi government was appointed, and on March 13, the Anschluss was officially proclaimed.

Hitler invades Austria, appoints Nazi government

In the lead-up to the invasion, Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg met with Hitler in an attempt to reassert his country's independence. However, he was bullied into naming several top Austrian Nazis to his cabinet. On March 9, Schuschnigg called for a national vote to resolve the question of Anschluss, or annexation. Before the vote could take place, Schuschnigg gave in to pressure from Hitler and resigned on March 11. In his resignation address, he pleaded with Austrian forces not to resist a German "advance" into the country.

Hitler accompanied German troops into Austria on March 12, where they were met with enthusiastic crowds. He appointed a new Nazi government, and on March 13, the Anschluss was proclaimed. Austria existed as a federal state of Germany until the end of World War II, when the Allied powers declared the Anschluss void and re-established an independent Austria.

Hitler's invasion of Austria was the result of his desire to create a Greater German Reich that included all ethnic Germans and territories lost by Germany after World War I. Austria, with its significant ethnic German population, had never been part of the German Empire established by Otto von Bismarck in 1871. Hitler's actions were also driven by his nationalist ideology and expansionist ambitions.

The invasion itself was carefully planned and executed. Hitler used a combination of threats, intimidation, and diplomacy to coerce Schuschnigg into making concessions and ultimately resigning. He also received assurances from Benito Mussolini that Italy would not interfere, and he knew that Britain and France were unlikely to take any military action.

The appointment of a Nazi government in Austria was a critical step in Hitler's plan to consolidate power and expand the German Reich. It marked the beginning of a period of Nazi rule in Austria, during which many Austrians collaborated with the Nazis, and others resisted. The invasion also served as a prelude to further aggression, as Hitler soon turned his attention to Czechoslovakia and the Sudetenland.

Austria becomes a federal state of Germany

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, and it turned Austria into a federal state of Germany. The Anschluss was the result of a conspiracy by Austrian Nazis to seize the Austrian government and unite the nation with Nazi Germany. This was the second such attempt in four years.

The Austrian Chancellor at the time, Kurt von Schuschnigg, tried to resist by meeting with Adolf Hitler and reasserting his country's independence. However, he was bullied into naming several top Austrian Nazis to his cabinet. On March 9, Schuschnigg called for a national vote to resolve the question of the annexation once and for all. Before the vote could take place, Schuschnigg gave in to pressure from Hitler and resigned on March 11. In his resignation address, he pleaded with Austrian forces not to resist a German "advance" into the country.

Hitler then accompanied German troops into Austria, where they were met by enthusiastic crowds. He appointed a new Nazi government, and on March 13, 1938, the Anschluss was officially proclaimed. Austria existed as a federal state of Germany until the end of World War II. During this period, the country was fully absorbed into Germany, and any official memory of Austrian existence was destroyed and suppressed. Austria was renamed Ostmark (Eastern March), and Upper and Lower Austria became Upper and Lower Danube.

The Anschluss was met with protests from France and Great Britain, but they ultimately accepted it as a fait accompli. The United States followed a policy of appeasement, and the Soviet Union demanded that the League of Nations handle the matter. Only the government of Mexico lodged a futile protest with the secretary-general of the League of Nations. A questionable plebiscite was held on April 10, 1938, throughout greater Germany, with over 99% voting in favour of Hitler.

During World War II, approximately 950,000 Austrians fought for the Nazi German armed forces, and many others participated in the Nazi administration, including death camp personnel and senior Nazi leadership. After the war, many Austrians sought comfort in the myth of Austria as the first victim of the Nazis, and the country did not undergo the same thorough process of denazification as post-war Germany.

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