Austria's Anschluss: A Voluntary Act?

The Anschluss, or the 'joining' or 'connection' of Austria with Germany, was not a voluntary act. On 12 March 1938, German troops crossed the Austrian border and were met with no resistance. The Austrian government had already capitulated, realising it could not win an armed contest. The Anschluss was the first act of territorial aggression and expansion by Nazi Germany, and the beginning of Hitler's attempt to create a 'Greater Germany' that included all German speakers.

The Anschluss was the annexation and formal union of Austria with Germany

The proposal for a union, or "Anschluss," had strong support in both Austria and Germany in the 1920s, especially among Austrian citizens of the political left and center. However, after Adolf Hitler rose to power in Germany in 1933, the desire for unification became associated with the Nazis, who saw it as an integral part of their "Heim ins Reich" ("back home to the realm") concept. They sought to incorporate as many ethnic Germans outside of Germany as possible into a "Greater Germany."

In the mid-1930s, Austrian Nazis attempted a coup, but it failed, and an authoritarian right-wing government took power in Austria. In early 1938, under pressure from pro-unification activists, Austrian Chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg announced a referendum on a possible union with Germany. Hitler, however, threatened an invasion and pressured Schuschnigg to resign. On March 12, 1938, the German army crossed the border into Austria unopposed, and a plebiscite held on April 10, 1938, resulted in a manipulated vote of 99.7% approval for the Anschluss.

The annexation of Austria into the German Reich was part of Hitler's vision of creating a "Greater Germany" that included all ethnic Germans. Austria was attractive to Hitler because it provided access to raw materials, manpower for the military, and a large quantity of cash and gold. The union was also strategically advantageous, improving Germany's position in Europe and making it easier to invade neighbouring states.

The Anschluss was the first act of territorial aggression and expansion by Nazi Germany

The annexation of Austria, also known as the Anschluss, was the first act of territorial aggression and expansion by Nazi Germany. On March 12, 1938, German troops crossed the border into Austria, unopposed by the Austrian military. The annexation was complete on March 13, when Austrian Nazi Chancellor Arthur Seyss-Inquart signed the "Reunification of Austria with Germany" law.

The idea of a union between Austria and Germany was not new. The two countries had shared close ethnic, cultural, and linguistic ties for centuries. After the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918, the new Republic of German-Austria attempted to unite with Germany, but this was forbidden by the Treaty of Saint Germain and the Treaty of Versailles. Despite this, support for unification remained strong in both countries throughout the 1920s, particularly among Austrian citizens of the political left and center.

When Adolf Hitler rose to power in Germany in 1933, the desire for unification became closely associated with the Nazis and their concept of "Heim ins Reich" ("back home to the realm"), which aimed to incorporate as many ethnic Germans outside Germany 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 mid-1930s, Austrian politics was marked by infighting and violence, with the rise of the Nazis further destabilizing the situation. Austrian Nazis attempted a coup in July 1934 but were unsuccessful. An authoritarian right-wing government, led by Engelbert Dollfuss, then took power and suppressed dissent. However, Dollfuss was assassinated by Austrian Nazis in 1934, and his successor, Kurt Schuschnigg, struggled to maintain Austrian independence in the face of increasing pressure from pro-unification activists and the German government.

In early 1938, Schuschnigg announced a referendum on a possible union with Germany, to be held on March 13. Hitler, however, was not willing to allow a democratic process and threatened to invade Austria. On March 11, he issued an ultimatum demanding that Schuschnigg cancel the referendum, resign, and appoint the Austrian Nazi leader Arthur Seyss-Inquart as the new chancellor. Faced with no military support from other European powers, Schuschnigg gave in to Hitler's demands and resigned.

The German Army crossed the border into Austria on March 12, unopposed and greeted by cheering Austrians. Hitler himself traveled to Linz and then Vienna, receiving an enthusiastic welcome. The annexation was formalized on March 13, and a plebiscite was held on April 10 to retroactively approve the union, with 99.7% of the votes in favor. However, the plebiscite was neither free nor secret, and Jews, Roma, and political opponents of the Nazis were not permitted to vote.

The Anschluss was a significant breach of the post-World War I international order and a clear act of aggression by Nazi Germany. It demonstrated Hitler's aggressive territorial ambitions and his disregard for international treaties. The failure of the British, French, and other European powers to intervene or take action against Germany emboldened Hitler to continue his expansionary policies, leading to the occupation of Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland just a few months later.

The Anschluss was widely popular in both Germany and Austria

In Austria, the Anschluss was welcomed by half of the population, as Germany was prosperous and Hitler seemed to be going places. The unification of the two countries was also a long-held hope for many Austrians, especially Austrian Social Democrats. The idea of Anschluss gained support after the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918, as many Austrians believed that their country could not survive economically without the lands previously held by Austria-Hungary.

However, it is important to note that the Anschluss was not inevitable, and there were Austrians who opposed it. Some Austrians recognised that their sovereignty would be lost as long as Hitler was in power and wanted to preserve their independence. Additionally, the plebiscite that took place after the annexation, which showed overwhelming support for the union, was rigged. Many Austrians who were against the union had no means to protest other than to leave the country, and tens of thousands did so.

The Anschluss was not inevitable, but certain historical factors and events facilitated it

The Anschluss, or the annexation of Austria into the German Reich, was not inevitable. However, certain historical factors and events facilitated it.

The idea of the Anschluss was not new. It had been discussed since the 19th century, and 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 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, leaving it without most of the lands it had ruled for centuries and amid an economic crisis.

The idea of the Anschluss was supported by many Austrian citizens of the political left and center, including prominent Social Democrat leader Otto Bauer. Support for unification with Germany came mainly from the belief that Austria, stripped of its imperial land, was not viable economically. However, popular support for the unification faded with time.

In 1933, when Adolf Hitler rose to power in Germany, the desire for unification could be identified with the Nazis, for whom it was an integral part of the "Heim ins Reich" ("back home to the realm") concept. Hitler, an Austrian German by birth, had expressed his desire for an Austro-German union in his earliest writings and speeches. The first point of the 1920 Nazi Party Platform stated: "We demand the union of all Germans in a Greater Germany (Großdeutschland) on the basis of the right of national self-determination."

Hitler's rise to power in Germany and the establishment of a dictatorship allowed him to pursue an aggressive foreign policy that aimed to recover Germany's territorial losses following the Treaty of Versailles. He noted the lack of power of the League of Nations in the early 1930s, which failed to act meaningfully to Japan's invasion of Chinese Manchuria in 1931 and Italy's invasion of Abyssinia (Ethiopia) in 1935.

Hitler's military invasion of Austria met no resistance or meaningful response from foreign powers. The reaction of the world powers to the Anschluss was muted, with most governments preferring to voice no more than a dissatisfaction with Hitler's methods. France and Great Britain protested against the methods used by Hitler but accepted the fait accompli. The United States followed a policy of appeasement, and the Soviet Union demanded only that the West should stop further German aggression.

Hitler was attracted to occupying Austria as the Anschluss would give him access to new resources such as manpower for the military, raw materials, and a large quantity of cash and gold. Possession of Austria would also improve Germany's strategic position in Europe and allow for an easier invasion of neighbouring states, particularly in the Balkans and Czechoslovakia.

In February 1938, Hitler invited the Austrian chancellor, Kurt von Schuschnigg, to Germany and forced him to agree to give the Austrian Nazis a free hand. Schuschnigg later repudiated the agreement and announced a plebiscite on the Anschluss question. However, he was bullied into canceling the plebiscite and obediently resigned, ordering the Austrian Army not to resist the Germans.

On March 12, 1938, German troops invaded Austria, and the enthusiasm that followed gave Hitler the cover to annex Austria outright on March 13. A controlled plebiscite of April 10 gave a 99.7 percent approval.

The Anschluss was a significant breach of the post-World War I international order

The Anschluss, or the annexation of Austria, was a significant breach of the post-World War I international order. The unification of Austria and Germany into a “Greater Germany” was in direct violation of the 1919 Treaty of Saint Germain and the Treaty of Versailles, which expressly forbade the unification of the two countries.

The idea of the Anschluss was not new. It had been a subject of debate since the 19th century, and gained support after the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918. However, the Allies prohibited the unification, fearing that a united Germany and Austria would be too powerful. This decision was reinforced by subsequent international financial agreements, which required Austria to remain independent.

Despite this, the desire for unification remained strong in both Austria and Germany, particularly among Austrian citizens of the political left and center. The idea was especially appealing to those who believed that Austria, stripped of its imperial land, was not economically viable.

When Adolf Hitler rose to power in Germany in 1933, the desire for unification became closely associated with the Nazis. For them, the unification of all Germans was an integral part of their ideology. Hitler himself, an Austrian German by birth, had expressed his desire for an Austro-German union in his earliest writings and speeches.

In the mid-1930s, Hitler began to act on his ambitions. In 1934, Austrian and German Nazis attempted a coup, but failed. An authoritarian right-wing government then took power in Austria, keeping perhaps half the population from voicing legitimate dissent. In 1938, under increasing pressure from pro-unification activists, Austrian chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg announced a referendum on a possible union with Germany. However, Hitler threatened an invasion and secretly pressured Schuschnigg to resign. On March 12, 1938, the German army crossed the border into Austria unopposed, and a Nazi government was established.

The annexation of Austria was the first act of territorial aggression committed by Nazi Germany. It demonstrated Hitler's aggressive territorial ambitions and his disdain for the post-World War I European order. The other European powers did not intervene to stop the annexation, nor did they punish Germany for violating international treaties. This act of appeasement allowed Hitler to continue his expansionary policies unchecked, leading to further aggression in Czechoslovakia and Poland, and ultimately, the start of World War II.

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