Austria's Annexation: Germany's Takeover

On March 12, 1938, German troops invaded Austria, annexing the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. This event is known as the Anschluss, which in German means joining or connection. The annexation of Austria was the first act of territorial aggression and expansion by Nazi Germany, violating the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint-Germain. The idea of a union between the two countries was not new, and by the 1920s, the proposal had strong support in both Austria and Germany. However, the annexation was met with mixed reactions internationally, with only Winston Churchill advocating for intervention to stop Hitler's aggression.

The annexation of Austria into the German Reich

The Rise of Nazism in Austria

In the 1920s, many Austrians believed that their country could not survive economically without the territories it had lost after the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918. This belief, along with a desire to unite all Germans in one state, fuelled support for the idea of Anschluss, or the annexation of Austria into the German Reich. The proposal gained further support after Adolf Hitler rose to power in Germany in 1933. For the Nazis, the unification of Austria and Germany 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".

In Austria, the Nazi Party waged a propaganda and terror campaign, encouraged and funded by Germany, to undermine the government of Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss, who opposed unification. On July 25, 1934, Austrian Nazis attempted a coup, assassinating Dollfuss but ultimately failing to seize power. Kurt von Schuschnigg, who became chancellor after Dollfuss' death, continued his predecessor's authoritarian policies and arrested thousands of Austrian Nazis.

The Berchtesgaden Agreement

On February 12, 1938, Schuschnigg met with Hitler to discuss tensions between the two countries. Hitler demanded that Austria's foreign and military policies be coordinated with Germany's, that Austrian Nazi Arthur Seyss-Inquart be placed in charge of security matters, and that imprisoned Austrian Nazis be amnestied. Intimidated by the presence of German generals, Schuschnigg signed the Berchtesgaden Agreement, which undermined Austrian sovereignty and independence.

The Plebiscite and Annexation

On March 9, 1938, Schuschnigg attempted to assert Austrian independence by calling for a plebiscite (referendum) on March 13, in which voters would decide on a call for Austrian independence. Infuriated, Hitler decided to invade Austria immediately to prevent the vote. On March 11, he issued an ultimatum to Schuschnigg, demanding that he cancel the plebiscite, resign, and allow the appointment of Seyss-Inquart as the new chancellor. When Schuschnigg gave in to these demands, Hitler nonetheless ordered the invasion to proceed at dawn on March 12.

On the morning of March 12, German troops crossed the border into Austria, encountering no resistance. Hitler arrived later that day, visiting his birthplace and his parents' grave. On March 15, he gave a speech in Vienna, declaring that Austria was now part of the German Empire: the Anschluss. Austria had become a German province called the Ostmark.

On April 10, 1938, a referendum was held in Austria to legitimise the annexation. More than 99% of the Austrian population voted in favour, likely due to the vote not being anonymous and the intimidation of opponents.

Aftermath

The annexation of Austria was widely popular in both Germany and Austria, with many Germans and Austrians enthusiastic about the union. However, it also resulted in an outburst of public violence against Austria's Jewish population, with Austrian Nazis carrying out pogrom-like attacks and forcing Jews to perform humiliating tasks.

The Anschluss was the first step in Hitler's plan to redraw the map of post-World War I Europe and acquire Lebensraum ("living space") in Eastern Europe. It was a significant breach of the post-World War I international order and a watershed moment in Nazi Germany's foreign policy, demonstrating the international community's failure to stop Hitler's aggressive expansion.

The Austrian Nazi Party

In early 1938, Austrian Nazis conspired to seize the Austrian government and unite the nation with Nazi Germany. Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg attempted to maintain Austria's independence by calling for a referendum on the issue, but he faced increasing pressure from Hitler and the Austrian Nazis. On March 11, 1938, Schuschnigg resigned under coercion from the Nazis, and the German army crossed the border into Austria on March 12. Hitler accompanied the troops and was greeted by enthusiastic crowds. The annexation, known as the Anschluss, was proclaimed on March 13, and Austria became a province of Nazi Germany.

The Austrian Plebiscite

On the 12th of March 1938, German troops invaded Austria, annexing the Federal State of Austria into the German Reich. This was known as the Anschluss, or "union" and "connection" in German. The Anschluss was the culmination of a long-held desire for a "Greater Germany", which would unite Austria and Germany.

In the lead-up to the invasion, Austrian chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg announced a referendum on the issue of a union with Germany, to be held on the 13th of March 1938. However, the day before the referendum was due to take place, German troops crossed the border into Austria, unopposed by the Austrian military. Chancellor Schuschnigg resigned on the 11th of March, and the next day, Adolf Hitler entered Austria with German troops, where they were met by enthusiastic crowds.

A plebiscite was held on the 10th of April 1938, which was neither free nor secret. Opponents of the union did not dare to vote against it, and the official result was reported as 99.7% in favour. The plebiscite was subject to large-scale Nazi propaganda, and the voting rights of around 360,000 people, mainly political enemies and Austrian citizens of Jewish or Romani origin, were abrogated. While the true opinions of the population are unknown, it is estimated that about 70% of Austrians would have voted to preserve Austrian independence.

The Anschluss was among the first major steps in Hitler's desire to create a Greater German Reich, and it demonstrated his aggressive territorial ambitions. It also highlighted the failure of the British and French to take action against him for violating the Versailles Treaty.

The Nazi persecution of Austrian Jews

On March 12, 1938, German troops invaded Austria, and the country was annexed into the German Reich. This annexation, known as the Anschluss, was supported by many Austrians, who greeted the German army with Nazi salutes, flags, and flowers. However, the persecution of Austrian Jews began immediately after the Anschluss.

The Jewish population in Austria in 1938 was approximately 192,000, with the overwhelming majority living in Vienna. Jews played an important role in Austria's economic and cultural life, with leading figures in the sciences, arts, business, industry, and trades. However, Austria also had a powerful legacy of anti-Semitism, which was fully expressed by Adolf Hitler.

After the Anschluss, German racial laws were enacted in Austria, and Jews were disenfranchised. The number of people considered Jews in Austria increased to 220,000 under these laws, and a forced reorganization of Jewish communities was carried out, led by Adolf Eichmann. All Jewish organizations and newspapers were closed, and their leaders and management imprisoned. Jews were banned from public transport, and many regular Austrians joined the Nazis in terrorizing them. Jews were forced to wash sidewalks and public toilets, and in one instance, a group of Jews was rounded up on the Sabbath and forced to eat grass in a Viennese amusement park.

The Kristallnacht pogroms in November 1938 were particularly brutal in Austria. Most synagogues in Vienna were destroyed, and Jewish businesses were vandalized and ransacked. Thousands of Jews were arrested and deported to concentration camps, and Jewish emigration increased dramatically. Between 1938 and 1940, 117,000 Jews left Austria, and by November 1942, only about 7,000 Jews remained in the country.

The Holocaust in Austria resulted in the systematic persecution, plunder, and extermination of Jews by German and Austrian Nazis from 1938 to 1945. An estimated 70,000 Jews were murdered, and 125,000 were forced to flee as refugees. The Austrian government has since acknowledged its role in the Holocaust and has instituted several restitution and compensation programs.

The international response to the annexation

The British Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, noted that the British ambassador in Berlin objected to the use of "coercion, backed by force" that undermined Austria's independence. He also said that nothing could have stopped the annexation unless Britain and other countries were prepared to use force.

The United States' reaction to the annexation was also significant. The overt German action caused great concern in Washington, and historians have not adequately focused on this event. The annexation helped pass Roosevelt's naval rearmament program, and he also established an international organisation responsible for Austrian refugees.

The annexation compelled the United States to criticise Germany's increasing lawlessness and formulate a foreign policy to respond more forcefully to Hitler's aggressive foreign policy. After the annexation, Secretary of State Hull stated that America opposed international lawlessness and blind isolationism, supported rearmament, and was ready to cooperate with governments who opposed blatant violators of treaties and human rights.

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