Hitler's Annexation: Austria's Fate In 1938

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, which translates to connection or joining in German. 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, which expressly forbade the unification of Austria and Germany. The Anschluss was widely popular in both Germany and Austria, with enthusiastic crowds greeting the German troops. The annexation was also supported by prominent Austrians like Cardinal Theodor Innitzer and the Social Democrat Karl Renner. However, it marked a terrible turning point for Austria's Jewish population, who faced public humiliation, violence, and discriminatory laws.

Hitler's annexation of Austria was the first step in his takeover of Europe

The annexation of Austria, known as the Anschluss, was the first step in Hitler's takeover of Europe. On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria to annex the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. This was the first act of territorial aggression and expansion by the Nazi regime.

Hitler, an Austrian German by birth, had written in his 1925 book, Mein Kampf, about his desire to unite all Germans in a Greater Germany. He wrote, "German-Austria must return to the great German motherland".

Hitler's annexation of Austria was the first step in his plan to redraw the map of post-World War I Europe. He considered the postwar international borders unfair and illegitimate, claiming that Germans had been denied the right of self-determination. The Anschluss was widely popular in both Germany and Austria, with many Austrians participating in the Nazification of their country.

Hitler's next objective was the disruption of the Czechoslovak republic, and he soon set his sights on Sudetenland, a region of Czechoslovakia with a predominantly ethnic German population. This was followed by the occupation of Bohemia and Moravia in March 1939 and the invasion of Poland in September 1939, marking the start of World War II.

Hitler's annexation of Austria was a significant breach of the post-World War I international order and a watershed moment in Nazi Germany's foreign policy. The international community's failure to intervene or punish Nazi Germany for violating international treaties set a precedent for appeasement, allowing Hitler to continue his expansionary policies unchecked.

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

The idea of Anschluss (a united Austria and Germany that would form a "Greater Germany") was not new. Discussions and debates about Austria's role in a German nation-state dated back to the 19th century. However, the peace treaties that ended World War I expressly forbade Germany and Austria from uniting. Despite this, the Anschluss was widely popular in both Germany and Austria.

In the early 1930s, the Austrian government looked to a possible customs union with Germany. However, ultimately, regional patriotism was stronger than pan-German sentiment. Hitler, an Austrian German by birth, picked up his German nationalist ideas at a young age. In Mein Kampf (1925), he wrote about his desire for an Austro-German union:

> German-Austria must return to the great German motherland, and not because of economic considerations of any sort. No, no: even if from the economic point of view this union were unimportant, indeed, if it were harmful, it ought nevertheless to be brought about. Common blood belongs in a common Reich.

Hitler's consolidation of power in Germany and the rise of the Austrian Nazi movement set the stage for the annexation. Hitler planned to achieve power in Austria through the Austrian Nazi Party, which recognized him as their leader by 1931. In 1933, Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany, and by 1937, rapid German rearmament increased Berlin's interest in annexing Austria, which was rich in raw materials and labour.

In February 1938, Hitler met with the Austrian chancellor, Kurt von Schuschnigg, and bullied him into accepting demands that included appointing Austrian Nazis to his cabinet and giving them full political rights. When Schuschnigg called for a national plebiscite to vote on Austria's independence, Hitler decided to invade immediately to prevent the vote. On March 11, Schuschnigg cancelled the plebiscite and resigned. The next day, German troops crossed the border into Austria, unopposed by the Austrian military. On March 13, Austrian Nazi Chancellor Arthur Seyss-Inquart signed the "Reunification of Austria with Germany" law, and Austria was transformed into a province of Nazi Germany.

The Anschluss was a significant breach of the post-World War I international order and a watershed moment in Nazi Germany's foreign policy. It demonstrated Hitler's aggressive territorial ambitions and the failure of the British and French to take action against him for violating the Versailles Treaty. The international community's acceptance of the Anschluss allowed Hitler to continue his expansionary policies unchecked, leading to the annexation of Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland region just six months later.

Hitler's consolidation of power in Austria was aided by the Austrian Nazi Party

The annexation of Austria, also known as the Anschluss, was the first act of territorial aggression and expansion by Nazi Germany. Hitler's consolidation of power in Austria was aided by the Austrian Nazi Party, which had been gaining support since the late 1920s.

The Austrian Nazi Party, however, was initially weak, divided, and ineffective. Party members disagreed on their relationship with Hitler and the German Nazi Party. 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 more supporters in 1931-1932 as Hitler's popularity in Germany increased, and this was even more noticeable in Austria after Hitler was appointed German chancellor in January 1933.

Austrian Nazis waged a propaganda and terror campaign, which was encouraged and funded by Germany. They staged disruptive protests and brawls with political opponents and the police, and 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.

In July 1934, Austrian Nazis attempted to overthrow the Austrian government. They shot and killed Chancellor Dollfuss, and other plotters seized control of the state radio station in Vienna and prematurely announced the coup. The majority of Austrians remained loyal to the government, and the coup attempt failed.

Hitler ordered the coup, and when it failed, he denied any involvement. The fallout from the plot made it clear that the Nazis would have to wait to gain control of Austria. In the aftermath, thousands of Austrian Nazis were arrested, and many fled across the border into Germany, where they formed a paramilitary unit known as the Austrian Legion.

Hitler planned to achieve power in Austria through the Austrian Nazi Party, and by 1937, it was clear to the Nazis that it would not be long before Austria was incorporated into Nazi Germany. In February 1938, Hitler met with Austrian Chancellor Schuschnigg and threatened to invade Austria. He forced Schuschnigg to implement measures favourable to Austrian Nazism and appoint Arthur Seyss-Inquart as Home Secretary.

On 9 March 1938, Schuschnigg announced that he wanted to hold a referendum on Austrian independence, but Hitler responded by mobilising the 8th Army for the planned invasion. Schuschnigg conceded and cancelled the referendum on 11 March. Hitler then demanded his resignation, which happened on the same evening.

On 12 March 1938, German troops crossed the Austrian border, unopposed by the Austrian military. Supporters of the Austrian Nazi Party, together with members of the SS and SA, occupied public buildings and offices throughout Austria. The formation of the Greater German Reich was announced from the balcony of the Council House in Linz. On 13 March 1938, the second session of the Government passed the “Reunification with Germany Law”.

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

The idea of Anschluss, or the unification of Austria and Germany, was not new. It dated back to the 19th century, when Austria wanted to unite all German states under its leadership. However, this idea was opposed by Prussia, which wanted to dominate a united Germany. The conflict between these two powers dominated the politics of the German states in the mid-19th century. Eventually, the dispute was settled in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, which Prussia won. As a result, the Austrian Empire and German Austrians were excluded from the unification of Germany in 1871.

After World War I, the idea of Anschluss gained support in both Austria and Germany, particularly among Austrian citizens of the political left and centre. Many Austrians believed that their country, stripped of its imperial land, was not economically viable. However, popular support for unification gradually faded over time.

When Adolf Hitler rose to power in Germany in 1933, unification became associated with the Nazis, who saw it as an integral part of their concept of "Heim ins Reich" ("back home to the realm"). They sought to incorporate as many ethnic Germans outside Germany as possible into a "Greater Germany". To achieve this, Nazi Germany's agents cultivated pro-unification tendencies in Austria and worked to undermine the Austrian government, which opposed unification.

In 1934, Austrian Nazis attempted a coup, assassinating Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss. Although the coup failed, it further destabilised Austria, which was already characterised by infighting and political violence. The Austrian Nazis continued to operate illegally within the country and carried out terrorist attacks.

In 1938, Austrian Chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg tried to assert Austrian independence by calling for a plebiscite on the issue. However, Hitler pressured Schuschnigg to cancel the plebiscite and resign. On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria, unopposed by the Austrian military. The annexation of Austria, known as the Anschluss, was proclaimed the next day.

Several factors facilitated the Anschluss. Firstly, the Austrian Nazis waged a propaganda and terror campaign, encouraged and funded by Germany, to undermine the Austrian government. Secondly, the international community showed little interest in maintaining Austrian independence. The French and British accepted an Austro-German union as inevitable, and even Mussolini, who had initially supported Austrian independence, drew closer to Hitler in 1935-36. Thirdly, many Austrians welcomed the idea of unification due to economic concerns and anti-Semitic sentiments. Finally, Hitler's aggressive foreign policy and his willingness to use force or the threat of force to achieve his goals played a crucial role in bringing about the Anschluss.

The Anschluss was the result of Hitler's aggressive foreign policy

Hitler's first attempt to annex Austria came in July 1934 when a pro-Nazi group tried to overthrow the Austrian government. The coup was planned in Germany with Hitler's approval and assistance from German officials. Although the group assassinated Austria's chancellor, the attempt failed as Austrian military leaders did not support the coup. Hitler then claimed that Germany had no intention of interfering in Austrian affairs or annexing Austria.

Hitler's next attempt came in February 1938 when he arranged a meeting with the Austrian chancellor, Kurt von Schuschnigg. Hitler demanded that von Schuschnigg appoint members of Austria's Nazi Party to his cabinet and give full political rights to the party or face an invasion by the German army. Fearful of an invasion, von Schuschnigg called for a national plebiscite to take place on March 13 so that Austrians could vote on whether they wished their nation to remain independent or become part of the Third Reich. Hitler, upon hearing this, decided to invade immediately to prevent the vote. On March 11, von Schuschnigg cancelled the plebiscite and offered to resign to avoid bloodshed. Hitler demanded that the president of Austria, Wilhelm Miklas, appoint an Austrian member of the Nazi Party as the nation's next chancellor. When Miklas refused, Hitler ordered that the invasion begin at dawn the next day.

On March 12, German soldiers in tanks and armoured vehicles crossed the Austrian border, encountering no resistance. The Nazis justified the invasion by claiming that Austria had descended into chaos and circulated fake reports of rioting in Vienna. Hitler accompanied his troops to his birthplace of Braunau am Inn and then on to Linz, where he called for an immediate Anschluss. The next day, Austria's parliament formally approved the annexation. Austria ceased to exist as a nation and became a province of Germany.

Hitler's annexation of Austria was the first step in his plan to create a Greater German Reich that would include all ethnic Germans and territories lost by Germany after World War I. It was also a violation of the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint-Germain, which expressly forbade the unification of Austria and Germany. The international community did not intervene or punish Hitler for this violation, allowing him to continue his expansionary policies unchecked.

Hitler's aggressive foreign policy towards Austria was driven by his desire to unite all Germans in a Nazi German empire and acquire Lebensraum ("living space") in Eastern Europe. The annexation of Austria was a watershed moment in Nazi Germany's foreign policy and a clear indication of Hitler's intentions to expand the Third Reich.

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