Hitler's Rise: Elected In Austria?

On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria, annexing the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. This event, known as the Anschluss, was orchestrated by none other than Adolf Hitler, who accompanied the troops into his country of birth. But was Hitler elected in Austria? A referendum on the annexation was held on April 10, 1938, with an official result of 99.73% in favour of the union. However, this vote was far from free and fair, with political dissidents, Jews, and Roma people being disenfranchised, and widespread Nazi propaganda influencing the outcome.

Hitler's annexation of Austria in 1938

The annexation of Austria by Hitler in 1938, also known as the Anschluss, was a significant event in the lead-up to World War II. Here is a detailed account of the events surrounding this annexation.

Background to the Annexation

In the early 20th century, following the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire and the German Confederation, there was a desire among many Austrians and Germans for a "Greater Germany" that would unite all German-speaking peoples. This idea gained support after World War I, when the Austro-Hungarian Empire collapsed and the newly founded Republic of German-Austria sought to unite with Germany. However, the Treaty of Saint Germain and the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 forbade this union and forced Austria to change its name from "German-Austria" to "Austria".

Rise of Hitler and Nazi Germany

Adolf Hitler, an Austrian-born German nationalist, rose to power in Germany in 1933. He advocated for the incorporation of ethnic Germans outside Germany into a "Greater Germany". Nazi agents cultivated pro-unification sentiments in Austria and sought to undermine the Austrian government, which opposed unification. During this time, Austrian Nazis attempted coups and engaged in terrorist attacks, causing instability in the country.

Events Leading to the Annexation

In early 1938, Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg announced a referendum on a possible union with Germany, to be held on March 13. However, under pressure from Hitler and facing riots by Austrian Nazis, Schuschnigg resigned on March 11 and pleaded with Austrian forces not to resist a German invasion. On March 12, German troops marched into Austria, and Hitler appointed a new Nazi government. The annexation was proclaimed on March 13, and Austria became a federal state of Germany.

The Plebiscite and its Aftermath

A plebiscite was held on April 10, 1938, to approve the annexation. However, this vote was manipulated and subject to large-scale Nazi propaganda. Jews, Roma, and political opponents were not allowed to vote, and the ballot was not secret. The official result showed 99.7% approval for the annexation, but it is estimated that about 70% of Austrians would have voted to preserve their independence if the vote had been fair.

Austria remained a part of Germany until the end of World War II, when the Allied powers declared the annexation void and reestablished an independent Austria. The annexation of Austria demonstrated Hitler's aggressive territorial ambitions and the failure of Britain and France to take action against his violations of the Versailles Treaty.

The Austrian referendum

On April 10, 1938, a sham referendum was held in German-occupied Austria to approve the country's annexation by Germany, or the Anschluss, which had already occurred on March 12, 1938. The official result of the referendum was 99.73% in favour of the union, with a 99.71% turnout.

In the lead-up to the referendum, Austria had been facing increasing pressure from Germany. In July 1934, a pro-Nazi group tried to overthrow the Austrian government with Hitler's approval. In February 1938, Hitler invited Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg to Germany and forced him to agree to give the Austrian Nazi Party more power. Schuschnigg instead called for a national plebiscite to take place on March 13, 1938, so that Austrians could decide for themselves whether they wanted to become part of the Third Reich. Hitler decided to invade Austria to prevent the vote from taking place. On March 11, Schuschnigg cancelled the plebiscite and resigned, pleading with Austrian forces not to resist the German advance. German troops entered Austria on March 12, and Hitler appointed a new Nazi government.

The referendum was manipulated to show that the majority of Austrians approved of the union. Political enemies and Austrian citizens of Roma or Jewish origin—around 360,000 people or 8% of the population—were not allowed to vote. The ballots featured a large circle for 'yes' votes and a small one for 'no' votes, and voters were pressured to mark their ballot papers in front of campaign workers, meaning that the secrecy of the ballot was non-existent. The official result of the referendum was used to justify the integration of Austria into Nazi Germany as several administrative divisions.

Hitler's popularity in Austria

Hitler was born in Braunau am Inn in Austria-Hungary and raised near Linz. He lived in Vienna in the first decade of the 1900s before moving to Germany in 1913. He was decorated during his service in the German Army in World War I, receiving the Iron Cross. After the war, he gained popularity by attacking the Treaty of Versailles and promoting pan-Germanism, antisemitism, and anti-communism.

However, it's important to note that Innitzer was intimidated into endorsing the Anschluss and was assaulted by Nazi supporters. In addition, the referendum held to approve the annexation was a sham. Political enemies and Austrian citizens of Roma or Jewish origin (roughly 360,000 people or 8% of the population) were not allowed to vote. The ballots also featured a large circle for 'yes' votes and a small one for 'no' votes, and there was no secrecy. Despite this, the official result of the referendum was reported as 99.73% in favour, with a 99.71% turnout.

The Anschluss was not inevitable, and the rapid Nazification of Austria was facilitated by certain historical factors and events. One key factor was the presence of ethnic Germans in Austria, most of whom considered themselves ethnically German. Discussions and debates about Austria's role in a German nation-state dated back to the 19th century. In addition, the peace treaties that ended World War I expressly forbade Germany and Austria from uniting, and subsequent international financial agreements also required that Austria remain independent. This led to a sense of grievance among many Austrians, who felt that their country could not survive economically without the lands previously held by Austria-Hungary.

The Austrian chancellor, Kurt von Schuschnigg

Kurt von Schuschnigg was the Austrian chancellor from 1934 to 1938, succeeding Engelbert Dollfuss after his assassination by the Nazi Otto Planetta. Schuschnigg was a member of the right-wing Christian Social Party and had previously served as Minister of Justice and Minister of Education under Dollfuss.

Schuschnigg's main political concern was to preserve Austria's independence from absorption into Nazi Germany, despite considering Austria a "German state" and Austrians to be Germans. However, he struggled to maintain Austria's sovereignty in the face of growing Nazi influence and support for Hitler's ambitions within the country. In 1936, he signed an Austro-German Agreement, which allowed for the release of imprisoned Nazi insurgents and the inclusion of Nazis in the Austrian cabinet.

In February 1938, Schuschnigg met with Hitler at his residence in an attempt to improve relations between the two countries. However, he was presented with an ultimatum, effectively demanding that power be handed over to the Austrian Nazis. Under coercion, Schuschnigg agreed to appoint Nazi sympathisers Arthur Seyss-Inquart and Dr Hans Fischböck as ministers of security and finance, respectively, and to grant a general amnesty to imprisoned Nazis.

In an attempt to assert Austria's independence, Schuschnigg called for a plebiscite to be held on 13 March 1938, asking the Austrian people to vote on their support for an independent Austria. However, this move was thwarted when German troops invaded Austria on 12 March, the day before the plebiscite was due to take place. Schuschnigg resigned on 11 March under pressure from Hitler, and was placed under house arrest the following day.

After his resignation, Schuschnigg was imprisoned by the Nazis and kept in solitary confinement. He spent most of World War II in concentration camps until he was liberated by American troops in 1945. He later emigrated to the United States, where he became a professor of political science and gained American citizenship.

The Anschluss and the Munich Pact

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, was preceded by a conspiracy by Austrian Nazis to seize the Austrian government and unite with Nazi Germany. Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg met with Hitler in an attempt to reassert Austrian independence but was forced to appoint several top Austrian Nazis to his cabinet.

On March 9, Schuschnigg called for a national vote to resolve the question of the Anschluss once and for all. However, before the vote could take place, Schuschnigg resigned on March 11 due to pressure from Hitler. The next day, German troops entered Austria, where they were met with enthusiasm by the crowds. Hitler appointed a new Nazi government, and on March 13, the Anschluss was officially proclaimed. Austria became a federal state of Germany and remained so until the end of World War II, when the Allied powers declared the Anschluss void and re-established an independent Austria.

Following the Anschluss, a sham referendum was held on April 10, 1938, to approve the union with Germany. This referendum excluded political enemies and Austrian citizens of Roma or Jewish origin, amounting to about 8% of the population. The official result showed 99.73% in favour of the union, with a 99.71% turnout. The referendum was manipulated through propaganda and the suppression of opposition.

The Munich Pact, also known as the Munich Agreement, was an agreement reached on September 30, 1938, by Nazi Germany, the United Kingdom, the French Republic, and Fascist Italy. The pact allowed for the German annexation of the Sudetenland, a part of Czechoslovakia with a significant ethnic German population. The agreement was reached after a series of negotiations and crises, with Hitler threatening military action if his demands were not met. The Czechoslovak government was not included in the negotiations and felt betrayed by the British and French governments.

The Munich Pact is widely regarded as a failed act of appeasement towards Hitler, and it did not prevent the outbreak of World War II. Instead, it gave Germany control over a significant portion of Czechoslovakia's military arsenal, which played a role in the German invasions of Poland and France.

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