Hitler's Bold Claims: Germany-Austria Union

The unification of Germany and Austria, known as the Anschluss, was the first act of territorial aggression and expansion by Nazi Germany. The idea of a united Austria and Germany was not new, but discussions and debates about Austria's role in a German nation-state dated back to the 19th century. The unification of Germany in 1871, led by Otto von Bismarck, had excluded Austria, leaving many Austrians feeling that their country could not survive economically without the lands previously held by Austria-Hungary.

Hitler, an Austrian himself, had expressed his desire for an Austro-German union in his earliest writings and speeches. The first point of the Nazi Party Platform (1920) read: We demand the union of all Germans in a Greater Germany (Großdeutschland) on the basis of the right of national self-determination. In his autobiography, Mein Kampf, Hitler wrote: German-Austria must be restored to the great German Motherland...People of the same blood should be in the same REICH.

Hitler's plan for Austria was part of a larger scheme 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. By uniting all Germans in a Nazi German empire, he would also be able to acquire Lebensraum (living space) in eastern Europe.

Hitler claimed that the unification of Austria and Germany was a life task

In his 1925 book Mein Kampf, Hitler wrote about his country of birth, Austria, stating that "German-Austria must return to the great German motherland". He saw the unification of Austria and Germany as a "life task" to be carried out "by all means".

Hitler's desire for an Austro-German union was expressed 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 annexation of Austria, known as the Anschluss, was the Nazi regime's first act of territorial aggression and expansion. It was widely popular in both Germany and Austria. The unification of Austria and Germany had strong support in both countries, particularly from Austrian citizens of the political left and center.

Hitler's unification of Austria and Germany was part of his larger 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. By uniting all Germans in a Nazi German empire, Hitler could achieve his goal of acquiring Lebensraum ("living space") in Eastern Europe.

The unification of Austria and Germany under Hitler's regime had far-reaching consequences. It marked a significant breach of the post-World War I international order and demonstrated Nazi disdain for the European order established by the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint-Germain, which expressly forbade the unification of the two countries. The international community's failure to intervene or punish Nazi Germany for violating international treaties set a precedent for further aggression and expansion.

The unification also had a profound impact on Austria itself. Almost overnight, the country of Austria ceased to exist as an independent nation. Austrian and German Nazis quickly carried out the Nazification of Austrian life, with many Austrians participating enthusiastically. The unification led to an outburst of public violence against Austria's Jewish population, who were subjected to discriminatory laws, persecution, and mass murder.

He wanted to unite all Germans in a Greater Germany

The unification of Germany and Austria, known as the Anschluss, was a significant step in Hitler's plan to create a Greater Germany. The idea of the Anschluss was not new, and discussions about a German nation-state that included Austria dated back to the 19th century. However, when Hitler rose to power 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 bring as many Volksdeutsche (ethnic Germans outside Germany) as possible into a "Greater Germany".

Hitler, himself an Austrian German by birth, had expressed his desire for a union between Austria and Germany 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." In his book "Mein Kampf", Hitler wrote about his country of birth, Austria:

> 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 plan to unite all Germans in a Greater Germany was not limited to Austria. He also targeted Czechoslovakia, provoking an international crisis that led to the Munich Agreement in September 1938, which gave Nazi Germany control of the Sudetenland. In March 1939, Hitler dismantled Czechoslovakia by recognising the independence of Slovakia and making the rest of the nation a German protectorate.

The unification of Germany and Austria in 1938 was met with widespread support in both countries, particularly among those who identified as ethnically German. However, it is important to note that the plebiscite held in April 1938 to ratify the unification excluded the votes of approximately 300,000 to 400,000 Austrian citizens, including Jews, Roma, and political opponents of the Nazis.

Hitler wanted to acquire living space in Eastern Europe

Hitler's desire to acquire living space in Eastern Europe was a critical component of the Nazi worldview that drove both its military conquests and racial policy. The concept of Lebensraum, or "living space", was first coined by German geographer and biologist Oscar Peschel in 1860. However, it was popularised by geographer and ethnographer Friedrich Ratzel in 1901, who studied how humans reacted to their environment. In his work, Ratzel posited that all peoples, as well as animals and plants, needed to expand their living space to survive.

Hitler, building on Ratzel's work, believed that Germany needed to expand eastward into Eastern Europe to acquire more living space. This belief was driven by several factors. Firstly, Hitler considered the postwar international borders unfair and illegitimate, claiming that Germans had been denied the right of self-determination. By redrawing Europe's borders, Hitler aimed to unite all Germans in a Nazi German empire. Secondly, Hitler agreed with the concept of expansion to allow the German Volk (people) to survive and avoid the danger of vanishing from the earth. In his book, Mein Kampf, Hitler wrote:

> "The German Reich is no longer willing to tolerate the suppression of ten million Germans across its borders."

Hitler's desire for living space in Eastern Europe was also influenced by his admiration for the United States' territorial expansion and its treatment of Native Americans during its westward expansion. He believed that Germany needed to expand its geopolitical presence and act only in the interest of the German people to become a world superpower.

The acquisition of living space in Eastern Europe was a central component of Hitler's foreign policy and provided justification for German territorial expansion. This expansionist ideology, known as Lebensraum, became a leading motivation for Nazi Germany's initiation of World War II and was pursued until the end of the conflict.

Hitler's plans for acquiring living space in Eastern Europe had significant implications. They led to the intensification of self-destructive policies, including the genocide of Jews, Romanis, Slavs, and other ethnic groups in German-occupied territories. Additionally, the pursuit of Lebensraum contributed to the failure of German war aims and ultimately resulted in the collapse of Nazi Germany.

He believed that common blood belonged in a common Reich

In his 1925 book, Mein Kampf, Hitler wrote about his country of birth, Austria, stating that "common blood belongs in a common Reich". He went on to say that even if uniting with Austria were to be economically unimportant or even harmful, it ought to be brought about. Hitler believed that all Germans should be united in one common state, and that this was a "life task to be carried out by all means".

Hitler's belief in a "common blood" belonging in a "common Reich" was a central tenet of his ideology and was used to justify his aggressive foreign policy. He sought to redraw the map of post-World War I Europe, considering the international borders unfair and illegitimate. Hitler and the Nazis claimed that Germans had been denied the right of self-determination and that redrawing Europe's borders would allow them to unite all Germans in a Nazi German empire and acquire Lebensraum ("living space") in Eastern Europe.

The unification of Austria and Germany, known as the Anschluss, was the first act of territorial aggression and expansion committed by Nazi Germany. It was widely popular in both countries, with many Austrians and Germans welcoming the union as the completion of the long-awaited idea of a Greater Germany. However, it is important to note that the plebiscite held to ratify the Anschluss was neither free nor secret, and the voting rights of around 360,000 people were abrogated, mainly those of political enemies and ethnic and religious minorities.

Hitler wanted to redraw the map of post-World War I Europe

Hitler expressed his desire for an Austro-German union in his earliest writings and speeches. The first point of the Nazi Party Platform (1920) read:

> We demand the union of all Germans in a Greater Germany (Großdeutschland) on the basis of the right of national self-determination.

Hitler opened his autobiography and political treatise Mein Kampf with his vision for the future relationship between Austria and Germany. He wrote:

> The reunification [of Germany and Austria] is a life task to be carried out by all means! German-Austria must be restored to the great German Motherland... People of the same blood should be in the same REICH.

In January 1933, Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany. As chancellor, he fully intended to bring about an Austro-German union. However, Germany was not immediately militarily and diplomatically ready to carry out Hitler's foreign policy goals. Hitler and other Nazi leaders focused on establishing a Nazi dictatorship. Behind the scenes, the Nazi leadership began planning territorial expansion and a European war almost as soon as they took power.

Hitler planned to achieve power in Austria through the Austrian Nazi Party. However, in the late 1920s and early 1930s, the Austrian Nazi Party was weak, divided, and ineffective. But, by 1931, the bulk of Austrian Nazis recognised Hitler as their leader. Hitler, in turn, 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. This was even more noticeable across Austria after Hitler was appointed German chancellor in January 1933.

Hitler's plan to unite Germany and Austria, known as the Anschluss, was the Nazi regime's first act of territorial aggression and expansion. It was a watershed moment in Nazi Germany's foreign policy. The international community did not intervene to stop the Anschluss or punish Nazi Germany for violating international treaties. This was one of the earliest and most significant examples of the international community's appeasement of Hitler's aggressive foreign policy.

The Anschluss transformed Austria. Almost overnight, the country of Austria ceased to exist. Austrian and German Nazis carried out the Nazification of all aspects of Austrian life. Many Austrians participated enthusiastically in this endeavour. In the wake of the Anschluss, Austrians persecuted the country's Jewish population. They enacted Nazi policies and fought in World War II. Austrians also participated in the mass murder of Europe's Jews.

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