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The union of Germany and Austria, known as the Anschluss, was forbidden by the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint-Germain. The unification of the two nations was an old issue, predating Hitler and the Nazis, and was driven by questions of national identity. However, the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany in March 1938 violated these treaties and marked the regime's first act of territorial aggression and expansion.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the union | Anschluss |
| Date of the union | 12 March 1938 |
| Type of union | Annexation and formal union |
| Treaties that forbade the union | Treaty of Versailles, Treaty of Saint-Germain |
| Reason for forbidding the union | To prevent Germany from becoming too powerful |
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What You'll Learn
The Treaty of Versailles banned the union
The Treaty of Versailles, the settlement at the end of World War I between Germany and its opponents, explicitly banned the union of Germany and Austria. This union, known as the Anschluss, was the first act of territorial aggression and expansion committed by Nazi Germany. The idea of the Anschluss, or 'fusion', was to annex and formally unite Austria with Germany to create a "'Greater Germany'". This would give Hitler access to new resources such as manpower for the military, raw materials, and a large quantity of cash and gold.
The union of Germany and Austria had been a topic of discussion for many years, since the 19th century, from the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806 until the break-up of the German Confederation in 1866. The idea gained support after World War I, when the German Empire was replaced with a German democracy and the Austrian Empire was shattered into smaller states, including a single Austria. The victorious allies used the Treaty of Versailles to ban any union of Germany and Austria, fearing that a united Germany and Austria would be too powerful.
The union was also forbidden by the Treaty of Saint-Germain, which stripped Austria of some of its territories, such as the Sudetenland, and forced the country to rename itself the "Republic of Austria". However, in 1938, Hitler drove the union through, and on March 13, the Anschluss was officially declared. This was made possible by the lack of resistance from foreign powers and the sympathy of many Austrians to the idea of joining Germany. The Austrian government was dissolved, and the name "Österreich" (Austria in German) was banned from public use.
The Anschluss demonstrated Nazi disdain for the post-World War I European order and allowed Hitler to continue his expansionary policies unchecked. It also had significant consequences for Austria, as the country was transformed almost overnight. Austrian and German Nazis quickly carried out the Nazification of all aspects of Austrian life, and Austrians participated in the persecution of the country's Jewish population.
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The Treaty of Saint Germain banned the union
The Treaty of Saint Germain, also known as the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, was signed on 10 September 1919 by the victorious Allies of World War I and the Republic of German-Austria. The treaty contained the Covenant of the League of Nations, which the United States did not ratify, instead opting to establish the US-Austrian Peace Treaty of 1921.
The Treaty of Saint Germain was significant in forbidding the union of Austria and Germany. Article 88 of the treaty required Austria to refrain from compromising its independence, which meant that Austria could not enter into political or economic union with the Weimar Republic without the agreement of the council of the League of Nations. This article led to the new republic's initial self-chosen name of German-Austria being changed to simply Austria.
The forbiddance of unity with Germany was a point of protest for Austrian officials, who saw it as a violation of the principle of self-determination. Many Austrians would come to find the name change harsh, especially among the Austrian Germans, who constituted a vast majority and would support a single German nation-state. This sentiment led to support for the idea of Anschluss, or political union, with Nazi Germany later on.
The Treaty of Saint Germain also included provisions for war reparations, with large sums of money directed towards the Allies, although the exact amount was never defined or collected from Austria. Additionally, the treaty dealt with the transfer of railways, Danubian navigation, and other details involved in the breakup of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
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The Entente forbade unification
The unification of Austria and Germany, known as the Anschluss, was forbidden by the Entente. The idea of the Anschluss, or "fusion", was the annexation and formal unification of Austria and Germany to create a Greater Germany. This union was first proposed in the early 1900s, after the 1871 unification of Germany excluded Austria and German Austrians from the German Empire.
The unification of Austria and Germany was forbidden by the 1919 Treaty of Saint Germain and the Treaty of Versailles. These treaties were put in place by the victorious allies after World War I, who worried that a union would make Germany too powerful. The treaties also stripped Austria of some of its territories and forbade the continued use of the name "German-Austria".
Despite the ban, the unification of Austria and Germany was a goal of the Nazi Party, with Hitler expressing his desire for a union in his earliest writings and speeches. In 1938, under pressure from pro-unification activists, Austrian chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg announced that there would be a referendum on a possible union with Germany. Hitler threatened an invasion and, on 12 March 1938, German troops crossed the border into Austria unopposed. A plebiscite was held on 10 April, resulting in a manipulated vote of 99.7% approval for the union.
The Anschluss was the first act of territorial aggression and expansion committed by Nazi Germany, and it allowed Hitler to continue his expansionary policies unchecked. The union was also supported by many Austrians, who were sympathetic to the idea of joining Germany. However, others recognised that their sovereignty would be lost as long as Hitler was in power.
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Austria's independence was accepted by the international community
The idea of a union between Austria and Germany was not new. The concept, known as Anschluss, or 'fusion', had been around since the 19th century. The 1871 unification of Germany excluded Austria and the German Austrians from the Prussian-dominated German Empire, and the issue was further complicated by the dissolution 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 this union and the use of the name "German-Austria". These treaties also stripped Austria of some of its territories.
Despite these initial attempts to maintain Austrian independence, the international community's attitude shifted over time. By the winter of 1937-1938, Austria was diplomatically isolated and facing an increasingly aggressive Nazi Germany. Both the French and the British had accepted an Austro-German union as inevitable, and even Mussolini was no longer a reliable supporter of Austrian independence.
In March 1938, Austrian Nazis took over the government, and German troops occupied the country. This annexation, led by Adolf Hitler, resulted in Austria becoming an integral part of Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich. The international community did not punish Nazi Germany for violating international treaties, and this acceptance was a significant act of appeasement that allowed Hitler to continue his expansionary policies unchecked.
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Austria was annexed by Germany
The annexation of Austria by Germany, also known as the "Anschluss", took place on March 12, 1938. The unification of the two countries had been a topic of discussion and debate since the 19th century, with the idea gaining support after the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918.
The annexation was the first act of territorial aggression and expansion committed by Nazi Germany, violating the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint-Germain, which expressly forbade the unification of the two countries. The union was popular among some Austrians, who believed it would solve the problems caused by the Great Depression, and among Nazis, who wanted to redraw the map of post-World War I Europe.
In the lead-up to the annexation, Austrian chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg attempted to maintain Austrian independence by scheduling a plebiscite (referendum) on the matter for March 13, 1938. However, on March 11, the Germans pressured Schuschnigg to cancel the plebiscite and resign. The next day, German troops crossed the border into Austria unopposed and Austria was absorbed into the Third Reich.
The annexation was met with little resistance from foreign powers and was even accepted by the British and French, who had come to see the union as inevitable. The international community's acceptance of the annexation allowed Hitler to continue his expansionary policies unchecked, and it wasn't long before the Nazis began imposing their ideology on Austrians and persecuting the country's Jewish population.
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