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Austria's complex relationship with Nazi Germany during World War II has been a subject of historical debate and introspection for the country. In 1938, Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany, becoming a part of the Third Reich, and ceasing to exist as a nation. This annexation, known as the Anschluss, was met with enthusiasm by a significant portion of the Austrian population, with many actively participating in Hitler's regime and the persecution of Jews. However, there was also resistance to Nazi rule, and the country experienced modernisation during the war due to German influence. The complex dynamics of Austria's role during World War II continue to shape Austrian politics and society even today.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Nazi Germany's annexation of Austria | 13 March 1938 |
| Date of Austria's incorporation into the Third Reich | 13 March 1938 |
| Austria's role during WWII | Ambiguous |
| Austrian population's response to annexation | Mixed |
| Number of Jews in Austria at the time of the annexation | 192,000 |
| Number of Jews murdered during the Holocaust in Austria | 65,000 |
| Number of Jews forced to flee Austria as refugees | 125,000 |
| Number of Jews deported to concentration camps | 2,000 |
| Number of Jews who emigrated to Great Britain | 30,850 |
| Number of Jews who emigrated to the USA | 28,615 |
| Number of Jews who emigrated to China | 18,124 |
| Number of Jews who emigrated to Palestine | 9,195 |
| Austria's status after WWII | Occupied by the Allies |
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What You'll Learn
Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany in 1938
In the years leading up to the annexation, Austria was weakened by economic troubles and political strife. Austrian Nazis attempted a coup in 1934, assassinating Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss. His successor, Kurt Schuschnigg, struggled to maintain Austria's independence and, in 1936, was forced to agree to the release of imprisoned Nazis and German respect for Austrian sovereignty. However, as Germany prepared to invade, Schuschnigg resigned, and Austrian Nazi Party member Arthur Seyss-Inquart requested German intervention.
On March 12, 1938, German soldiers entered Austria, and Hitler, himself Austrian-born, initially planned to maintain Austria as an independent puppet state. However, the enthusiastic welcome he received from Austrians during his visit to Vienna led him to change his mind. The annexation was formalized on March 13, 1938, and was met with widespread approval from the Austrian populace, with many cheering and celebrating the unification of the two countries.
The Anschluss had significant consequences for Austria. Austrian political leaders were imprisoned, and anyone opposing Nazi rule was arrested and tortured. Violence broke out against Jews and Jewish-owned property, and anti-Jewish legislation was swiftly extended to Austria. The Mauthausen concentration camp was established in the summer of 1938, and mass deportations of Austrian Jews began in 1941. While a majority of Austrians supported the annexation, there was also a minority who resisted the Hitler regime and were victims of Nazi aggression.
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The Austrian population was generally loyal to Nazi Germany
The unification of the two countries was a popular idea, with many Austrian citizens of the political left and center supporting unification with Germany. This support was driven by the belief that Austria, having lost its imperial land, was not economically viable on its own. The idea of a united Austria and Germany that would form a "Greater Germany" gained support after the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918. The proposal for unification was vehemently supported by prominent Social Democrat leader Otto Bauer, who served as Austria's Foreign Minister after World War I.
While the Austrian state was a victim of Nazi aggression, many Austrians were personally involved in the crimes of the Third Reich. Approximately 950,000 Austrians fought for the Nazi German armed forces during World War II, and 10% of the population, or 700,000 people, joined the Nazi Party. Austrians served loyally as soldiers and were just as responsible for Nazi atrocities on the Eastern Front. Additionally, Austrians participated in the Nazi administration, with some holding senior leadership positions.
However, it is important to note that the Austrian population's loyalty to Nazi Germany was not unanimous. A minority of Austrians were shocked about the demise of their country and resisted the Hitler regime. The annexation of Austria was also opposed by the Austrofascist Fatherland Front, which controlled the Austrian government at the time. Despite the overall support for the Anschluss, Austria's relationship with the Nazis was complex, and the country struggled to come to grips with its Nazi past in the post-war years.
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Jews were persecuted, plundered and killed
The persecution, plunder, and killing of Jews in Austria during World War II began with the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany in March 1938. This annexation was supported by the majority of Austrians, and the country was soon incorporated into the Third Reich. The Nazis and their Austrian followers immediately began expropriating Jewish property, alongside engaging in extreme intimidation and violence towards Jewish people. This included the establishment of the Mauthausen concentration camp, which became the main Nazi camp in Austria, where inmates were subjected to forced labour and harsh conditions.
Before World War II, Jews played an important role in Austria's economic and cultural life, with a population of about 192,000, or almost 4% of the total population. Vienna, the capital, was an important centre of Jewish culture, Zionism, and education, with Jews comprising about 9% of the city's population. However, by October 1942, Austria had only about 2,000 to 5,000 Jews left, with most having emigrated or gone into hiding.
The systematic deportation of Jews from Vienna began in October 1941, with the first deportations going to the Lodz Ghetto in eastern Europe. Deportations to Minsk, Riga, and Terezin also soon followed. By July 1942, the first group of 995 people was deported directly to Auschwitz. These deportations continued into 1945, with Hungarian Jews also being deported via Austria in 1944.
The total number of Austrian Jews murdered during the Holocaust is estimated to be about 65,500 people, with 62,000 of them known by name. The Jewish community in Austria was drastically reduced by the Holocaust, with only 8,140 Jews remaining in the country according to the 2001 census. In 2005, the Austrian government sent compensation letters to the 19,300 Austrian Holocaust survivors still living, acknowledging and providing restitution for the persecution, plunder, and killing of Jews during World War II.
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The Austrian Civil War began in 1934
The Austrian Civil War began in February 1934, amidst a backdrop of political tension and social unrest. The conflict was sparked by the constant search for weapons deposits kept by the outlawed paramilitary Schutzbund, the Republican Defence League, the armed wing of the Social Democratic Workers' Party. On 12 February, police attempted to raid the Hotel Schiff in Linz, a property of the Social Democrats, to search for weapons. Members of the Protection League, under their local commander Richard Bernaschek, opened fire, and the fighting spread to other cities and towns in Austria.
In Vienna, members of the Protection League barricaded themselves in city council housing estates, which served as both symbols and strongholds for the socialist movement in Austria. Police, paramilitaries, and eventually the Austrian armed forces took up positions outside these fortified complexes, and the parties exchanged small arms fire. The fighting was violent and uncompromising, with military experts considering it "the pinnacle of urban warfare for the time". The largest number of deaths occurred in Vienna, with about 200 to 220 people losing their lives.
The conflict ended on 15 February 1934, with the defeat of the Protection League. Between 10,000 and 20,000 workers stood against a superior force of almost 60,000 men from the gendarmerie, police, army, and home defence forces. The defeat of the uprising was due to a variety of factors, including the Schutzbund fighters being outnumbered, the arrest of their military leader Alexander Eifler, and the demoralisation of the workers, who had been affected by years of unemployment and poverty.
The aftermath of the Austrian Civil War saw the continuation of political repression and the suppression of civil liberties. The Social Democratic Workers' Party was targeted by the courts, with 140 Schutzbund members convicted and eight of them hanged. The party was denounced as the ideological puppet master behind the uprising, although a lack of evidence prevented a show trial from taking place. The Austrian Civil War was a significant event in the lead-up to World War II, with Austria eventually being annexed by Nazi Germany in March 1938, becoming a part of the Third Reich.
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The British planned for postwar Austria during World War II
During World War II, Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany and became an integral part of the Third Reich, with a significant portion of the Austrian population supporting the unification of the two countries. However, there was also resistance from Austrians, with some fighting as Allied soldiers against the German army. After the war, Austria was occupied by the Allies and regained its independence. The British played a crucial role in planning for postwar Austria, initiating the Moscow Declaration, which promised to restore Austrian independence.
The British, along with the other Western Allies, opposed the Kremlin's plans to impose hefty war reparations on Austria, recognizing that Austria was a victim of Nazi aggression despite its role in Nazi crimes. Instead, the Western Allies consented to Moscow's demand for control over German assets in the Austrian occupation zone. The Marshall Plan, implemented by the Americans, provided significant economic aid to Austria, contributing to the recovery of heavy industries and the improvement of real wages. However, it was not without its drawbacks, negatively impacting certain sectors like agriculture and small businesses.
The British had also been quietly arming the Austrian gendarmes since 1945 and discussed the creation of a proper Austrian military in 1947. The Soviet occupation of Austria, on the other hand, presented challenges for the country. Moscow deployed secret police to extract reparations through seizures of industrial plants and goods, resulting in a significant financial burden on Austria.
The Western powers replaced their military representatives with civilian diplomats in 1950, but the situation became increasingly tense due to international conflicts and internal economic and social crises. The planned withdrawal of American food subsidies led to a threat of communist-organized strikes, similar to the food riots of 1947. However, the communists failed to gain sufficient public support. By 1955, the Austrian State Treaty came into force, ending the occupation of Austria by the Western Allies and the Soviet Union.
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Frequently asked questions
Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany in 1938 and incorporated into the Third Reich. This was a result of complex domestic and international factors and was supported by a majority of Austrians.
The annexation, known as the Anschluss, had a devastating impact on Austrian Jews. They faced immediate and violent persecution, with German racial laws enacted to disenfranchise them. Jews were systematically plundered, persecuted, and killed by German and Austrian Nazis during the Holocaust from 1938 to 1945.
The international community largely turned a blind eye to the plight of Austrian Jews. Obtaining immigration visas was difficult as most countries were reluctant to accept Jewish refugees.
The role of Austrians during World War II is ambiguous. While a majority welcomed the German invasion and participated in Hitler's war crimes, there was also a minority who resisted the regime. Many regular Austrians joined the Nazis in terrorizing Jews, and Austrian Nazi Party members were complicit in the annexation.
The aftermath of World War II left Austria struggling to come to grips with its Nazi past. The country faced questions of complicity and responsibility for the crimes of Nazi Germany. The Soviet Union sought to hold Austrians accountable for their participation in Hitler's war, but ultimately did not include postwar Austria in its Eastern European sphere of security.
