Lexi Webster
The unification of Germany and Austria has been a topic of discussion and debate for centuries. After World War I, both countries became republics and were heavily punished by the Treaty of Versailles (1919) and the Treaty of St. Germain-en-Laye (1919). As a result, Austria was left in a vulnerable state, having lost a significant portion of its pre-war territory. This sparked discussions about the possibility of a union between Germany and Austria, with many in both countries favouring the idea of a Greater Germany. However, this unification was strictly forbidden by the Treaty of Versailles to prevent the formation of a dominant German state. Despite this, the desire for unification remained, and with the rise of Adolf Hitler in Germany, the push for Anschluss (union) between the two nations intensified, ultimately leading to the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany in 1938. This raises the question: What if the Republic of German-Austria had become a country?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Territory | 118,311 km2 (45,680 sq mi) |
| Population | 10.4 million |
| Language | German |
| Government | Republic |
| Currency | |
| Date of formation | 1918 |
| Date of dissolution | 1919 |
| Successor | Republic of Austria |
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What You'll Learn
- The Republic of German-Austria was an unrecognised state
- The Allies opposed a union between Germany and Austria
- The Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye forbade unification
- Austria's territory was reduced by the Treaty of Saint Germain
- German-Austria's authority was limited to the Danubian and Alpine provinces
The Republic of German-Austria was an unrecognised state
The Republic of German-Austria was a short-lived attempt by German-speaking populations in the region to unite with Germany. This was forbidden by the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye (1919), which was created by the victors of World War I against both Germany and Austria. The Allies did not want a defeated Germany to expand its borders by absorbing what remained of Austria. Despite this, the idea of unification persisted, and the republic's unofficial national anthem between 1920 and 1929 was "German Austria, you wonderful country".
The First Austrian Republic, officially the Republic of Austria, was created after the signing of the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye on 10 September 1919, which ended the rump state of German-Austria. The new state changed its official name and blocked two land claims by its neighbours. However, the deep political divide between left-wing and right-wing groups in the First Republic led to its downfall by 1934. The country was in competition with the growing Austrian Nazi Party, which wanted Austria to join Germany. This political antagonism hampered the resistance movement during World War II.
Despite the prohibition of the use of the term "German-Austria", there were several attempts to unite with Germany. In 1933, Austrian-born Adolf Hitler demanded the right to Anschluss (union) between Austria and Germany. This was initially blocked by Benito Mussolini, who cooperated with the Austrian government, fearing retrospective territorial demands from Hitler. However, in 1938, Nazi Germany, led by Hitler, annexed Austria into Germany. After the fall of the Third Reich, a provisional Austrian government declared the country's regained independence, and it was separated from Germany in 1945.
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The Allies opposed a union between Germany and Austria
The Allies of World War I opposed a union between Germany and Austria, as they had committed themselves to the cause of the Habsburg realm's minorities, assuming they wished to leave Austria and Hungary. The Allies were not willing to allow defeated Germany to expand its borders by absorbing what remained of Austria. The Treaty of Saint Germain, signed on 10 September 1919, officially changed the name of the country from the "Republic of German-Austria" to the "Republic of Austria", effectively prohibiting the use of the term "German-Austria".
The opposition to the union was also driven by political and strategic considerations. France, for example, sought to forbid the union during the Paris Peace Conference, as they did not want Germany to rebuild its strength by utilizing Austrian resources and populations. The Christian Social Party, a conservative, Catholic political force in Austria, also opposed the union, preferring to tie Austrian identity to the Catholic Church rather than unification with predominantly Protestant Germany.
The idea of a union between Germany and Austria, known as the Anschluss, gained traction in the late 1920s and 1930s, particularly among Austrian Nazis and those who supported pan-Germanism. Hitler, himself an Austrian, wrote in Mein Kampf (1925) about his intention to unite his birth country with Germany by any means. In 1936, he met with Austrian officials and demanded the appointment of Nazi sympathizers to positions of power in the Austrian government. In 1938, facing increasing violence and demands from Hitler, Austrian officials agreed to his demands, which included appointing Arthur Seyss-Inquart as Minister of Public Security.
However, the Allies remained opposed to the union, and in October 1943, the foreign ministers of Great Britain, the U.S.S.R., and the United States issued a declaration nullifying the Anschluss and pledging to restore Austrian independence. Despite the enthusiasm of many Austrians for the union, the Allies' stance on preventing the unification of Germany and Austria remained firm.
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The Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye forbade unification
The Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, signed on 10 September 1919, officially ended World War I and dissolved the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The treaty was signed by representatives of Austria and the Allied Powers, including the British, French, and Italian delegations.
The treaty had a significant impact on the Republic of German-Austria, which had been established in March 1919 as a constituent part of the German Republic. However, the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye expressly forbade the unification of Austria with Germany without the consent of the Council of the League of Nations. This provision was included in Article 88 of the treaty and was strongly opposed by many Austrians, particularly those who supported the idea of a single German nation-state.
The forbiddance of unification had several consequences. Firstly, it led to the change of the country's official name from the "Republic of German-Austria" to the "Republic of Austria", as the term "German-Austria" was prohibited. This change was a source of resentment for many Austrians, who felt that the new name did not adequately represent their identity. Additionally, the treaty reduced Austrian territory to approximately 40% of its previous size, ceding several German-populated regions to neighbouring countries, including Czechoslovakia, Italy, and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (also known as Yugoslavia). These territorial losses further fuelled support for the idea of unification with Germany, as Austrians felt that their country had been weakened economically and militarily by the treaty.
The prohibition of unification also had long-term implications for Austrian politics. The Austrian Nazi Party, which gained influence in the years leading up to World War II, advocated for Austria to join Germany. This desire for unification was a significant factor in the political violence and civil war that plagued the First Austrian Republic during the 1920s and 1930s. The Nazi Party's attempts to seize power in Austria, with the support of their German counterparts, ultimately failed, and the Allies declared the unification null and void in 1943, pledging to restore Austrian independence.
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Austria's territory was reduced by the Treaty of Saint Germain
The Treaty of Saint Germain-en-Laye, signed on 10 September 1919, significantly altered the borders of the Republic of German-Austria, resulting in a substantial reduction of its territory. This treaty was signed by the victorious Allies of World War I and the Republic of German-Austria, marking the official end of the war and the breakup of the Habsburg Empire.
The treaty ceded large portions of German-populated regions to neighbouring countries. For example, Sudetenland was given to Czechoslovakia, South Tyrol was ceded to Italy, and a portion of the Alpine provinces was granted to the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (later known as Yugoslavia). These territorial changes left the new state of Austria with only a fraction of its former territory, effectively reducing it to the Alpine and Danubian crownlands of the Austrian Empire.
The Allies' decision to redraw the borders was influenced by their commitment to the cause of the Habsburg realm's minorities. They assumed that these minorities wished to leave Austria and Hungary, and German-Austria lacked the power to prevent the forces of Italy, Czechoslovakia, and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes from seizing these territories. Additionally, the Allies were opposed to any union between Germany and Austria, and by reducing Austria's territory, they prevented a defeated Germany from expanding its borders.
The Treaty of Saint Germain-en-Laye also had significant political implications for the region. It recognised the independence of Czechoslovakia, Poland, Hungary, and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (Yugoslavia), and expressly forbade the union of Austria with Germany without the consent of the Council of the League of Nations. This prohibition was a source of contention, with Austrian officials protesting the violation of the principle of self-determination and the placement of many ethnic Germans under foreign rule.
The reduced territory of Austria, along with other factors, contributed to political instability in the country between the two World Wars. The deep political divide between left-wing and right-wing ideologies, as well as the competition between the government and the growing Austrian Nazi Party, led to the Austrian Civil War of February 1934 and the establishment of an authoritarian regime under Engelbert Dollfuss.
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German-Austria's authority was limited to the Danubian and Alpine provinces
The Republic of German-Austria was an unofficial state created after World War I as a rump state for predominantly German-speaking areas within the Austro-Hungarian Empire, with plans for eventual unification with Germany. However, its authority was limited to the Danubian and Alpine provinces of the old Habsburg realm, which formed the core of Cisleithania. This included most of present-day Austria, but German-Austria struggled to exert control over other territories claimed by the new state.
The Danubian provinces referred to here are those bordering the Danube River, which flows through the modern-day countries of Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Moldova, and Ukraine. The Alpine provinces refer to the mountainous regions of the Alps, which span across parts of Austria, Italy, France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, Slovenia, and Croatia.
In the aftermath of World War I, the Republic of German-Austria faced challenges in asserting its authority beyond these Danubian and Alpine provinces due to several factors. Firstly, the newly formed Czechoslovakia, backed by the victorious Allies of World War I, administered and internationally recognized much of the claimed territory of German-Austria. Additionally, the Allies were committed to upholding the rights of minority groups within the former Habsburg Empire, assuming that they wished to leave Austria and Hungary.
Furthermore, the Republic of German-Austria was hampered by the opposition of the Allies to any union between Germany and Austria. The Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, imposed by the Allies, explicitly forbade such a union. This stance was motivated by their desire to prevent the creation of a powerful German state through territorial expansion. As a result, German-Austria's authority remained largely confined to the Danubian and Alpine provinces, and it was unable to fully realize its plans for unification with Germany.
Despite the limited authority of German-Austria beyond these provinces, there were still significant German minority populations in regions like Moravia and Gottschee in Carniola who attempted to proclaim their union with German-Austria but failed. These areas, which ended up outside the Republic of Austria, often had substantial non-German populations and were swiftly taken over by the respective countries they would eventually join.
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Frequently asked questions
The Republic of German-Austria was a rump state formed after Austria lost over 60% of its pre-war territory following World War I.
The unification of the Republic of German-Austria and Germany was forbidden by the Treaty of Versailles, which aimed to prevent the formation of a dominant German state. Despite this, many in both countries desired unification.
Yes, in 1938, the Republic of German-Austria was annexed into Germany by Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler. This event is known as the Anschluss, which is German for "connection" or "joining".
