Lexi Webster
The Austrian Empire was vulnerable to nationalist efforts due to a complex interplay of historical, cultural, and political factors. Following World War I, the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire led to the establishment of new states, including Austria, which faced economic challenges and a strong desire for unification with Germany, especially among liberals, social democrats, and Catholics. This desire for unification was challenged by rival nationalisms, such as German and Bavarian nationalism, which proposed alternatives to the Austrian identity. Additionally, the Austrian Empire's internal politics were marked by infighting and instability, with the rise of Austrian Nazism further exacerbating the situation. The Austrian Nazi Party, aligned with Hitler, waged a propaganda and terror campaign, undermining the government and contributing to the empire's vulnerability to nationalist efforts.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Austrian nationalism challenged by | German nationalism and Bavarian nationalism |
| Austrians' desire to unite with Germany | More than 50% in the 1920s, declined in the 1920s |
| Austrian Nazi Party | Weak, divided, and ineffective in the late 1920s and early 1930s |
| Austrian Nazi Party supporters | Gained supporters in 1931-1932 |
| Austrian politics | Infighting and political violence |
| Austrian Nazi Chancellor | Seyss-Inquart |
| Austrian Nazi Chancellor Seyss-Inquart signed the law | "Reunification of Austria with Germany" |
| Austrian Nazi goal | To undermine the Dollfuss regime |
| German government's response to Austrian government | Economic sanction referred to as the "1,000 Mark Sperre" |
| Austrian government's response to Nazi terrorism | Worked to maintain its power and preserve Austrian sovereignty |
| Austrian Catholics | More than 90% of interbellum Austrians identified as Catholic |
| Austrian desire for unification | To not give up any non-German-speaking land inside the Austrian Empire |
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What You'll Learn
German nationalism and the desire for unification
The Austrians favoured the Greater Germany unification, advocating for the inclusion of all ethnic Germans into one state. However, they were unwilling to cede the non-German-speaking lands within the Austrian Empire and refused to take a back seat to Prussia. In contrast, the Prussians envisioned a Little Germany unification, seeking to establish a nation-state led by Prussia and excluding Austria. This feud between the two powerful German states came to a head in the Battle of Königgrätz, which resulted in a Prussian victory and the creation of the North German Confederation. Ultimately, Germany was unified as the German Empire in 1871, with Prussia at its helm and Austria left out.
Despite the exclusion of Austria, the desire for unification with Germany persisted among Austrians, especially among liberals, social democrats, and Catholics, who were a minority in Protestant Germany. The Austrian Nazi Party, aligned with Hitler, further promoted the idea of unification. However, the Austrian chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss resisted this pressure and transformed Austria into a right-wing authoritarian regime. Dollfuss' Fatherland Front claimed that Catholic Austria would not submit to Protestant Germany or Nazi Germany, emphasising Austrian nationalism and the country's historical greatness as part of the German Holy Roman Empire.
The rise of Nazism in Germany further complicated the dynamics. Beginning in 1933, Austrian Nazis waged a propaganda and terror campaign, funded by Germany, aiming to destabilise the Dollfuss regime. This culminated in the "Reunification of Austria with Germany" law, also known as the Anschluss law, which formally incorporated Austria into Nazi Germany as a province. The Nazis sought to erase any distinct Austrian identity, even changing the country's name to Ostmark, reflecting Austria's demotion from an empire to a province.
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Bavarian nationalism and regional separatism
Bavarian nationalism posed a significant challenge to the Austrian Empire, particularly after World War I. The collapse of Austria-Hungary and the defeat of Germany in the war led to the emergence of Bavarian nationalism as a strong political force. The Bavarian government sought to incorporate the regions of North Tyrol and Upper Austria into Bavaria, a proposal that gained traction among significant numbers of Austria's North Tyrolese. This issue threatened the territorial integrity of the Austrian Empire, as it fuelled separatist sentiments within its borders.
The roots of Bavarian nationalism can be traced back to the Austro-Prussian War and its aftermath. Bavaria found political and cultural common ground with Catholic Austria, in contrast to Protestant Prussia. A shared contempt for the Prussians led Bavaria to ally with Austria during the war. However, the defeat of the Austrian-Hungarian empire in World War I created a power vacuum that Bavarian nationalists sought to exploit.
Bavarian nationalism, with its anti-Prussian and anti-Semitic tendencies, resonated with both radical and reactionary political movements. The Bavarian monarchy was toppled, and Bavaria was proclaimed an independent communist state, known as the Bavarian Soviet Republic. Although this Soviet Republic collapsed, the idea of Bavarian independence persisted. The Bavarian government's proposals for Austria to join Bavaria, along with their interest in incorporating specific Austrian regions, posed a direct challenge to the Austrian Empire's unity and sovereignty.
Bavarian nationalism continued to evolve in the post-World War II era. The Bavaria Party (Bayernpartei, BP), founded in 1946, advocated for Bavarian independence within the European Union. While the party saw some electoral success in the late 1940s and 1950s, its influence gradually declined in subsequent decades. In recent years, the Bavaria Party has experienced a modest resurgence, winning 2.1% of the total vote in the 2013 state elections and 1.7% in the 2018 Bavarian Parliament elections.
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Austrian Nazi Party's rise and propaganda campaigns
The rise of the Austrian Nazi Party can be attributed to the effective use of propaganda and terror campaigns, capitalising on the country's political instability and economic woes.
In 1933, the Austrian Nazi Party initiated a propaganda and terror campaign funded and encouraged by Germany. The goal was to destabilise the government of Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss and portray it as incompetent. This campaign exploited the existing political infighting and violence in Austria, further destabilising the country. The Nazi Party's membership grew from 25,000 in 1925 to about 180,000 in 1929, and they increasingly dominated street fighting with communists. The Great Depression and the rapid rise in unemployment in 1929-1930 provided a large number of dissatisfied voters, which the Nazi Party exploited to gain support.
The Austrian Nazi Party's propaganda campaigns were aligned with those of the German Nazi Party, promoting Nazi ideology and values. They demonised enemies of the Nazi Party, including Jews, communists, capitalists, and intellectuals. The cult of personality surrounding Adolf Hitler was also propagated, and campaigns for eugenics and the annexation of German-speaking areas, such as Austria, were promoted.
Hitler's oratory skills played a significant role in his rise to power, and he despised pre-written speeches, preferring to speak off-the-cuff. Sturmabteilung speakers were also used, and their blunt and folksy manner often appealed to audiences. Propaganda was disseminated through various media types, including newspapers, books, posters, magazines, photos, art, films, and radio broadcasts.
The annexation of Austria by Germany in March 1938 was celebrated by the Nazis as the fulfilment of the German people's destiny. Hitler's speech in Vienna's Heldenplatz, in front of a huge crowd, glorified the annexation. This event was captured in photographs and newsreels, demonstrating Austrian enthusiasm for the union and justifying the takeover. The plebiscite, or referendum, on Austrian independence was another propaganda opportunity, with voters urged to support unity with Germany. The result indicated that around 99% of Austrians wanted to unite with Nazi Germany.
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Austrian infighting and political instability
Austrian politics in the early 20th century was marked by infighting and political instability, which made the country vulnerable to nationalist efforts. The period between the two world wars saw a rise in nationalism across Europe, and Austria was no exception. The main rival to Austrian nationalism was German nationalism, with many Austrians desiring unification with Germany. This desire was fuelled by the fact that most Austrians considered themselves ethnically German, and the legacy of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which had collapsed at the end of World War I.
The Austrian Nazi Party, aligned with Hitler, gained supporters in the early 1930s, but it was initially weak, divided, and ineffective. Austrian Nazis set off explosives and tear gas bombs in public places and Jewish-owned businesses, undermining the stability of the Austrian government led by Engelbert Dollfuss. The infighting and political violence in Austria created an environment that was susceptible to nationalist agendas.
Dollfuss himself contributed to the political instability by transforming Austria from a democratic republic into a right-wing authoritarian regime under his control. He established the Fatherland Front (VF) as the only legally permitted party in the country, modelled after Italian Fascism and fully aligned with the Catholic Church. This further polarised Austrian politics and created tensions between those who supported unification with Germany and those who advocated for a separate Austrian identity.
The Austrian government's efforts to maintain sovereignty and resist unification with Germany were challenged by the Austrian Nazis, who received encouragement and funding from Germany. The German government also imposed economic sanctions on Austria, crippling the tourism industry and exerting pressure on the country. The internal divisions and political instability in Austria ultimately paved the way for the "Anschluss" in 1938, when Austria was formally incorporated into Nazi Germany, ending its existence as an independent country.
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Economic instability and the desire for economic security
Economic instability in Austria between the two World Wars made the country vulnerable to nationalist efforts. The collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918 at the end of World War I led to economic instability in Austria. In the 1920s, many Austrians believed that their country could not survive economically without the lands previously held by the Empire. This economic instability and the desire for economic security made Austria susceptible to nationalist efforts, including the rise of Austrian nationalism within the Christian Social Party and the Fatherland Front, as well as the push for unification with Germany.
The Christian Social Party, led by Engelbert Dollfuss, promoted Austrian nationalism and the idea of a Catholic Austria separate from Germany. Dollfuss argued that Austria needed to revive itself and recognize its greatness, such as its role in the German Holy Roman Empire. This appeal to a glorious past and a promise of future prosperity resonated with Austrians seeking economic security.
The Fatherland Front, established by Dollfuss in 1933, was a right-wing conservative, nationalist organization that aimed to unite all Austrians. It claimed to be nonpartisan and sought to overcome political and social divisions. The Fatherland Front was organized along the lines of Italian Fascism and was aligned with the Catholic Church, appealing to the religious sentiments of Austrians.
The desire for economic security also fueled the push for unification with Germany. Many Austrians, considering themselves ethnically German, desired to be united with Germany after World War I. This sentiment, however, declined over time, and by the 1920s, less than 50% of Austrians favored unification. Nonetheless, the idea of unification persisted due to economic concerns, as some Austrians believed that restoring a form of the Austro-Hungarian Empire would solve their economic woes.
The economic instability in Austria also provided an opportunity for the Austrian Nazi Party to gain support. Beginning in 1933, the Austrian Nazis waged a propaganda and terror campaign, funded by Germany, to undermine the Dollfuss regime. They disrupted the tourism industry, which was crucial to the Austrian economy, by encouraging Germans to impose economic sanctions on Austria. The Nazis exploited the economic vulnerabilities of Austria to gain support for their nationalist agenda, ultimately leading to the annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938.
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