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Austria's role in World War II was highly ambiguous. Nazi Germany annexed Austria in 1938, with the support of the Austrian population. During the war, hundreds of thousands of Austrians fought for the Nazi German armed forces, and many others participated in the Nazi administration, from death camp personnel to senior Nazi leadership. However, there was also an Austrian resistance movement, and a number of Austrians fought as Allied soldiers against the German army.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Nazi Germany's annexation of Austria | 1938 |
| Number of Jews in Austria in 1938 | 192,000 |
| Percentage of Austrian Jews living in Vienna | 9% |
| Number of Jews remaining in Vienna by December 1939 | 57,000 |
| Number of Austrians who joined the Nazi Party | 700,000 |
| Number of Austrians drafted into the Wehrmacht | 1,300,000 |
| Number of Austrians who fought for Nazi Germany | 950,000 |
| Number of Austrians who joined the Waffen-SS | 150,000 |
| Number of Austrians killed or missing in action | 250,000 |
| Number of Austrians killed in U.S. and British bombing raids | 20,000 |
| Number of Austrian civilians arrested by Soviet military tribunals in 1945 | 800 |
| Number of Austrians arrested for political reasons during the war | Tens of thousands |
| Number of Austrians executed during the war | 2,700 |
| Number of Austrians prosecuted by the Red Army by 1955 | 1,250 |
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What You'll Learn
Austria's annexation by Nazi Germany
The idea of Austria joining Germany had been discussed since the 19th century, and it gained popularity in the 1930s due to economic troubles in Austria and effective Nazi propaganda campaigns in Germany. In 1937, rapid German rearmament increased Berlin's interest in annexing Austria, which was rich in raw materials and labour. Austria, struggling with economic stagnation and high unemployment, became an attractive target.
On March 11, 1938, the Germans pressured Austrian chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg to cancel a planned plebiscite on Austrian independence and resign. Schuschnigg gave in and signed the Berchtesgaden Agreement, which undermined Austrian sovereignty. However, he attempted to assert independence once more by calling for a plebiscite on March 13. This infuriated Hitler, who decided to take action. German troops entered Austria on March 12, and the annexation was completed the following day. A controlled plebiscite held on April 10 showed 99.7% approval for the union, although this was subject to large-scale Nazi propaganda and intimidation of the Austrian population.
The Anschluss was a significant act of appeasement by the European powers, who did not punish Nazi Germany for violating international treaties. This allowed Hitler to continue his expansionary policies unchecked, and it set the stage for the outbreak of World War II the following year. The annexation also had devastating consequences for Austrian Jews, who were targeted by violent antisemitism, confiscation of property, and expulsion from the country. By the start of World War II in 1939, more than 100,000 Jews, roughly half of the Austrian Jewish population, had left the country.
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Austrians in the Nazi regime
Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany in 1938, and the annexation was met with the overwhelming support of the Austrian population. The country became an integral part of the Third Reich, with 700,000 people, or 10% of the population, joining the Nazi Party. Austrians were overrepresented in the Nazi regime, from the senior leadership to the death camp personnel. The majority of the bureaucrats who implemented the Final Solution were Austrian.
During the war, 800,000 Austrians volunteered for Nazi Germany in the Wehrmacht, and a further 150,000 Austrians joined the Nazi Party's military wing, the Waffen-SS. By the end of the war, approximately 250,000 Austrians had been killed or were missing in action. An even greater number were held as prisoners of war, many of them for years in camps in the Soviet Union. In addition, more than 20,000 Austrians were killed in US and British bombing raids.
The Mauthausen concentration camp, established in the summer of 1938, became the main Nazi camp in Austria. The Nazis designated it a category III camp, indicating that it was a special penal camp with a harsh regimen. Inmates were forced to carry heavy stone blocks up 186 steps from the camp quarry, which became known as the "Stairway of Death".
The Viennese events during Kristallnacht, a period of pogroms against Jewish people throughout Germany on November 9-10, 1938, proved that antisemitism was more virulent and violent in Austria than in most other German areas. By the time World War II began in 1939, more than 100,000 Jews, roughly half of all Austrian Jews, had left Austria.
While the majority of Austrians were not Nazis, popular support for Germany's wartime policies remained strong until the later phases of the war. The Austrian resistance was small but not negligible. Left-wing resistance groups, mostly communists with a smaller number of socialists, dominated, but conservative resisters, mainly Christian Socialists and monarchists, were also active. Tens of thousands of Austrians were arrested for political reasons during the war, and many died in concentration camps or prisons, with about 2,700 executed. Additionally, a number of Austrians fought as Allied soldiers against the German army.
After the war, Austria took its first steps towards denazification while under Allied occupation. However, it made only half-hearted attempts to prosecute former Nazis, and many perpetrators were reintegrated into Austrian society under the pretext of democratic and economic necessity. Austria also sought to advance the view that it was the first victim of Nazi Germany, and this "victim theory" determined the country's policy of dealing with its history for decades.
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Austrian resistance to the Nazis
Austria's role in World War II is a complex and multifaceted topic. While the country was annexed by Nazi Germany in 1938, with significant support from the Austrian population, there was also a strong resistance movement opposing Nazi rule.
The Austrian resistance movement emerged in response to the rise of fascism in Europe and the annexation (known as the "Anschluss") of their country by Germany. An estimated 100,000 Austrians participated in this resistance, with thousands facing imprisonment, execution, or death in concentration camps as a consequence of their anti-Nazi activities. The resistance took various forms, including distributing counter-Nazi leaflets, collecting donations for affected families, providing intelligence to the Allies, and, in some cases, engaging in armed resistance and sabotage.
One notable aspect of the Austrian resistance was the involvement of religious groups, particularly Catholics and Socialists. These groups often had ideological differences but shared a common goal of opposing Nazism. The Catholic resistance, for example, sought to revive the Habsburg monarchy and played a crucial role in providing intelligence to the Allies about Nazi production facilities, enabling precise air strikes that protected residential areas. Socialists and Communists had a prehistory of activism against Austrofascism, and their efforts continued during the Nazi regime, with groups like the Austrian Freedom Front, led by the Communist Franz Honner and supported by the USSR.
The Austrian resistance also included conservative resisters, such as Christian Socialists and monarchists. Additionally, individuals from all backgrounds provided support to Jewish families during the Holocaust, risking imprisonment or death by hiding them, managing their property, or aiding their escape.
It's important to note that the majority of Austrians did not identify as Nazis, but many supported Germany's wartime policies until the later phases of the war. Additionally, a significant number of Austrians served in the German military and SS, contributing to Nazi atrocities on the Eastern Front. The complex dynamics within Austria during World War II, including resistance and collaboration, continue to be studied and discussed by historians.
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Soviet occupation of Austria
Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany in 1938, with the support of the majority of the Austrian population. About 10% of the population joined the Nazi Party, and hundreds of thousands of Austrians fought as German soldiers during the war.
In April 1945, Soviet troops liberated Vienna from the Nazis. The Soviet Union, along with the United Kingdom, the United States, and France, occupied Austria at the end of World War II. The country was divided into four occupation zones, with Vienna being subdivided among the four Allies. The Soviet Union held Vienna's east side, and the center of the city was shared collectively by the occupying forces.
The Soviet occupation of Austria lasted from 1945 to 1955. During this period, the Soviets arrested around 800 Austrian civilians in the initial eight months, with charges ranging from belonging to Nazi resistance groups to war crimes and everyday criminal activities. The Soviet troops engaged in looting, attacking civilians, and systematic sexual violence against women. The military occupation was deeply unpopular in Austria, and people fled the Soviet zone.
The Soviet leadership agreed upon the restoration of Austria as an independent state within its pre-1938 boundaries, separate from Germany. In 1945, the four occupying powers agreed that Austria was to be demilitarized, denazified, and democratically reconstructed. Austria remained under joint occupation until 1955, when it was granted full independence after promising perpetual neutrality.
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Austria's denazification post-WWII
Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany in 1938, with the support of the Austrian population. Over 700,000 Austrians joined the Nazi Party, and more than 1.3 million were drafted into the Wehrmacht between 1938 and 1945. Austrians served as loyal soldiers for Germany and were responsible for Nazi atrocities on the Eastern Front.
Following World War II, denazification was an Allied initiative to rid German and Austrian society, culture, economy, and politics of Nazi ideology. This was carried out by removing former Nazis from positions of power, disbanding Nazi-associated organisations, and trying prominent Nazis for war crimes.
In Austria, the Soviet Union began its occupation in June 1941, and Soviet troops liberated Vienna in April 1945. During the initial eight months of Soviet occupation, military tribunals arrested around 800 Austrian civilians, charging them with crimes ranging from belonging to Nazi resistance groups to war crimes and violent acts. By 1955, when the Red Army withdrew, the Soviets had arrested 2,400 Austrians, with 1,250 prosecuted for various crimes.
However, denazification in Austria faced challenges due to the "victim theory" that emerged, which claimed that Austria was "Hitler's first victim". This theory, encapsulated in the slogan "Austria – the Nazis' first victim", asserted that all Austrians, even those who supported Hitler, were unwilling victims of the Nazi regime and thus not responsible for its crimes. The theory allowed former political opponents to unite and brought ex-Nazis back into social and political life.
The process of denazification in Austria was further complicated by the large number of Nazis within the population, particularly in the British sector of occupation, Carinthia. The tensions between prosecuting former Nazis and economic reconstruction led to a lack of thoroughness in denazification, with some Nazis being transferred to different positions rather than being truly removed from power.
In the 1980s, decades after World War II, Austria continued to grapple with its Nazi past, as prominent figures faced allegations of lying about their wartime involvement.
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Frequently asked questions
Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany in 1938, and the country was an integral part of the Third Reich throughout the war.
Yes, the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany received the enthusiastic support of most of the Austrian population. 10% of the population joined the Nazi Party, and hundreds of thousands of Austrians fought as German soldiers.
Austrians were overrepresented in the system of terror against Jews. Many Austrians participated in the Nazi administration, from death camp personnel to senior Nazi leadership. The Mauthausen concentration camp, the main Nazi camp in Austria, was built near an abandoned stone quarry along the Danube River.
Austria was divided into four occupied zones, each with its own military administration. The country was liberated by the Red Army, and the new Austrian State Government had to submit all draft laws to the Allied Control Council. The country was in a state of political and economic ruin, and emerged from the war as one of the poorest in Europe.
