Leslie Massey
On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria to annex the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. This annexation, known as the Anschluss, saw Austria become a federal state of Germany until the end of World War II. The events leading up to the annexation included increasing support for Austrian Nazis, the rise of Hitler in Germany, and the suppression of opposition in Austria. Austrian Nazis twice attempted to seize the Austrian government by force in 1934 and 1938, and Hitler had expressed his desire to incorporate Austria into Nazi Germany. The annexation of Austria was the first act of territorial expansion by Nazi Germany, violating the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint-Germain, which expressly forbade the unification of Austria and Germany.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of Annexation | 12 March 1938 |
| Annexation by | Germany |
| Annexation of | Austria |
| Term | Anschluss |
| Reason | Austria was rich in iron |
| Treaty | Austro-German Treaty |
| Plebiscite | Called by Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg |
| Plebiscite date | 9 March 1938 |
| Plebiscite result | Schuschnigg resigned on 11 March 1938 |
| Plebiscite voter influence | Propaganda urging voters to support Austrian independence |
| New government | Nazi government |
| New Chancellor | Arthur Seyß-Inquart |
| Nazi Party Status | Banned |
| Nazi Newspapers | Allowed |
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What You'll Learn
Hitler's plan to annex Austria
The annexation of Austria, known as the Anschluss, was a key part of Hitler's plan to expand the Third Reich. Hitler, himself an Austrian, had written in Mein Kampf that "German Austria must return to the great German motherland" and that "common blood belongs in a common Reich".
Hitler's first objective was the annexation of Austria, and he made this clear from the outset of his leadership. In 1936, he launched the Four Year Plan, which called for a dramatic increase in military spending and aimed to make Germany autarkic, ready to fight a world war by 1940. This plan required huge investments in steel production, and Austria was rich in iron.
In July 1936, the Austrian Chancellor, Kurt von Schuschnigg, signed an agreement with the German ambassador, Franz von Papen, in which Schuschnigg agreed to the release of Nazis imprisoned in Austria and Germany promised to respect Austrian sovereignty. However, this did not satisfy Hitler, and the pro-German Austrian Nazis continued to grow in strength. In February 1938, Hitler bullied Schuschnigg into accepting far-reaching demands, and on March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria to annex the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. Hitler accompanied these troops and was met by enthusiastic crowds.
Hitler's forces suppressed all opposition. Heinrich Himmler and several Schutzstaffel (SS) officers landed in Vienna to arrest prominent representatives of the First Republic, and within a few days of March 12, 70,000 people had been arrested, including Social Democrats, Communists, other potential political dissenters, and Austrian Jews. They were imprisoned or sent to concentration camps.
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Austrian Nazis' coup attempt in 1934
Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany in March 1938, an event known as the Anschluss. However, there was an earlier attempt to take over the country by Austrian Nazis in July 1934, known as the July Putsch.
The July Putsch coup attempt in 1934 was preceded by several significant events in Austria. From 1918 to 1920, the country was led by the Social Democratic Party, followed by the Christian Social Party in coalition with the German nationalists. This angered many Austrian pan-Germans who felt that the First Austrian Republic violated their right to "self-determination". In February 1934, the Dollfuss-led Fatherland Front emerged victorious in a four-day civil war against the Social Democrats. Dollfuss established Austria as a one-party state opposed to the Nazis and unification with Germany.
On July 25, 1934, amid social and political tensions, 154 Schutzstaffel (SS) men disguised as Bundesheer soldiers and policemen occupied the Austrian chancellery. Another group took over the RAVAG radio building and falsely announced the transfer of power from Chancellor Dollfuss to Anton Rintelen, signalling Austrian Nazis to rise up. Fighting broke out in Carinthia, Styria, Upper Austria, and Salzburg, with bloody clashes in and around Schladming and Leoben.
The coup attempt ultimately failed, and Chancellor Dollfuss was killed by Nazi Otto Planetta. Military tribunals and courts-martial were convened on July 26, 1934, resulting in dozens of death sentences, with 13 carried out. Kurt von Schuschnigg became the new chancellor, and the Austrian government arrested thousands of Austrian Nazis, including some conspirators. Hitler denied involvement and closed the Munich office of the Austrian Nazi Party.
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The July Agreement with Germany
In July 1936, Austrian Chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg accepted the July Agreement with Germany. This agreement led to the release of imprisoned Nazis and the lifting of a ban on some Nazi newspapers, allowing them to circulate in Austria. Despite this, the Nazi Party itself remained prohibited in the country. Schuschnigg also agreed to appoint two individuals favoured by the Nazis to his government: Edmund Glaise-Horstenau became Minister for National Affairs, and Guido Schmidt became Secretary of State in the Foreign Ministry. Arthur Seyß-Inquart was also inducted into the legislative Council of State.
The July Agreement furthered the transformation of the Austrofascist State through the legal disguise of reorganisation. Political units were set up across Austria, some of which were led by Nazis. Additionally, Germany no longer required a payment of a thousand marks for entry into the country. The agreement also allowed members of the "National Opposition" to enter the cabinet, and in exchange, Austrian Nazis promised to end their terrorist attacks on the government. However, this did not satisfy Hitler, and the pro-German Austrian Nazis continued to gain strength.
Hitler's strategy, outlined in the Hossbach Memorandum, included the annexation of Austria to gain Lebensraum ("living space"). In September 1936, Hitler launched the Four Year Plan, which aimed to dramatically increase military spending and make Germany autarkic, preparing the Reich for a potential world war by 1940. This plan required significant investments in steel production, synthetic oil development, and the production of chemicals and aluminium.
In February 1938, Hitler met with Schuschnigg at Obersalzberg in Bavaria and repeatedly threatened to invade Austria. He forced Schuschnigg to implement policies favourable to Austrian Nazism. Before the first German soldier crossed the border, Heinrich Himmler and several Schutzstaffel (SS) officers landed in Vienna to arrest prominent representatives of the First Austrian Republic, including Richard Schmitz, Leopold Figl, Friedrich Hillegeist, and Franz Olah.
In conclusion, the July Agreement with Germany marked a significant step towards the eventual annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany, setting in motion a series of events that would lead to the country's incorporation into the Reich.
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Austria's federal state status under Nazi Germany
Austria was incorporated into Nazi Germany on 13 March 1938, the day after German troops entered the country. This annexation was known as the Anschluss.
In the years leading up to the Anschluss, Austria had experienced economic stagnation, political dictatorship, and intense Nazi propaganda. The First Austrian Republic, which was established after World War I, had faced serious economic problems due to the loss of industrial areas and natural resources in the newly independent Czechoslovakia. There was also hyperinflation and increasing tension between different political groups.
In the early 1930s, the Austrian government banned the Communist Party, the Social Democratic Republikanischer Schutzbund paramilitary organization, and the Austrian branch of the Nazi Party. However, by 1936, Austrian Chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg was seeking to improve relations with Nazi Germany and amnestied several Austrian Nazis, allowing them to join the Fatherland's Front. In July 1936, Schuschnigg accepted the July Agreement with Germany, which included the release of imprisoned Nazis and the allowance of Nazi newspapers into Austria.
Despite these concessions, Hitler was not satisfied and continued to pressure Schuschnigg. In February 1938, Hitler threatened to invade Austria and forced Schuschnigg to implement measures favorable to Austrian Nazism, including the readmission of the Nazi Party and the appointment of Arthur Seyss-Inquart and Edmund Glaise-Horstenau as ministers.
On 9 March 1938, Schuschnigg announced his intention to hold a referendum on Austrian independence, which was met with the mobilization of German troops at the Austrian border. Under pressure from Hitler and his allies, Schuschnigg conceded and resigned on 11 March. The following day, German troops crossed the border and were met with enthusiastic support from most of the Austrian population.
The annexation was retroactively approved in a plebiscite in April 1938, which was manipulated to indicate that about 99% of Austrians supported the union with Germany. Jews and Roma were not allowed to vote in the plebiscite. The Mauthausen concentration camp was established in the summer of 1938, and it became the main Nazi camp in Austria. Systematic mass deportations of Jews from Vienna began in October 1941, and by November 1942, only about 7,000 Jews remained in Austria.
During the Soviet occupation of Austria in April and May 1945, there were reports of looting and attacks on civilians by liberated slave laborers and prisoners of war. In addition, soldiers from the Red Army committed crimes, including rape, with estimates ranging from 70,000 to 100,000 women raped in Vienna alone.
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Austria's collective responsibility for Nazi crimes
The annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany, known as the Anschluss, took place in 1938. The Nazis' occupation of Austria lasted from 1938 to 1945.
During the Nazi occupation, Austrians served in the German Wehrmacht and participated in the crimes of National Socialism. Many Austrians, including high-ranking individuals, played active roles in the Nazi regime and the implementation of the Final Solution. However, in the postwar period, Austria quickly wound up denazification, and veterans of the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS were honoured and integrated back into society. The struggle for justice by the victims of Nazism, particularly Jews, was often dismissed as an attempt to obtain illicit enrichment.
In the 1980s, the topic of Nazi crimes gained more attention in the media, with survivors appearing in documentaries and testimonies. This shift in social sentiment led to a gradual admission of collective responsibility by Austrians. In 1991, Chancellor Franz Vranitzky made the first official acknowledgment of Austria's shared responsibility for National Socialism in Parliament. He rejected the notion of collective guilt but accepted moral responsibility, acknowledging that many Austrians had welcomed the Anschluss.
In 1993, Vranitzky became the first Austrian chancellor to officially visit Israel, where he apologised for the crimes committed by Austrians during World War II. This visit marked a significant step in Austria's recognition of its collective responsibility for Nazi crimes. Despite these acknowledgments, critics note that relatively little has been done in terms of prosecuting Nazi war criminals within Austria itself.
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Frequently asked questions
Germany annexed Austria on March 12, 1938.
The annexation of Austria was called the Anschluss.
The Anschluss was the first act of territorial expansion committed by Nazi Germany. It demonstrated Nazi disdain for the post-World War I European order, as it violated the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint-Germain, which expressly forbade the unification of Austria and Germany.
