Lyla Lindsey
On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria to annex the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. This event, known as the Anschluss, marked the beginning of Austria's existence as a federal state of Germany until the end of World War II. The annexation was the result of a conspiracy by Austrian Nazis to seize the Austrian government and unite with Nazi Germany, and it was met with enthusiastic support from most Austrians. However, the Nazis had to employ tactics of coercion and fake news to achieve their goal, and the annexation was opposed by some groups in Austria, including Austrian Jews and socialists.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of annexation | 12 March 1938 |
| Name of the event | Anschluss |
| Countries involved | Austria, Germany |
| Political parties involved | Austrian Nazi Party, Nazi Party (Germany) |
| People involved | Adolf Hitler, Chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg, Arthur Seyss-Inquart, Wilhelm Miklas, Otto Bauer, Joseph Stalin, Karl Renner |
| Events leading up to the annexation | Austrian Nazis conspired to seize the Austrian government and unite with Nazi Germany, German economic sanctions against Austria, Nazi terrorism in Austria, German troops amassed at the Austrian border |
| Public opinion in Austria | Mixed, with some supporting the annexation and others opposing it |
| International response | The international community did not intervene or punish Nazi Germany for violating international treaties |
| Impact | Austria became a federal state of Germany, Austrian politicians and institutions supported the Nazification of the country, many Austrians emigrated |
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What You'll Learn
The Anschluss
In the years leading up to the Anschluss, there were several factors that contributed to the growing influence of the Nazi Party in Austria. The German Workers' Party, founded in 1903 while Austria was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, promoted German nationalism and anti-clericalism. In 1918, the party was renamed the German National Socialist Workers' Party (DNSAP) and began cooperating closely with the National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP) led by Adolf Hitler. The Austrian Nazi Party operated illegally within the country and gained support through subversive tactics.
In late May 1933, the German government imposed economic sanctions on Austria, crippling the country's tourism industry. The Austrian government, led by Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg, worked to maintain its power and sovereignty in the face of Nazi terrorism. However, the Austrian Nazis continued to gain influence, and in early 1938, they conspired to seize the Austrian government by force and unite with Nazi Germany.
On March 9, 1938, Chancellor Schuschnigg called for a national referendum to resolve the question of the Anschluss. However, he resigned under pressure from Hitler on March 11, and German troops entered Austria the next day. Hitler accompanied the troops and appointed a new Nazi government. On March 13, the Anschluss was officially proclaimed, and Austria became a federal state of Germany.
The annexation was met with enthusiasm by many Austrians, with large crowds welcoming the German troops. However, it is important to note that the referendum that followed on April 10, 1938, excluded Austrian Jews, Roma, and political opponents of the Nazis. The result of the referendum indicated that around 99 percent of those who were allowed to vote supported the union with Nazi Germany.
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Nazi Germany's first act of expansion
The annexation of Austria, known as the Anschluss, was Nazi Germany's first act of territorial expansion. On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria, annexing the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. This was the culmination of a series of events that began in early 1938, when Austrian Nazis conspired to seize the Austrian government by force and unite their nation with Nazi Germany.
Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg learned of the conspiracy and met with Adolf Hitler in an attempt to reassert his country's independence. However, he was coerced into naming several top Austrian Nazis to his cabinet. On March 9, Schuschnigg called for a national vote to resolve the question of the Anschluss, but before the plebiscite could take place, he gave in to pressure from Hitler and resigned on March 11. In his resignation address, he pleaded with Austrian forces not to resist a German "advance" into the country.
Hitler immediately demanded that the president of Austria, Wilhelm Miklas, appoint Arthur Seyss-Inquart, an Austrian member of the Nazi Party, as the nation's next chancellor. When the president initially refused, Hitler ordered the invasion to begin at dawn the next day. On March 12, German soldiers in tanks and armoured vehicles crossed the border into Austria, encountering no resistance. Hitler himself accompanied the troops, and on the same day, the new chancellor, Seyss-Inquart, called for German troops to rush to Austria's aid, giving the invasion an air of legitimacy.
The Anschluss was a significant moment in Nazi Germany's foreign policy. It represented the unification of Austria and Germany, with Austria becoming a federal state of Germany until the end of World War II. The international community did not intervene to stop the annexation or punish Nazi Germany for violating international treaties, setting a precedent for Hitler's aggressive expansionist agenda.
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Austria's independence
Annexation by Nazi Germany
In the lead-up to World War II, Austria was facing pressure from Nazi Germany, which sought to annex the country. The German Workers' Party, founded in 1903 while Austria was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, supported German nationalism and advocated for making Austria and Austrian Germans part of Germany. After the fall of the monarchy, the party split into Czechoslovakian and Austrian factions, with the Austrian party cooperating closely with the German Workers' Party (DAP) and later the National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP), led by Adolf Hitler.
In May 1933, the Austrian government converted the Christian Social Union into the Patriotic Front, a Roman Catholic and anti-Marxist political organisation that claimed to represent all Austrians loyal to their native land. In response, the Austrian Nazi Party resorted to terrorism, resulting in a ban on the party and its affiliates in June 1933. Despite the ban, the Austrian Nazis continued to operate illegally, and many fled across the border into Germany. In late May 1933, Germany imposed economic sanctions on Austria, crippling the country's tourism industry.
On March 9, 1938, Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg called for a national referendum to be held on March 13 to resolve the issue of annexation once and for all. However, facing threats of invasion from Hitler, Schuschnigg resigned on March 11 and pleaded with Austrian forces not to resist a German "advance" into the country. On March 12, German troops marched into Austria, encountering no resistance, and Hitler appointed a new Nazi government. The next day, the annexation, known as the "Anschluss," was proclaimed, and Austria became a federal state of Germany.
The annexation was met with enthusiasm by many Austrians, with 99.75% of voters supporting the union in a referendum held on April 10, 1938. However, between 300,000 and 400,000 Austrian citizens, including Jews, Roma, and political opponents, were forbidden to vote. During World War II, 950,000 Austrians fought for the Nazi German armed forces, and others participated in the Nazi administration and death camps.
Soviet Occupation
During World War II, Austria was occupied by Soviet troops, with the Red Army approaching Austria's border from Hungary in the winter of 1945. After the war, Austria was divided into zones of occupation, with the Soviets occupying the eastern part of the country. The Western Allies opposed the Kremlin's plans for burdensome war reparations on Austria, but consented to Moscow's demand for control over German assets in the Soviet zone of occupation.
Austria was able to maintain its independence from the Soviet Union, in part due to the victim theory, which positioned Austria as the first victim of the Nazis. This narrative played a crucial role in negotiations for the Austrian State Treaty and helped Austria avoid the division that Germany experienced into separate Eastern and Western states.
Post-War Independence
Following World War II, Allied-occupied Austria declared independence from Nazi Germany on April 27, 1945. The country experienced a period of political reform, and the Nazi Party was promptly banned. However, Austria did not undergo the same thorough process of denazification as Germany, and many Austrians sought comfort in the idea of Austria as a victim of Nazi aggression.
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Nazi German regime's invasion justification
On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria to annex the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. This event, known as the Anschluss, saw Austria become an integral part of Nazi Germany until the end of World War II. While the invasion of Austria was justified by the Nazis as a response to Austrian political upheaval, there were other underlying motives and strategies at play.
Political Unrest in Austria
The Austrian Nazi Party, a small but fervent group, had been conspiring to seize the Austrian government and unite with Nazi Germany. In early 1938, Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg learned of this plot and met with Adolf Hitler to assert Austria's independence. However, he was coerced into appointing several top Austrian Nazis to his cabinet. Facing pressure from both the Austrian Nazis and expanding German demands, Schuschnigg called for a national referendum on the issue of the Anschluss, scheduled for March 13. Hitler, infuriated by this, threatened to invade Austria and demanded Schuschnigg's resignation, which he was forced to announce on March 11.
Hitler's Strategy
Hitler's plan was to install Arthur Seyss-Inquart, a pro-Nazi Austrian, as Chancellor, who would then request German troops to restore order, providing a veneer of legitimacy to the invasion. Schuschnigg, in his resignation address, pleaded with Austrian forces not to resist the German "advance," indicating that the invasion was framed as a response to political instability in Austria.
Geopolitical and Economic Factors
The annexation of Austria served a strategic purpose in Hitler's broader agenda. It brought Eastern Europe closer to Göring's desired "greater economic space" and was a step towards Hitler's long-term goal of creating a Greater Germanic Reich. Additionally, the invasion was facilitated by Nazi propaganda, which manipulated public opinion and fostered a cult of personality around Hitler.
Nazi Ideology
The invasion of Austria was also aligned with Nazi ideology, which promoted the unification of German-speaking peoples and the concept of "living space" (Lebensraum). The Nazis' racial policies, enshrined in laws like the Nuremberg Laws, stripped Jews and other non-Aryans of citizenship and justified persecution and genocide.
International Response
The Allied powers eventually declared the Anschluss void and re-established an independent Austria after World War II. However, in the lead-up to and during the war, Nazi Germany's invasions and aggressive actions were often met with inadequate responses due to a lack of international consensus and the belief that justifications were not required once hostilities had begun.
In summary, the Nazi German regime's invasion of Austria in 1938 was justified through a combination of political unrest, strategic geopolitical and economic considerations, ideological motives, and effective propaganda. This invasion was a significant step in Hitler's expansionist agenda and contributed to the formation of the Nazi empire during World War II.
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Soviet occupation of Austria
On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria to annex the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. Austria remained a part of Germany until the end of World War II, when the Allied powers declared the annexation void and re-established an independent Austria.
The Soviet occupation of Austria began in the spring of 1945, with the arrival of the Red Army. The occupation continued until 1955, with the last occupation troops leaving on October 25 that year. The Soviet Union, along with the United Kingdom, the United States, and France, jointly occupied Austria, dividing it into four occupation zones. Vienna, the capital, was also subdivided, with the central district being collectively administered by the four powers. The Soviet zone included the provinces of Burgenland, Lower Austria, and the Mühlviertel area of Upper Austria, north of the Danube.
The Soviets viewed their occupation of Austria as a liberation of the country from Nazi Germany. A directive issued to Soviet soldiers on April 4, 1945, instructed them to "be merciless towards German enslavers, but don't offend the Austrian population." However, the occupation was deeply unpopular in Austria, and the Red Army engaged in systematic sexual violence against women and violent interrogations, which harmed their reputation. The Soviets also assumed control of Austrian oil fields and other German assets in their zone of occupation.
The occupation of Austria became a controversial subject during the Cold War, with the country's status being resolved only after the warming of relations known as the Khrushchev Thaw. Austria was eventually granted full independence on May 15, 1955, after promising perpetual neutrality.
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Frequently asked questions
German troops moved into Austria on March 12, 1938.
The event was known as the Anschluss, which means "annexation" in German.
The Nazis justified the invasion by claiming that the Austrian government was unstable and that German troops were needed to restore order. Hitler also wrote in his 1925 book, Mein Kampf, that German-Austria must return to the German motherland.
The German invasion was met with enthusiasm by many Austrians, with 99.75% of voters supporting the annexation in a referendum. However, between 300,000 and 400,000 Austrian citizens, including Jews, Roma, and political opponents, were forbidden to vote.
