Lexi Webster
The Anschluss, Germany's annexation of Austria, took place in March 1938. On March 11, Hitler gave the Austrian government a series of ultimatums, including that Chancellor Schuschnigg must call off the plebiscite and that Austrian president Wilhelm Miklas must appoint Austrian Nazi Arthur Seyss-Inquart as the new Austrian chancellor. If these demands were not met, the German military would invade Austria. Schuschnigg resigned on March 11, and on March 12, Hitler accompanied German troops into Austria. On March 13, the Anschluss was proclaimed, and Austria became a federal state of Germany.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 12 March 1938 |
| Who announced it | Hitler |
| Who supported it | Robert Kauer, Karl Renner, Hermann Göring, many Germans and Austrians |
| Who opposed it | Benito Mussolini, Kurt von Schuschnigg, the French |
| Why it happened | To unite all Germans into one state, to gain access to Austria's iron resources, to bring Eastern Europe into Göring's desired Grossraumwirtschaft ("greater economic space") |
| How it happened | German military invasion, plebiscite, abrogation of Article 88 of the Treaty of Saint-Germain |
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What You'll Learn
- The Anschluss was the first act of territorial expansion by Nazi Germany
- The unification of Germany and Austria violated the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint-Germain
- Hitler's triumphal tour of Austria concluded in Vienna on 15 March 1938
- The majority of Austrians did not support the Anschluss
- The Nazification of Austria saw the persecution of the country's Jewish population
The Anschluss was the first act of territorial expansion by Nazi Germany
The Anschluss, which took place in March 1938, was the first act of territorial expansion by Nazi Germany. The German annexation of Austria marked a significant breach of the post-World War I international order. The unification of Austria and Germany had been forbidden by the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint-Germain, which had been established following the end of World War I.
The idea of the Anschluss dated back to 1919, when the Republic of German-Austria attempted to unite with Germany. This was prohibited by the aforementioned treaties, which also stripped Austria of some of its territories, including the Sudetenland. The desire for unification was driven by the belief that Austria, having lost much of its imperial land, was not economically viable as an independent state. This sentiment was particularly strong among Austrian citizens of the political left and center, including prominent Social Democrat leader Otto Bauer.
However, support for unification with Germany waned over time, and after Adolf Hitler's rise to power in 1933, the idea of annexation became associated with the Nazis. In the years leading up to the Anschluss, Nazi Germany pursued an aggressive foreign policy, which ultimately culminated in World War II. Despite the Nazi threat to Austria being clear, the annexation of Austria still came as a surprise to many.
On March 11, 1938, Hitler delivered a series of ultimatums to the Austrian government, demanding that Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg call off the planned plebiscite on Austrian independence and that Austrian President Wilhelm Miklas appoint Arthur Seyss-Inquart, a pro-Nazi Austrian, as the new chancellor. Faced with the threat of a German military invasion, Schuschnigg gave in to Hitler's demands and resigned, instructing the Austrian military not to resist German troops. On March 12, Germany invaded, and the overwhelming enthusiasm that followed gave Hitler the justification to annex Austria outright on March 13.
The annexation of Austria transformed the country almost overnight. Austrian and German Nazis quickly carried out the Nazification of Austrian society, and Austrians participated in the persecution of the country's Jewish population. The Anschluss was a watershed moment in Nazi Germany's foreign policy, demonstrating Hitler's aggressive territorial ambitions and the failure of the international community to intervene or punish Nazi Germany for violating international treaties.
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The unification of Germany and Austria violated the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint-Germain
The unification of Germany and Austria, known as the Anschluss, was a significant breach of the post-World War I international order. The annexation of Austria by Germany was the first act of territorial expansion committed by Nazi Germany and a clear violation of international treaties, including the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint-Germain.
The Treaty of Versailles, signed in June 1919, was imposed by the victorious Western powers (Great Britain, the United States, France, and Italy) on the defeated Central Powers, including Germany and Austria-Hungary. The treaty held Germany responsible for starting World War I and imposed harsh terms, including significant territorial losses, demilitarization, and extensive reparation payments. The war guilt clause, in particular, was seen as unfair by the German population, who felt that the treaty was a "dictated peace" (Diktat). The Treaty of Saint-Germain, signed with Austria, similarly imposed strict terms and expressly forbade the unification of Austria and Germany.
Discussions and debates about Austria's role in a German nation-state dated back to the 19th century. However, the post-World War I treaties aimed to prevent a union between the two countries, as it would create a large and powerful entity. Adolf Hitler and the Nazis sought to redraw the map of Europe, considering the postwar international borders illegitimate. They claimed that Germans had been denied the right of self-determination, and the annexation of Austria was a step towards achieving their expansionist goals.
On March 12, 1938, Germany invaded Austria, and the enthusiasm that followed gave Hitler the cover to annex Austria outright on March 13. This was marked by the abrogation of Article 88 of the Treaty of Saint-Germain, which prohibited the unification of Austria and Germany. A controlled plebiscite held on April 10, 1938, resulted in a 99.7% approval rating. The international community did not intervene to stop the Anschluss or punish Nazi Germany for violating international treaties, setting a precedent for appeasement of Hitler's aggressive foreign policy.
The unification of Germany and Austria had far-reaching consequences. It transformed Austria overnight, with Austrian and German Nazis quickly imposing Nazi rule and persecuting the country's Jewish population. The Anschluss was a watershed moment in Nazi Germany's foreign policy, demonstrating their disdain for the post-World War I European order and their intent to reshape Europe according to their expansionist agenda.
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Hitler's triumphal tour of Austria concluded in Vienna on 15 March 1938
On March 15, 1938, Hitler's triumphal tour of Austria concluded in Vienna, marking a significant event in the country's history. This tour, which began on March 12, 1938, when senior Nazi officials Heinrich Himmler and Reinhard Heydrich arrived in Vienna, set in motion a series of events that led to the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany, known as the "Anschluss."
The annexation of Austria had been a topic of discussion within Nazi circles for some time. As early as April 1937, German leader Hermann Göring had emphasised the importance of annexing Austria to address steel production issues and strengthen Germany's economic position. The country was also viewed as a strategic target for its natural resources, particularly its iron deposits.
Hitler's own interest in Austria became evident in February 1938 when he invited the Austrian chancellor, Kurt von Schuschnigg, to Germany and forced him to grant the Austrian Nazis more power. Despite Schuschnigg's initial resistance, he eventually resigned on March 11, 1938, and German troops crossed the border the next day.
Hitler's arrival in Austria on March 14 was met with enthusiasm, and he was greeted by cheering Austrians. This support for the Nazis was further demonstrated on March 15, when a large crowd gathered in Vienna's Heldenplatz to hear Hitler declare the "Anschluss" of Austria to Nazi Germany. The Austrian Nazis' popularity, however, should be considered in the context of the Austrofascism of the previous years, which had instilled a sense of Austrian superiority within a greater German state.
The "Anschluss" marked the first act of territorial expansion by Nazi Germany and was a significant breach of international treaties that prohibited the unification of Austria and Germany. This event highlighted the international community's failure to curb Hitler's aggressive foreign policy and set a precedent for further expansionist actions, such as the subsequent targeting of Czechoslovakia. The annexation of Austria had far-reaching consequences, and it effectively ended Austria's existence as an independent state, paving the way for the horrors of World War II.
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The majority of Austrians did not support the Anschluss
The Anschluss, which took place in March 1938, was the annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany. This act of unification was proposed by the Austrian government as early as 1919, but it remained a hope only of the Austrian Social Democrats between 1919 and 1933. After Hitler's rise to power, the idea of a union with Germany became less attractive.
Despite the seemingly widespread support for Hitler and the unification of the two countries, it is doubtful that a majority of Austrians supported the Anschluss. The sparse evidence available suggests that the pro-Anschluss movement would have only achieved a slim majority in a plebiscite, falling short of the required 75%. Otto Bauer, the leader of the Social Democratic Party, admitted that the strength of the conservative opposition to the Anschluss would likely have resulted in a majority voting against it. This is supported by the fact that Austrian socialists reacted with "disgust" to Renner's endorsement of the Anschluss, and many defected to the Revolutionary Socialists or the KPÖ.
The Vatican also condemned Nazism and forbade Catholics from following their ideas or supporting the Anschluss. On 11 March 1938, the day before the occupation of Austria, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vienna issued an appeal for a "free and independent Austria". This indicates that there was significant opposition to the Anschluss among Austrians who followed the Catholic Church.
Furthermore, Austrian chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg attempted to prevent the German annexation by calling for a plebiscite on Austrian independence. He predicted that the results would show 65% in favour of independence and 35% against. However, Hitler pressured Schuschnigg to cancel the plebiscite and resign, indicating that the Nazis feared being defeated at the polls. The German ministry of propaganda also spread false reports of riots and claims that large parts of the Austrian population wanted German troops to restore order.
While it is true that many Austrians participated enthusiastically in the Nazification of their country, it is important to note that between 300,000 and 400,000 Austrian citizens were forbidden from voting in the referendum, including Austrian Jews, Roma, and political opponents of the Nazis. Therefore, the true extent of opposition to the Anschluss among Austrians may have been higher than what the referendum results suggested.
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The Nazification of Austria saw the persecution of the country's Jewish population
On March 12, 1938, German troops entered Austria, marking the beginning of the Nazification of the country and the persecution of its Jewish population. The annexation of Austria, known as the "Anschluss," saw the unification of Austria and Germany, which had been prohibited by international treaties. This act of territorial expansion by Nazi Germany was met with little resistance and was even welcomed by many Austrians, who saw it as completing the long-overdue unification of all Germans into one state.
Prior to the Anschluss, Jews played an important role in Austria's economic and cultural life, with a population of about 192,000 in 1938, representing almost 4% of the total population. However, the Nazification of Austria brought about a rapid shift in the treatment of the Jewish community. The Nazis immediately began to implement anti-Jewish measures, expelling Jews from all cultural, economic, and social life in Austria. The German racial Nuremberg Laws were applied, classifying people with one Jewish grandparent as Jewish, even if they or their parents had converted to another faith. This drastic change in policy led to the intimidation, violence, and expropriation of property from Austrian Jews.
The Mauthausen concentration camp, established in the summer of 1938, became the main Nazi camp in Austria. The Kristallnacht ("Night of Broken Glass") pogroms in November 1938 were particularly brutal, with synagogues in Vienna being destroyed and Jewish businesses vandalized. The Nazis also established centers where Jews were assembled before being deported to ghettos in eastern Europe or concentration camps. By October 1941, systematic mass deportations from Vienna and other parts of Greater Germany had commenced, leading to the deportation of about 35,000 Jews from Vienna alone.
The persecution and deportation of Austrian Jews resulted in a significant decrease in the Jewish population. Between 1938 and 1940, an estimated 117,000 Jews fled Austria, and by October 1942, only about 2,000 to 5,000 Jews remained in the country. The total number of Austrian Jews murdered during the Holocaust is estimated to be about 65,500 people, with 62,000 known by name. The Holocaust drastically reduced the Jewish community in Austria, and even after the war, the Jewish population struggled to recover.
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Frequently asked questions
Germany announced the annexation of Austria on 12 March 1938.
The annexation of Austria was called the Anschluss, which means "connection" or "joining" in German.
Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg met with Adolf Hitler in February 1938 and was forced to appoint Austrian Nazis to his cabinet. Schuschnigg called for a national vote on the annexation, but before it could take place, he resigned under coercion from the Nazis on 11 March 1938. German troops invaded Austria on 12 March, and the annexation was signed into law on 13 March 1938.
The annexation of Austria was an act of open aggression and was the first instance of territorial expansion by Nazi Germany. It demonstrated Hitler's aggressive territorial ambitions and the failure of the British and French to take action against him for violating the Versailles Treaty.
The annexation resulted in the loss of Austria's independence, and it became a province of Germany, known as the "Greater German Reich" or "Ostmark." It also led to an outburst of public violence against Austria's Jewish population.
