Lyla Lindsey
On March 12, 1938, Germany annexed Austria, incorporating it into the German Reich in what is known as the Anschluss. The annexation was proclaimed on March 13, 1938, and was the result of a conspiracy by Austrian Nazis to seize the Austrian government and unite with Nazi Germany. The idea of a united Austria and Germany, or Greater Germany, had been proposed as early as 1919 but was forbidden by the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint-Germain. Despite sparse evidence of support for the union, the annexation was met with enthusiasm by many Austrians, who saw it as a completion of the long-overdue unification of all Germans into one state.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 12 March 1938 |
| Other Dates Mentioned | 11 March 1938, 13 March 1938, April 1937, September 1936, November 1937, 1919, 1918, 1934, 1940 |
| Countries Involved | Germany, Austria |
| Other Countries Mentioned | Italy |
| People Involved | Hitler, Göring, Otto Bauer, Seyss-Inquart, Konstantin von Neurath, Werner von Blomberg, Werner von Fritsch, Theodor Habicht, Dollfuss, Kurt von Schuschnigg, Wilhelm Miklas, Arthur Seyss-Inquart, Hermann Göring, Harry S. Truman |
| Organisations Involved | Nazi Party, Social Democratic Party, Austrian Army |
| Events | Annexation of Austria, German troops entering Austria, Abrogation of Article 88 of the Treaty of Saint-Germain, Violation of the Treaty of Versailles, Violation of the Treaty of Saint-Germain, German unification, Nazi takeover of Austria, German occupation of Austria, German Reich, Austrian Independence Plebiscite, Austrian Nazi Coup |
| Locations | Austria, Germany, Graz, Vienna, Heldenplatz, Berlin, United States, East Coast, Alaska, Prussia, Sudetenland |
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What You'll Learn
The Anschluss
The idea of a united Austria and Germany, or "Greater Germany," emerged after the 1871 unification of Germany, which excluded Austria and German Austrians from the Prussian-dominated German Empire. The concept gained support after the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918, and the Republic of German-Austria attempted to unite with Germany. However, the 1919 Treaty of Saint Germain and the Treaty of Versailles prohibited this union and the use of the name "German-Austria", while also stripping Austria of some territories.
In the mid-1930s, Austrian Nazis, supported by Hitler, made two attempts to seize the Austrian government and unite with Germany. The first attempt was a coup in July 1934, which failed, resulting in an authoritarian right-wing government taking power in Austria. The second attempt occurred in early 1938, when Austrian Nazis conspired to forcefully unite with Nazi Germany. Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg, aware of the plot, met with Hitler to assert Austria's independence but was coerced into appointing Austrian Nazis to his cabinet and eventually resigning.
On March 12, 1938, German troops entered Austria, and the annexation was proclaimed on March 13, marking the start of the Nazi transformation of Austria. The Nazis celebrated the unification as the fulfillment of the German people's destiny, glorifying it through speeches and propaganda. Many Austrians participated enthusiastically in the Nazification of their country, and a controlled plebiscite held on April 10, 1938, resulted in a 99.7% approval rating. The annexation of Austria by Germany, or the Anschluss, demonstrated Hitler's aggressive territorial ambitions and the failure of other European powers to hold him accountable for violating international treaties.
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Hitler's expansionary policies
On March 12, 1938, German troops invaded Austria and annexed it into the German Reich, an event known as the Anschluss. This annexation was the culmination of Hitler's expansionist policies, which had been driven by a combination of ideological, economic, and geopolitical factors.
Hitler's ideology played a significant role in shaping his expansionist policies. He believed in the concept of Lebensraum, or "living space," which held that Germany required territorial expansion, particularly into Eastern Europe, to establish a Greater Germanic Reich. This ideology was rooted in German nationalism and was used to justify the conquest and colonisation of Polish territories and other non-German lands. Hitler presented his vision of Lebensraum in Mein Kampf, published in 1925, where he argued that it was the destiny of the racially superior Germanic peoples to colonise Eastern Europe and resolve their overpopulation issues.
Hitler's expansionist policies were also influenced by economic considerations. Like many other countries, Germany suffered the economic impacts of the Great Depression, with soaring unemployment rates. When Hitler became Chancellor in 1933, he introduced policies aimed at improving the economy, including privatisation and achieving autarky (economic self-sufficiency). He believed that war was the primary engine of human progress and that the country's economic focus should be on rearming and rebuilding its military might to prepare for future conquests.
Hitler's foreign policy became more assertive from 1935 to 1937, and he became certain that there would be little opposition to his plans. He launched the Four Year Plan in 1936, which called for a significant increase in military spending and autarky, with the aim of having the Reich ready for a potential world war by 1940. The plan included massive investments in industries such as steel and synthetic oil production.
The annexation of Austria was a key step in Hitler's expansionist agenda. While there was doubt about the majority support for the Anschluss among Austrians, the enthusiasm displayed towards Hitler and the Germans during the annexation surprised both Nazis and non-Nazis. Hitler's initial intention was to establish Austria as a satellite state, but the overwhelming reception led him to directly absorb Austria into the Reich. This demonstrated his aggressive territorial ambitions and further highlighted his expansionist policies.
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Violation of the Treaty of Versailles
On March 12, 1938, Germany annexed Austria, incorporating it into the German Reich. This event, known as the Anschluss, was a significant violation of the Treaty of Versailles, which had been signed in July 1919. The Treaty of Versailles imposed strict conditions on defeated Germany, including stiff war reparation payments and territorial changes. One of the key provisions of the treaty was the prohibition of the unification of Austria and Germany, which was explicitly stated in Article 88 of the Treaty of Saint-Germain, a treaty that complemented the Treaty of Versailles.
The idea of the Anschluss, or the unification of Austria and Germany, had been gaining support since the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918. However, the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint-Germain explicitly forbade this union and stripped Austria of some of its territories. Despite these treaties, Germany, under the leadership of Adolf Hitler, pursued a policy of aggression and expansionism.
In March 1936, Hitler denounced the Locarno Pact, which reaffirmed the national boundaries set by the Treaty of Versailles, and began the remilitarization of the Rhineland, a demilitarized zone along the Rhine River. This action was a clear violation of the Treaty of Versailles and set a precedent for further territorial ambitions. Hitler's intentions towards Austria became clear when, in April 1937, he stated in a secret speech that the annexation of Austria was necessary to meet the steel production targets of the Four Year Plan.
In March 1938, German troops invaded Austria, and on March 13, Seyss-Inquart, the head of a pro-Nazi Austrian government, announced the abrogation of Article 88 of the Treaty of Saint-Germain, finalizing the unification of Austria and Germany. This violation of the Treaty of Versailles once again demonstrated Hitler's aggressive territorial ambitions and the failure of the British and French to hold him accountable. The annexation of Austria was followed by a wave of street violence against Jewish people and property in Vienna and other cities, foreshadowing the horrors of the Holocaust to come.
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Austria's enthusiasm for unification
Initially, support for unification with Germany was driven by economic considerations. After the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918, Austria was stripped of many of its territories, leaving it economically vulnerable. Many Austrians, particularly those on the political left and center, believed that unification with Germany was necessary for economic stability. This belief was reflected in the constitutions of both the Weimar Republic and the First Austrian Republic, which included the political goal of unification.
However, as time passed, popular support for unification began to wane. Regional patriotism and a desire for Austrian independence took precedence for many Austrians. By 1919, unification was not overwhelmingly popular among the Austrian population, and even supporters of unification, like Otto Bauer of the Social Democratic Party, acknowledged the strength of conservative opposition. Despite this, the idea of unification remained a part of Austrian political discourse, and pro-German Austrian Nazis continued to advocate for it.
In the lead-up to the annexation in 1938, the situation became more complex. While there were pro-unification activists pressuring the Austrian government, the Austrofascist Fatherland Front, which controlled the government, opposed unification. The enthusiasm displayed by Austrians towards Hitler and the Germans during the annexation surprised both Nazis and non-Nazis, as it was believed that a majority of Austrians opposed the Anschluss. The Nazis exploited this enthusiasm for their propaganda, using film footage and photographs to justify their illegal takeover.
The annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany, proclaimed on March 13, 1938, marked a significant turning point. Austrians participated enthusiastically in the Nazification of their country, and many supported the unification as a completion of the long-overdue unification of all Germans into one state. However, it is important to note that the plebiscite held on April 10, 1938, was not a secret ballot, and threats and coercion were employed to manipulate the vote, resulting in 99.7% approval.
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Nazi territorial aggression
Nazi Germany's annexation of Austria, known as the Anschluss, was the first act of territorial expansion committed by the regime. It took place over three days in March 1938, with German troops entering Austria on the 12th and the annexation being proclaimed on the 13th. The annexation was the culmination of a long-held desire for a union between the two countries, which had been forbidden by the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint-Germain.
The idea of the Anschluss ("joining" or "connection" in German) arose after the 1871 unification of Germany, which excluded Austria and the German Austrians from the Prussian-dominated German Empire. The movement gained support after the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918, and the subsequent Republic of German-Austria attempted to unite with Germany. However, the 1919 Treaty of Saint-Germain and the Treaty of Versailles prohibited this union and stripped Austria of some territories.
In the 1930s, Austrian Nazis conspired to seize the Austrian government and unite with Germany. In July 1934, Austrian and German Nazis attempted a coup, which failed and resulted in Hitler denying involvement. In 1936, Hitler launched the Four Year Plan, which called for increased military spending and aimed to have the Reich ready for a world war by 1940. This included a dramatic increase in steel production, which could be achieved through the annexation of Austria, which was rich in iron.
In February 1938, Hitler invited Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg to Germany and forced him to agree to give Austrian Nazis a free hand. Schuschnigg later repudiated the agreement and announced a plebiscite on the question of the Anschluss. However, under pressure from Hitler, he resigned on March 11, 1938, and pleaded with Austrian forces not to resist a German "advance". On March 12, German troops entered Austria, and the annexation was proclaimed the following day. The Nazis celebrated the union as the fulfillment of the German people's destiny and used speeches and propaganda to justify the illegal takeover.
The Anschluss demonstrated Hitler's aggressive territorial ambitions and the failure of the British and French to take action against him for violating international treaties. It allowed him to continue his expansionary policies unchecked, with the Nazification of Austria and the persecution of the country's Jewish population soon following.
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Frequently asked questions
Germany annexed Austria on March 12, 1938, and proclaimed the annexation on March 13, 1938.
The annexation of Austria by Germany was called the Anschluss, which means 'joining' or 'connection' in German.
The idea of the Anschluss was first mooted in 1919 by Austria, as the unification of Germany in 1871 had excluded Austria and the German Austrians from the German Empire. The Nazis also wanted to annex Austria because of its rich iron resources.
