Damon Mcknight
The annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany, known as the Anschluss, took place on March 12, 1938, when German troops, accompanied by Adolf Hitler, entered Austria. The annexation was proclaimed the following day, on March 13, 1938, with the establishment of a Nazi government in Austria, headed by Arthur Seyss-Inquart. The idea of the Anschluss, a political union of Austria and Germany, had been proposed as early as 1919, but it gained support after the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918. Hitler's rise to power in Germany made the prospect of the Anschluss less attractive to many Austrians, but Austrian Nazis continued to conspire for a union, and Hitler himself had expressed his intention to take Austria by force if necessary.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 12 March 1938 |
| Invasion | German troops entered Austria on 12 March 1938 |
| Annexation | Proclaimed on 13 March 1938 |
| Leader of Annexation | Adolf Hitler |
| Austrian Chancellor | Kurt von Schuschnigg |
| Nazi Sympathiser in Austrian Government | Arthur Seyss-Inquart |
| Plebiscite | Called on 9 March 1938; cancelled due to coercion from Hitler; rescheduled for 10 April 1938 and resulted in a 99.7% approval |
| Nazi Germany's Intentions | To unite Austria and Germany to form a "Greater Germany" |
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What You'll Learn
Hitler's annexation of Austria
The annexation of Austria, also known as the Anschluss, took place on March 12, 1938, when German troops entered Austria, accompanied by Adolf Hitler himself. This event marked the unification of Austria with Nazi Germany, forming what was seen as a "Greater Germany". The idea of the Anschluss had been proposed earlier, after the 1871 unification of Germany excluded Austrian and German-Austrian participation in the German Empire.
In the lead-up to the annexation, there were increasing demands from Hitler for Austria to agree to a union. In February 1938, Hitler invited the Austrian Chancellor, Kurt von Schuschnigg, to Germany and coerced him into agreeing to demands that gave the Austrian Nazis significant power within the Austrian government. Schuschnigg was forced to appoint Nazi sympathisers to positions of power, including Arthur Seyss-Inquart as Minister of Public Security, with full control of the police.
Fearing a loss of independence, Schuschnigg called for a plebiscite to resolve the question of the Anschluss. However, before the vote could take place, he gave in to pressure from Hitler and resigned on March 11, 1938, urging Austrian forces not to resist a German invasion. The next day, German troops entered Austria, and a Nazi government, headed by Seyss-Inquart, was established. The annexation was proclaimed on March 13, 1938, and was met with enthusiasm by many Austrians, who saw it as a completion of the unification of all Germans into one state.
The Anschluss had significant consequences for Austria and Europe. It demonstrated Hitler's aggressive territorial ambitions and the failure of British and French authorities to act against his violation of international treaties. The Nazification of Austria proceeded rapidly, with Austrians participating in the persecution of the country's Jewish population and fighting in World War II alongside the Germans.
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The Austrian chancellor's resignation
The annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany, known as the Anschluss, took place on March 12, 1938. The events leading up to this began years earlier, with the rise of the Nazis in the late 1920s and early 1930s, and the appointment of Adolf Hitler as Chancellor of Germany in January 1933, which further destabilized Austrian politics.
The Austrian Nazi Party, recognizing Hitler as their leader by 1931, sought to unite with Germany and supported Hitler's ambitions to absorb Austria into the Third Reich. Austrian Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss, who had established an authoritarian regime in Austria, attempted to maintain the country's independence. However, he was assassinated by the Nazi Otto Planetta in 1934, and his successor, Kurt Schuschnigg, faced increasing pressure from Hitler and the Austrian Nazis.
Schuschnigg, despite considering Austria a "German state", strongly opposed Hitler's goal of absorption into the Third Reich. In February 1938, he met with Hitler, who bullied him into appointing Nazi sympathizers to positions of power, including Arthur Seyss-Inquart as Minister of Public Security. Schuschnigg hoped to preserve Austria's independence and called for a national vote on the question of Anschluss. However, before the plebiscite could take place, he faced a series of ultimatums from Hitler, including the demand for his resignation and the appointment of Seyss-Inquart as his successor.
On March 11, 1938, under coercion and threat of armed intervention, Schuschnigg resigned and pleaded with Austrian forces not to resist a German "advance" into the country. He instructed the military and the people not to spill blood for Austrian independence. Within minutes of his resignation, Austrian Nazis seized power, and the next day, Hitler entered Austria with German troops, greeted by enthusiastic crowds. This marked the official unification of Austria and Germany, and the resignation of Chancellor Schuschnigg played a pivotal role in this process.
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The Austrian Nazi party
Austrian Nazism, or Austrian National Socialism, was a pan-German movement that took shape in the early 20th century. The movement was formally established on November 15, 1903, when the German Worker's Party (DAP) was founded in Austria. The DAP's secretariat was based in the town of Aussig (now Ústí nad Labem in the Czech Republic).
In 1918, the DAP changed its name to the Deutsche Nationalsozialistische Arbeiterpartei (DNSAP). The Austrian DNSAP underwent several splits and factions, with members disagreeing on their relationship with Hitler and the German Nazis. Despite these early divisions, the Austrian Nazi Party produced a National Socialist Program that influenced the German Nazi manifesto. The swastika was adopted as the party symbol in 1920, replacing the previous symbol of a hammer, oak leaves, and a quill.
By 1931, a majority of Austrian Nazis recognised Hitler as their leader, and the party's influence began to grow. Hitler appointed a German Nazi, Theodor Habicht, to oversee Nazi activity in Austria and bring the Austrian party in line with the German Nazis. The Austrian Nazis gained further support in 1931-1932 as Hitler's popularity in Germany soared. This trend continued after Hitler became German chancellor in 1933, with Austrian Nazis fleeing to Bavaria and founding the Austrian Legion, a paramilitary unit that received military training from German Nazis.
In 1938, the Austrian Nazi Party played a key role in the pro-Nazi coup that led to the annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany, known as the Anschluss. Despite initial resistance from Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg, who attempted to maintain Austria's independence, the Austrian Nazis conspired to seize the Austrian government and unite with Nazi Germany. Under pressure, Schuschnigg appointed Nazi sympathisers to his cabinet and eventually resigned on March 11, 1938. Hitler then entered Austria on March 12, 1938, alongside German troops, and was met with enthusiastic crowds.
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The Anschluss
In the years leading up to the Anschluss, Hitler and the Nazis made several attempts to seize control of Austria. In July 1934, Austrian and German Nazis attempted a coup, but it failed. Hitler denied involvement, but the fallout from the plot made it clear that the Nazis would have to move slowly to gain control of Austria. In 1936, Hitler launched the Four Year Plan, which called for a dramatic increase in military spending and aimed to make Germany ready for a world war by 1940. In 1937, Hermann Göring stated that the only solution to the problems with meeting steel production targets was to annex Austria, which was rich in iron.
In early 1938, Austrian Nazis conspired to seize the Austrian government and unite with Germany. Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg met with Hitler to try to reassert his country's independence, but he was forced to agree to give the Austrian Nazis a free hand and appoint Nazi sympathizers to positions of power. Schuschnigg called a national vote to resolve the question of Anschluss, but he was pressured into resigning before it could take place. On March 11, Hitler gave the Austrian government a series of ultimatums: the plebiscite must be called off, and Schuschnigg must resign. If these demands were not met, the German military would invade Austria.
On March 12, 1938, German troops entered Austria, accompanied by Hitler himself. They were met by enthusiastic crowds. The annexation of Austria to Germany was proclaimed on March 13, 1938, and a Nazi government in Austria was established, headed by Arthur Seyss-Inquart. A controlled plebiscite on April 10 gave a 99.7% approval. The Nazis celebrated the Anschluss as the fulfillment of the German people's destiny and used it to justify their illegal takeover of Austria. The Anschluss transformed Austria, and Austrian Nazis carried out the Nazification of all aspects of Austrian life, with the participation of many Austrians.
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The Nazification of Austria
The idea of the Anschluss was not new, and the desire for unification with Germany had been growing since the 19th century. In 1871, the unification of Germany excluded Austria and the German Austrians from the Prussian-dominated German Empire. After the Austro-Hungarian Empire fell in 1918, the new Republic of German-Austria attempted to unite with Germany, but the Treaty of Saint Germain and the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 forbade this.
In the 1920s, support for the unification of Austria and Germany was strong in both countries, particularly among Austrian citizens of the political left and centre. However, this support faded over time. After Adolf Hitler rose to power in Germany in 1933, the desire for unification became associated with the Nazis and their concept of "Heim ins Reich" ("back home to the realm"), which aimed to incorporate as many Volksdeutsche (ethnic Germans outside Germany) as possible.
In early 1938, Austrian Nazis conspired to seize the Austrian government and unite with Nazi Germany. Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg tried to negotiate with Hitler to maintain Austria's independence, but was forced to appoint several top Austrian Nazis to his cabinet. Schuschnigg called for a national vote on the question of the Anschluss, but before the plebiscite could take place, he resigned on March 11, 1938, under pressure from Hitler. The next day, German troops entered Austria, where they were met by enthusiastic crowds. A Nazi government in Austria, led by Seyss-Inquart, was established, and on March 13, the Anschluss was proclaimed.
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Frequently asked questions
Hitler took over Austria on March 12, 1938, when German troops entered the country.
The takeover of Austria was called the Anschluss, which means "joining" or "connection" in German.
The Anschluss was the annexation of the Federal State of Austria into Nazi Germany, which transformed Austria.
The idea of the Anschluss arose after the 1871 unification of Germany, which excluded Austria and the German Austrians from the German Empire. In the years leading up to the Anschluss, there was increasing violence and demands from Hitler for a union with Austria.
