Hitler's Austrian Invasion: The Prelude To World War Ii

On March 12, 1938, German troops invaded Austria, marking the beginning of the annexation of the Federal State of Austria into the German Reich, known as the Anschluss. This event was the culmination of years of political tension and a desire for unification between the two nations, which had strong support in both countries, particularly among Austrian citizens of the political left and centre. The idea of the Anschluss was not new, and it gained traction after the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918, as many believed that a union was necessary for Austria's economic viability.

Hitler's arrival in Austria

On 12 March 1938, Hitler arrived in Austria, a day after the German army had crossed the border. The Austrian government had ordered the Austrian Bundesheer not to resist, and so the German troops were greeted by cheering Austrians with Nazi salutes, Nazi flags, and flowers.

Hitler rode in a car to his birthplace, Braunau am Inn, with a 4,000-man bodyguard. In the evening, he arrived in Linz and was given an enthusiastic welcome by 250,000 Austrians.

Hitler's journey through Austria became a triumphal tour, culminating in Vienna on 15 March 1938, when around 200,000 German Austrians gathered around the Heldenplatz to hear Hitler declare the completion of the annexation of Austria to form a Greater German Reich.

Hitler's popularity reached an unprecedented peak after he fulfilled the Anschluss. However, his arrival in Austria and the subsequent annexation also marked the beginning of the persecution of the Jews, who were robbed, arrested, and forced to scrub pro-Austrian slogans off the streets of Vienna.

The German army's invasion of Austria

On the morning of March 12, 1938, the German army invaded Austria. The invasion was the first big test of the Wehrmacht's machinery. Although the invading forces were badly organised and coordination among the units was poor, it mattered little because the Austrian government had ordered the Austrian Bundesheer not to resist.

Hitler arrived later that day. He visited his birthplace, Braunau am Inn, and his parents' grave. The next day, he gave a speech in Vienna and officially declared that Austria was now part of the German Empire: the Anschluss. Austria had become a German province: the Ostmark.

Hitler had originally intended to leave Austria as a satellite state with Arthur Seyss-Inquart as head of a pro-Nazi government. However, the overwhelming reception caused him to change course and absorb Austria directly into the Reich. On March 13, Seyss-Inquart announced the abrogation of Article 88 of the Treaty of Saint-Germain, which prohibited the unification of Austria and Germany, and approved the replacement of the Austrian states with Reichsgaue.

The seizure of Austria demonstrated once again Hitler's aggressive territorial ambitions, and, once again, the failure of the British and the French to take action against him for violating the Versailles Treaty. Their lack of will emboldened him toward further aggression.

The Austrian chancellor's resignation

In the early days of his chancellorship, Schuschnigg attempted to balance his desire for Austrian independence with concessions to the Nazis. He released jailed Nazis, lifted the ban on the Austrian Nazi Party, and even signed an agreement with Germany in July 1936, promising to follow Germany's lead in foreign policy. However, these concessions only emboldened the Nazis, and they continued to push for unification.

By early 1938, Schuschnigg was under increasing pressure from both pro-unification activists within Austria and the Nazi regime in Germany. In an attempt to resolve the issue once and for all, he announced a referendum on March 9, 1938, to decide whether Austria should remain independent or unite with Germany. This referendum was scheduled for March 13.

However, Adolf Hitler had no intention of allowing a democratic process to decide the fate of Austria. He bullied and intimidated Schuschnigg during a meeting at Berchtesgaden on February 12, 1938, presenting him with a set of demands, including the appointment of Nazi sympathizers to key government positions. Schuschnigg reluctantly agreed to these demands but continued to face pressure from Hitler and the Austrian Nazis.

On March 11, 1938, just a day before the planned referendum, Hitler delivered an ultimatum to Schuschnigg, demanding his resignation and the appointment of Arthur Seyss-Inquart, a pro-Nazi politician, as the new chancellor. Faced with the threat of a German invasion and unable to secure support from other European powers, Schuschnigg resigned on the evening of March 11.

In his resignation address, Schuschnigg pleaded with Austrian forces not to resist the German "advance" and instructed them to avoid bloodshed. His resignation marked the end of Austria's independence, as German troops marched into the country on March 12, 1938, and Hitler proclaimed the unification of Austria with Germany, known as the "Anschluss."

The annexation of Austria was a significant step in Hitler's expansionist agenda and marked the beginning of a series of aggressive territorial moves that would lead to the outbreak of World War II.

The Nazi government in Austria

On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria, annexing the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. This was the culmination of a conspiracy by Austrian Nazis to seize the Austrian government by force and unite their nation with Nazi Germany.

On April 10, the Nazis organised a referendum to legitimise their military action. More than 99% of the Austrian population voted in favour of the annexation. However, the vote was not anonymous, and opponents did not dare to vote against.

The takeover of Austria by Nazi Germany was the result of several factors, including the desire for a Greater Germany that united all ethnic Germans, the economic turmoil caused by the Great Depression, and the propaganda campaign by Austrian Nazis, which used slogans such as "Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Führer" ("One People, One Empire, One Leader").

The annexation of Austria

In the 1920s, the proposal for annexation, or Anschluss, had strong support in both Austria and Germany, particularly from Austrian citizens of the political left and center. However, over time, popular support for unification faded, although it remained a concept in Austrian political discourse. 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 ethnic Germans outside of Germany into a "Greater Germany".

In early 1938, Austrian Chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg, facing pressure from pro-unification activists, announced a referendum on a possible union with Germany, to be held on March 13. Hitler, portraying this as defying the popular will, threatened an invasion and secretly pressured Schuschnigg to resign. On March 11, Schuschnigg gave in to Hitler's demands and resigned. The next day, German troops crossed the border into Austria, unopposed by the Austrian military. On March 13, the Anschluss was proclaimed, and Austria became a federal state of Germany.

Hitler's journey through Austria became a triumphal tour, with enthusiastic crowds greeting him, including 250,000 Austrians in Linz. The seizure of Austria demonstrated Hitler's aggressive territorial ambitions and the failure of the British and French to take action against him for violating the Versailles Treaty. On April 10, a plebiscite was held, with the ballot not being secret and threats and coercion employed, resulting in 99.7% approval for the Anschluss. While the true opinions of the population are unknown, it is estimated that about 70% of Austrians would have voted to preserve Austrian independence.

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