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On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria, annexing the German-speaking nation into the Third Reich. Accompanied by Hitler himself, the German army was met with no resistance from the Austrian military. The Nazi government in Austria, headed by Seyss-Inquart, collaborated with Hitler in proclaiming the annexation, or the Anschluss, on March 13. This event marked a significant step towards the formation of a Greater Germany that sought to unite all Germans into one state.
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What You'll Learn
Hitler's journey through Austria was triumphant
On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria to annex the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. The invasion, known as the Anschluss, was the annexation of the Federal State of Austria into Nazi Germany. Hitler, who accompanied the troops, rode in a car with a 4,000-man bodyguard and crossed the border at his birthplace, Braunau am Inn. The troops were greeted by cheering Austrians with Nazi salutes, Nazi flags, and flowers. The "invasion" without shots fired was dubbed the Blumenkrieg ("Flower War").
Hitler's journey through Austria became a triumphant tour that climaxed in Vienna on March 15, 1938, when around 200,000 cheering German Austrians gathered around the Heldenplatz (Square of Heroes) to hear him speak. During his speech, Hitler proclaimed the completion of the annexation of Austria to form a Greater German Reich: "The oldest eastern province of the German people shall be, from this point on, the newest bastion of the German Reich." He further stated: "As leader and chancellor of the German nation and Reich, I announce to German history now the entry of my homeland into the German Reich."
Hitler's journey through Austria was indeed triumphant, as he was met with adoring crowds and was able to successfully annex the country into Nazi Germany. The annexation of Austria had been a goal of the Nazis, who sought to incorporate as many ethnic Germans outside of Germany as possible into a "Greater Germany." This desire for unification was also shared by many Austrians, and the Nazis had worked to cultivate pro-unification tendencies in the country. The Austrian Nazi Party's popularity grew after Hitler came to power in Germany, and the idea of Austria joining Germany gained support through Nazi propaganda campaigns.
The Anschluss was protested by France and Great Britain, but it was accepted as a fait accompli. The United States followed a policy of appeasement, while the Soviet Union demanded that the West stop further German aggression. A referendum held on April 10, 1938, recorded a vote of more than 99% in favour of Hitler, though the ballot was not secret, and threats and coercion were employed to manipulate the vote. Austria was completely absorbed into Germany and existed as a federal state of Germany until the end of World War II when the Allied powers declared the Anschluss void and reestablished an independent Austria.
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The Austrian government ordered no resistance
On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria and were met with enthusiastic crowds. This event, known as the "Anschluss," marked the annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany and was a significant step in Adolf Hitler's expansionist agenda. The Austrian government, faced with the might of the German military and the popularity of the Nazi movement in Austria, made the fateful decision to offer no resistance to the invasion. This decision had far-reaching consequences and essentially sealed the fate of Austria's independence.
The Austrian government's order of non-resistance was a direct response to the overwhelming force that Hitler had at his disposal. German troops had been massing at the Austrian border, and it was clear that any military resistance would be futile. Hitler had over 60,000 troops, armed with tanks and artillery, poised to invade. In contrast, the Austrian army was small, poorly equipped, and lacked the will to fight. Additionally, the Nazi Party had been gaining significant support within Austria, further undermining any potential resistance.
The Austrian Chancellor, Kurt von Schuschnigg, had initially tried to maintain Austria's independence through a plebiscite, or popular vote, scheduled for March 13, 1938. However, Hitler saw this as a threat and responded with force. German troops occupied key positions in Austria, and Hitler delivered an ultimatum to von Schuschnigg, demanding he resign and hand over power to the Austrian Nazi leader, Arthur Seyss-Inquart. Faced with the threat of invasion and internal pressure, von Schuschnigg complied, and on March 11, he announced that "Austria has decided to become a federal state of the German Reich."
With von Schuschnigg's resignation, any pretense of resistance crumbled. Seyss-Inquart, as the new Chancellor, welcomed the German troops and paved the way for Austria's integration into Nazi Germany. The Austrian army was ordered to offer no resistance, and the German forces faced little to no opposition as they marched into Vienna and other key cities. The annexation was met with widespread celebration by many Austrians, who saw it as a fulfillment of their desire for unification with Germany and an end to the struggling Austrian economy. This lack of resistance also allowed Hitler to portray the annexation as a peaceful unification of two German-speaking peoples, rather than an act of aggression.
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The Anschluss was proclaimed on 13 March
The Anschluss, or the Annexation of Austria, was proclaimed on 13 March 1938, marking the unification of Austria and Germany to form a "Greater Germany". This event was the culmination of a series of political and military manoeuvres orchestrated by Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party.
In the lead-up to the Anschluss, Hitler had been threatening an invasion of Austria and pressuring Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg to resign. On 11 March 1938, just a day before German troops marched into Austria, Hermann Göring, a high-ranking Nazi official, made a series of demands on the Austrian government, each backed by the threat of invasion. Schuschnigg eventually agreed to cancel the planned referendum on Austrian independence and stepped down as chancellor.
On 12 March, German troops crossed the border into Austria, unopposed by the Austrian military. Hitler himself entered Austria, accompanied by a 4,000-man bodyguard, and was greeted by enthusiastic crowds. The invasion, dubbed the "Flower War", was met with no resistance as the Austrian government had ordered its forces not to fight. Hitler's journey through Austria became a triumphal tour, with large crowds of German Austrians cheering his arrival.
The Nazi government in Austria, headed by Arthur Seyss-Inquart, a long-time supporter of the Nazis, collaborated with Hitler in proclaiming the Anschluss on 13 March. This date had originally been set for a referendum on Austrian independence, but it instead marked the formal unification of Austria and Germany. While France and Great Britain protested Hitler's methods, they ultimately accepted the annexation. The United States followed a similar policy of appeasement, while the Soviet Union demanded that the League of Nations handle the situation.
The Anschluss was a significant event in the lead-up to World War II, and it marked the beginning of a campaign of persecution against Jews in Austria. The annexation was officially declared void at the end of the war, and an independent Austria was re-established.
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The referendum was held on 10 April
On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria, accompanied by Hitler himself, to annex the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. This annexation, known as the Anschluss, was the culmination of a conspiracy by Austrian Nazis to seize the Austrian government and unite their nation with Nazi Germany. The idea of a united Austria and Germany dated back to the 1871 unification of Germany, which excluded Austria and German Austrians from the Prussian-dominated German Empire.
The Austrian Nazis' popularity grew after Hitler came to power in Germany, and their attempts to seize power in Austria led to a crisis in early 1938. Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg announced a referendum on a possible union with Germany, scheduled for March 13. However, under pressure from Hitler and the German government, Schuschnigg cancelled the plebiscite and resigned. On March 12, German troops crossed the border into Austria, unopposed by the Austrian military.
Hitler's journey through Austria became a triumphal tour, with large crowds of cheering Austrians greeting him. On March 13, the Anschluss was proclaimed, and a Nazi government in Austria, headed by Seyss-Inquart, was established. This government collaborated with Hitler in proclaiming the unification.
The referendum, which had been cancelled, was eventually held on April 10, 1938, throughout greater Germany. The vote was not secret, and threats and coercion were employed to manipulate the outcome, resulting in 99.7% approval for the Anschluss. This referendum completed the formal process of uniting Austria and Germany, and Austria became a federal state of Germany until the end of World War II.
The consequences of the referendum and the subsequent unification were significant. The campaign against the Jews began immediately, with Jews driven through the streets of Vienna and their homes and shops plundered. These events culminated in the Kristallnacht pogrom of November 9-10, 1938, during which all synagogues and prayer houses in Vienna were destroyed, and over 6,000 Jews were arrested and deported to concentration camps. Additionally, any official memory of Austrian existence was suppressed, and the country was renamed Ostmark (Eastern March). Upper and Lower Austria became Upper and Lower Danube. The Nazis also arrested leaders of anti-Nazi Austrian political parties and targeted political opponents, particularly communists and socialists. Many Austrians, especially those of Jewish origin, were forced into exile.
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The invasion began the campaign against the Jews
On March 12, 1938, German troops entered Austria, accompanied by Hitler himself. The annexation of Austria to Germany was proclaimed on March 13, 1938, and this event is known as the Anschluss. The invasion was the first big test of the German Wehrmacht's machinery. The Austrian government had ordered the Austrian Bundesheer not to resist, so the invasion was without shots fired and was dubbed the Blumenkrieg ("Flower War"). Hitler rode in a car across the border at his birthplace, Braunau am Inn, with a 4,000-man bodyguard.
The violence of Kristallnacht ("Night of Broken Glass") was directed against Jewish population centres across Germany, Austria, and the Sudetenland in the former Czechoslovakia, all of which had been annexed by the Third Reich. Prior to the invasion, Austria had a strong Jewish population of approximately 192,000, nearly 4% of the total population. By December 1939, this number had fallen to around 57,000 as many decided to flee the country.
Hitler's antisemitism was influenced by German nationalist Georg Ritter von Schönerer, who believed that Jews could never be full-fledged German citizens, and Viennese mayor Karl Lueger, who successfully employed antisemitism as a political strategy. Hitler's ideas, expressed as early as 1920, paved the way for the mass murder of Jews in the 1940s. He blamed the Jews for everything wrong with the world and sought their 'removal'.
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Frequently asked questions
Hitler marched into Austria on the 12th of March, 1938.
Hitler's march into Austria was part of the annexation of the Federal State of Austria into Nazi Germany, also known as the Anschluss.
France and Great Britain protested against Hitler's methods but ultimately accepted the annexation. The United States followed a similar policy of appeasement, while the Soviet Union demanded that the West stop further German aggression. Only the government of Mexico lodged a protest against the annexation with the League of Nations.
The annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany had significant consequences. It marked the beginning of a campaign against the Jews in Austria, with their homes and shops being plundered and synagogues and prayer houses destroyed. Many Austrians, especially those of Jewish origin, were forced into exile. The annexation also led to the establishment of a Nazi government in Austria, headed by Seyss-Inquart, a long-time supporter of the Nazis.
