Lexi Webster
On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria to annex the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. The annexation of Austria, known as the Anschluss, was the first act of territorial expansion committed by Nazi Germany. It was achieved through annexation by Adolf Hitler, who was born in Austria and had risen to power in the Weimar Republic.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of German annexation of Austria | 12 March 1938 |
| Date of proclamation of annexation | 13 March 1938 |
| Date of Hitler's speech in Vienna | 15 March 1938 |
| Date of plebiscite | 10 April 1938 |
| German leader | Adolf Hitler |
| Austrian leader | Kurt von Schuschnigg |
| Austrian Nazi leader | Arthur Seyss-Inquart |
| German Nazi minister | Hermann Göring |
| Italian leader | Benito Mussolini |
| German ambassador to Italy | Franz von Papen |
| German goal | Unification of Austria and Germany |
| German justification | Austria's rich raw materials and labour |
| German violation | Treaty of Versailles and Treaty of Saint-Germain |
| German interest | Eastern Europe and 'living space' |
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What You'll Learn
German troops enter Austria
On March 12, 1938, German troops entered Austria to annex the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. The annexation of Austria, known as the Anschluss, was proclaimed on March 13, 1938.
The invasion of Austria by German troops was not met with armed resistance. Instead, the Austrians welcomed Hitler with cheers and flowers as he travelled through the country. On March 13, Austrian Nazi Chancellor Seyss-Inquart signed the "Reunification of Austria with Germany" law, formally incorporating Austria into Nazi Germany.
Hitler's journey through Austria became a triumphal tour that climaxed in Vienna on March 15, 1938. Around 200,000 German Austrians gathered in the Heldenplatz (Square of Heroes) to hear Hitler declare the completion of the annexing of Austria to form a Greater German Reich. He 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."
The Anschluss was the first act of territorial expansion committed by Nazi Germany, and it violated the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint-Germain, which expressly forbade the unification of Austria and Germany. The other European powers did not punish the Nazis for violating these international treaties, allowing Hitler to continue his expansionary policies unchecked.
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Hitler's triumphal tour
On March 12, 1938, German troops entered Austria to annex the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. The annexation of Austria to Germany was proclaimed on March 13, 1938, when Austrian Nazi Chancellor Seyss-Inquart signed the "Reunification of Austria with Germany" law. This act, also known as the Anschluss, was the first instance of territorial expansion by Nazi Germany.
Hitler's journey through Austria became a triumphal tour, with his arrival in Vienna on March 15, 1938, as its climax. Around 200,000 German Austrians gathered around the Heldenplatz (Square of Heroes) to hear Hitler speak. In his speech, Hitler celebrated the completion of the annexation of Austria to form a Greater German Reich, declaring:
> "The oldest eastern province of the German people shall be, from this point on, the newest bastion of the German Reich."
The annexation of Austria was widely popular in both countries, with many Austrians sympathetic to the idea of joining Germany. However, it also signalled the loss of Austrian sovereignty and the beginning of the persecution of the country's Jewish population. The Anschluss was a significant breach of the post-World War I international order, demonstrating Nazi disdain for the European status quo.
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Austria's Nazification
Austria's annexation by Nazi Germany, known as the Anschluss, was the first act of territorial expansion committed by the Nazi regime. It took place on March 12, 1938, when German troops entered Austria, and was formally proclaimed on March 13. The annexation was the culmination of a growing pro-Nazi sentiment in Austria, which had been exacerbated by the country's economic troubles and a propaganda campaign by the Nazis.
During the 1920s and 1930s, Austria experienced economic turbulence due to the Great Depression, resulting in high unemployment and unstable commerce and industry. This provided an opportunity for German investment and the spread of German influence. By 1937, rapid German rearmament increased Berlin's interest in annexing Austria, which was rich in raw materials and labour.
The Austrian Nazi Party failed to win any seats in the November 1930 general election, but its popularity grew after Hitler came to power in Germany. The idea of Austria joining Germany also gained traction, fuelled by Nazi propaganda slogans such as "Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Führer" ("One People, One Empire, One Leader"). Despite this growing sentiment, Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg attempted to maintain his country's independence. However, he was pressured into naming several top Austrian Nazis to his cabinet and eventually resigned on March 11, 1938, pleading with Austrian forces not to resist a German invasion.
On March 12, German troops crossed the border and were met with cheers and flowers rather than armed resistance. The following day, Austrian Nazi Chancellor Seyss-Inquart signed the "Reunification of Austria with Germany" law, formally incorporating Austria into Nazi Germany. Hitler himself entered Austria and delivered a speech in Vienna's Heldenplatz on March 15, celebrating the annexation.
In the wake of the Anschluss, Austrian and German Nazis carried out the Nazification of all aspects of Austrian life. Austrian civil servants, soldiers, and police officers took a new oath to Hitler, and various organizations and institutions adopted Nazi ideas and policies, expelling Jewish members and employees. The Anschluss transformed Austria, and many Austrians participated enthusiastically in the persecution of the country's Jewish population, as well as in World War II and the mass murder of Europe's Jews.
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Violation of the Treaty of Versailles
On March 12, 1938, German troops entered Austria to annex the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. The annexation of Austria, known as the Anschluss, was a violation of the Treaty of Versailles, which expressly forbade the unification of Austria and Germany.
The Treaty of Versailles was imposed on the defeated Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and Turkey) by the victorious Western powers (Great Britain, the United States, France, and Italy) after World War I. The treaty held Germany responsible for starting the war and required it to make reparations, cede territories, and demilitarize the Rhineland. The treaty was seen as an unfair punishment by the defeated powers, and their governments quickly resorted to violating its military and financial terms.
Adolf Hitler, who became Chancellor of Germany in 1933, was determined to overturn the military and territorial provisions of the Treaty of Versailles. He sought to incorporate ethnically German territories into the Reich, and the annexation of Austria was a key step in this process. By 1937, rapid German rearmament had increased Berlin's interest in annexing Austria, which was rich in raw materials and labour.
In early 1938, Austrian Nazis conspired to seize the Austrian government by force and unite with Nazi Germany. On March 9, Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg called a national vote to decide the question of annexation. However, before the vote could take place, Schuschnigg gave in to pressure from Hitler and resigned on March 11, pleading with Austrian forces not to resist a German "advance" into the country. On March 12, German troops crossed the border and were greeted with cheers and flowers by the Austrian populace. The following day, on March 13, Austrian Nazi Chancellor Seyss-Inquart signed the "Reunification of Austria with Germany" law, formally incorporating Austria into Nazi Germany.
The violation of the Treaty of Versailles by the annexation of Austria went unpunished by the other European powers, who accepted the annexation as an act of appeasement. This allowed Hitler to continue his expansionary policies unchecked, leading to the outbreak of World War II in September 1939.
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The Anschluss law
The Anschluss, or the Annexation of Austria, was the annexation of the Federal State of Austria into Nazi Germany on March 12, 1938. The idea of a unified Austria and Germany dated back to 1919, when Austria was excluded from the unification of Germany in 1918 and the subsequent formation of the German Empire. This idea 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 Treaty of Saint Germain and the Treaty of Versailles, both signed in 1919, expressly forbade the unification of Austria and Germany and stripped Austria of some of its territories.
Despite the treaties, the proposal for a unified Austria and Germany continued to gain support in both countries throughout the 1920s, particularly among Austrian citizens of the political left and center. The unification was seen as a way to address the economic struggles that Austria faced in the aftermath of the Great Depression. By 1933, when Hitler rose to power in Germany, the desire for unification became closely associated with the Nazis and their concept of "Heim ins Reich" ("back home to the realm"). This concept aimed to incorporate as many Volksdeutsche (ethnic Germans outside Germany) as possible into a "Greater Germany".
In February 1938, Hitler invited Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg to Germany and forced him to agree to give the Austrian Nazis more power. Schuschnigg, however, later repudiated the agreement and announced a plebiscite on the question of the Anschluss. Under pressure from Hitler, he resigned on March 11, 1938, and pleaded with Austrian forces not to resist a German invasion. On March 12, German troops entered Austria, and they were met with cheers and flowers rather than armed resistance.
On March 13, 1938, Austrian Nazi Chancellor Arthur Seyss-Inquart signed the "Reunification of Austria with Germany" law, also known as the Anschluss law. This law formally incorporated Austria into Nazi Germany, giving a legal facade to the annexation. The annexation was celebrated by the Nazis as the fulfillment of the German people's destiny, and they used speeches and propaganda events to glorify it. The Anschluss was the first act of territorial expansion by Nazi Germany, and it demonstrated their disdain for the post-World War I European order and international treaties.
The consequences of the Anschluss were significant. The country of Austria ceased to exist, and Austrian and German Nazis quickly worked to nazify all aspects of Austrian life, persecuting the country's Jewish population. The Anschluss also enabled Hitler to continue his expansionist policies unchecked, as the European powers did not punish Nazi Germany for violating international treaties.
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Frequently asked questions
German troops entered Austria on March 12, 1938.
The "Reunification of Austria with Germany" or the Anschluss law.
The annexation of Austria was a significant step in Hitler's expansionary policies and the first act of territorial expansion committed by Nazi Germany. It also violated the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint-Germain, which expressly forbade the unification of Austria and Germany.
