Damon Mcknight
On March 12, 1938, German troops invaded Austria and annexed the country for the Third Reich. This event, known as the Anschluss, saw German-speaking Austria become part of Germany under the leadership of Adolf Hitler. The invasion was the culmination of years of political tension and economic turmoil in Austria, which had seen the rise of Austrian Nazis pushing for unification with Germany. The Nazis' seizure of power in Germany and their desire to unite all German-speaking peoples provided the context for the annexation, which was met with little opposition from Britain or France, both of whom were dealing with their own political crises at the time.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Annexation | 12 March 1938 |
| Annexation Leader | Adolf Hitler |
| Annexation Name | Anschluss |
| Reason | Austria was rich in raw materials and labour |
| Austrian Chancellor | Kurt von Schuschnigg |
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What You'll Learn
German troops invade Austria
On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria to annex the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. This event, known as the Anschluss, saw the unification of Austria with Nazi Germany.
In the lead-up to the invasion, there was significant political turmoil in Austria. Austrian Nazis had been conspiring to seize the Austrian government by force and unite with Germany. The Austrian Chancellor, Kurt von Schuschnigg, attempted to resist these efforts by calling for a national vote on the issue of annexation. However, facing pressure from Hitler and the Nazis, Schuschnigg resigned on March 11, 1938, and pleaded with Austrian forces not to resist the German advance.
Hitler had sent an ultimatum to Schuschnigg on March 11, demanding that he hand over power to the Austrian Nazis or face an invasion. Without waiting for a response, Hitler signed the order to send troops into Austria. The German Wehrmacht crossed the border into Austria on the morning of March 12, greeted by cheering Austrians with Nazi salutes, flags, and flowers. The invasion was dubbed the "Blumenkrieg" ("Flower War") due to the lack of resistance and the warm welcome received by the German troops.
Hitler himself entered Austria on the same day, accompanied by a 4,000-man bodyguard, and was enthusiastically welcomed in Linz, where 250,000 Austrians gathered to meet him. The Nazis quickly established control, with Hitler appointing a new Nazi government. The annexation of Austria was officially proclaimed on March 13, 1938, and Austria remained a federal state of Germany until the end of World War II.
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Austria becomes part of the German Reich
The union of Austria with Germany, known as the Anschluss, took place in March 1938. On March 12, German troops marched into Austria to annex the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. This event was the culmination of a series of political manoeuvres and rising nationalist sentiment in both countries.
Austria had been experiencing economic difficulties as a result of the Great Depression, with high unemployment and unstable commerce and industry. In the 1920s, it became a target for German investment capital. By 1937, rapid German rearmament increased Berlin's interest in annexing Austria, which was rich in raw materials and labour.
In February 1938, Hitler invited the Austrian Chancellor, Kurt von Schuschnigg, to Germany and forced him to agree to give the Austrian Nazis more power. Schuschnigg later announced a plebiscite on the question of annexation, but he was bullied into cancelling it and resigned on March 11, 1938. He ordered the Austrian Army not to resist the Germans and, on March 12, Germany invaded.
Hitler's interest in annexing Austria was not just economic but also ideological. He was an Austrian German by birth and had developed German nationalist ideas at a young age. The annexation of Austria was part of Nazi foreign policy, which aimed to unite German-speaking people and expand German land.
The annexation of Austria into the German Reich was followed by a wave of street violence against Jewish people and property in Vienna and other cities throughout the so-called Greater German Reich. This violence culminated in the Kristallnacht riots of November 9-10, 1938.
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Austria's resources and labour
Germany's annexation of Austria, known as the Anschluss, took place on March 12, 1938, when German troops marched into Austria to incorporate the German-speaking nation into the Third Reich. The annexation was the culmination of a conspiracy by Austrian Nazis to seize the Austrian government and unite with Nazi Germany.
Austria was rich in raw materials and labour, making it an attractive prospect for annexation by Germany. It supplied Germany with magnesium and the products of the iron, textile, and machine industries. It also had gold and foreign currency reserves, many unemployed skilled workers, and hundreds of idle factories. In addition, Austria had large potential hydroelectric resources.
In the context of the annexation, Austria's resources and labour were important factors. The country had a high unemployment rate, which meant that there was a large available workforce that could be utilised by Germany. The presence of many unemployed skilled workers and idle factories meant that Austria had a significant potential for industrial production and economic growth. This was attractive to Germany, which was in a period of rapid rearmament and needed access to resources and labour to support its military buildup.
Austria's natural resources, such as its magnesium and iron deposits, were also valuable to Germany. The country's potential hydroelectric resources were particularly significant, as they could provide a source of clean and renewable energy. In addition, Austria's gold and foreign currency reserves would have been a boon to Germany's economy, providing financial stability and strengthening the Reich.
The utilisation of Austria's resources and labour force likely contributed to Germany's war efforts during World War II. The industrial capacity of the annexed nation, combined with its raw materials, would have enhanced Germany's military production and supplied its armed forces. The annexation of Austria's labour force, including skilled workers, also added to the human resources available to Nazi Germany, enabling them to draw on a larger population for military recruitment and forced labour.
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Austrian chancellor bullied into resigning
On the 12th of March 1938, German troops marched into Austria to annex the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. This event, known as the Anschluss, was preceded by a conspiracy by Austrian Nazis to seize the Austrian government and unite with Nazi Germany. Upon learning of this plot, Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg met with Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, intending to reaffirm Austria's independence. However, Hitler coerced Schuschnigg into appointing several leading Austrian Nazis, such as Arthur Seyss-Inquart, to his cabinet.
Fearing a coup, Schuschnigg called for a national plebiscite to be held on March 9, 1938, to decide the question of annexation. However, before the vote could take place, Schuschnigg was pressured by Hitler to resign on March 11. In his resignation address, he urged Austrian forces not to resist the German invasion, which commenced shortly after.
Schuschnigg's predecessor, Engelbert Dollfuss, had also faced pressure from Austrian Nazis. Dollfuss was assassinated by Austrian Nazis in 1934, and his death was followed by a wave of terrorist attacks against the government, causing hundreds of deaths. Despite the efforts of both chancellors to maintain Austrian independence, the country ultimately succumbed to German annexation in 1938.
In more recent times, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer announced his resignation in January 2025 after coalition talks between the People's Party and the Social Democrats collapsed. Nehammer's conservative People's Party had refused to form a coalition with the far-right Freedom Party, which had won the national election with 29% of the vote. This refusal left the Freedom Party without a potential partner for government formation. Nehammer's resignation highlighted the challenges faced by European countries in forming stable governments due to the rise of far-right parties.
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German interest in Eastern Europe
On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria to annex the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. This event, known as the Anschluss, was preceded by a conspiracy by Austrian Nazis to seize the Austrian government and unite with Nazi Germany.
Germany's interest in Eastern Europe has a long history, dating back to the medieval German Ostsiedlung, or the German eastward expansion. This expansion saw the spread of German culture, language, and settlements to vast regions of Northeastern, Central, and Eastern Europe, including modern-day Estonia and Slovenia. Population growth during the High Middle Ages contributed to this movement, with people from Rhenish, Flemish, and Saxon territories of the Holy Roman Empire migrating eastwards into the Baltic region and Poland.
During the 13th and 17th centuries, trade in the Baltic Sea and Central Europe was dominated by German trade through the Hanseatic League, a Low-German-speaking military alliance of trading guilds. The Teutonic Knights, a crusading monastic state, ruled Prussia and annexed Eastern Pomerania from Poland during this period, leading to accelerated German settlement along the southeastern coast of the Baltic Sea.
In the 20th century, Germany's interest in Eastern Europe continued with the rise of the Nazi Party and Adolf Hitler. By 1937, rapid German rearmament under Hitler increased Berlin's desire to annex Austria, which was rich in raw materials and labour. This interest in Eastern Europe was shared by other Nazi leaders such as Göring, who saw the region as crucial for economic influence and the realisation of Lebensraum ("living space").
In modern times, Germany continues to have significant economic ties with Eastern European countries. In 2022, German trade with Central and Eastern Europe climbed to a record high of 562 billion euros, despite a decline in trade with Russia due to EU sanctions. Countries like Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary have become some of Germany's top trading partners, contributing significantly to its foreign trade.
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Frequently asked questions
Germany annexed Austria on March 12, 1938.
The annexation of Austria was known as the Anschluss.
Anschluss means political union in German.
The invasion was part of Nazi Germany's foreign policy, which aimed to unite German-speaking people and expand German land. Austria was rich in raw materials and labour, which increased Berlin's interest in annexing the country.
Britain and France pursued a policy of appeasement towards Nazi Germany, which led to the Munich Agreement. The British population was against the idea of another European war.
