Lyla Lindsey
On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria, annexing the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. This event, known as the Anschluss, was the first act of territorial aggression and expansion by Nazi Germany, violating the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint-Germain, which expressly forbade the unification of Austria and Germany. The annexation was the culmination of years of aggressive Nazi foreign policy and a desire to redraw the map of post-World War I Europe, as outlined in Adolf Hitler's earliest writings and speeches, including his 1925 book, Mein Kampf.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Annexation | 12 March 1938 |
| Duration of Austria as a Federal State of Germany | 1938 - 1945 |
| Violated Treaties | Treaty of Versailles, Treaty of Saint-Germain, Treaty of Lausanne |
| Nazi Justification for Annexation | Austria had descended into chaos |
| Austrian Nazi Support | 60% against in 1933, 99.75% for in 1938 |
| Nazi Goals Achieved | Union of all Germans, Expansion of Living Space |
| Nazi Promises | Respect Austrian Sovereignty |
| Nazi Actions | Carried out the Nazification of Austria |
| Austrian Government Response | Attempted to suppress Nazi supporters |
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What You'll Learn
The Anschluss
The idea of unifying Austria and Germany, known as the "Anschluss," had been proposed as early as 1919, and gained strong support in both countries during the 1920s, particularly from Austrian citizens of the political left and center. The proposal was viewed as a way to address the economic difficulties faced by both countries in the aftermath of the Great Depression. However, by the end of 1933, Austrian public opinion about German annexation had shifted, with at least 60% against the idea.
Despite this, the Austrian Nazi Party continued to grow in popularity after Hitler came to power in Germany, and they carried out terrorist attacks against Austrian governmental institutions, causing a death toll of more than 800 between 1934 and 1938. In February 1938, Hitler forced Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg to agree to give the Austrian Nazis a free hand, and on March 9, Schuschnigg called a national vote to resolve the question of the Anschluss. 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 entered Austria, and Hitler appointed a new Nazi government. The annexation was met with enthusiasm by many Austrians, and on March 13, the Anschluss was officially proclaimed, incorporating Austria into the German Reich. Austria existed as a federal state of Germany until the end of World War II, when the Allied powers declared the Anschluss void and re-established an independent Austria.
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Violation of the Treaty of Versailles
On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria to annex the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. This annexation, known as the Anschluss, was a violation of the Treaty of Versailles, which banned a German-Austrian unification. The Treaty of Versailles, imposed by the victorious Western powers (Great Britain, the United States, France, and Italy) upon the defeated Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and Turkey) after World War I, included a "war guilt clause" that held Germany responsible for starting the war and imposed harsh treaty terms.
The terms of the Treaty of Versailles were seen as unfair punishment by the defeated powers, and their governments quickly resorted to violating the military and financial terms of the treaties. This sentiment was shared by the populations of the defeated powers, who viewed the treaty as an "unfair punishment." The war guilt clause, massive reparations, and limitations on the German military were particularly oppressive to most Germans. The newly formed German democratic government saw the Versailles Treaty as a "dictated peace" (Diktat).
The effects of World War I and the divisive peace that followed contributed to the rise of Nazism in Germany and the coming of a second world war just 20 years later. The Treaty of Versailles was one of the platforms that gave radical right-wing parties in Germany, including Adolf Hitler's Nazi Party, credibility with mainstream voters in the 1920s and early 1930s. Promises to rearm, reclaim German territory, remilitarize the Rhineland, and regain European and world prominence after the humiliating defeat resonated with ultranationalist sentiment.
Hitler's rise to power on January 30, 1933, set Germany on a course for conflict, with an increasingly aggressive foreign policy, dramatic increases in army size, and the use of propaganda to promote the supposed inherent value of violence. Hitler's first major military endeavor was the remilitarization of the Rhineland on March 7, 1936, an action explicitly banned by the Treaty of Versailles. This move, which went unpunished by the international community, dramatically bolstered Hitler's reputation domestically and encouraged him to pursue an even more aggressive foreign policy, including the annexation of Austria.
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Austria's chancellor assassination
On July 25, 1934, Engelbert Dollfuss, the Chancellor of Austria, was assassinated by Austrian Nazis in a failed coup attempt known as the July Putsch. Otto Planetta, an Austrian National Socialist and former member of the Austrian military, fired one of the two fatal shots at Chancellor Dollfuss. Planetta, along with his accomplice, Franz Holzweber, was tried for murder and high treason by a military tribunal and found guilty. They were hanged on July 31, 1934, just three hours after their convictions.
Dollfuss's assassination was part of a larger plot by Austrian Nazis to seize control of the Austrian government and unite with Nazi Germany. The assassination was followed by uprisings in several regions of Austria, resulting in further deaths. Adolf Hitler, the leader of Nazi Germany, initially rejoiced at the news but was surprised by the strong reaction of neighbouring Italy. He denied liability for the murder and expelled the conspirators from the Austrian Nazi Party.
The assassination of Chancellor Dollfuss had significant repercussions in Austria. Kurt Schuschnigg, previously the Minister of Education, was appointed the new chancellor. Schuschnigg continued Dollfuss's anti-Nazi policies, using the police to suppress Nazi supporters and holding them in internment camps. However, the Nazi threat persisted, and in 1938, Austrian Nazis conspired again to seize power. Schuschnigg met with Hitler to assert Austria's independence but was forced to include Nazis in his cabinet. Eventually, Schuschnigg resigned under Nazi coercion on March 11, 1938, and German troops marched into Austria on March 12, annexing the country for the Third Reich.
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Hitler's expansionary policies
On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria to annex the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. This was the first step in Hitler's plan to create a Greater German Reich that would include all ethnic Germans and territories lost by Germany after World War I.
Hitler's annexation of Austria was a significant breach of the post-World War I international order and a watershed moment in Nazi Germany's foreign policy. The international community's failure to intervene or punish Nazi Germany for violating international treaties set a precedent for appeasement, allowing Hitler to continue his expansionary policies unchecked. The idea of Anschluss (a united Austria and Germany that would form a "Greater Germany") was not new. Discussions and debates about Austria's role in a German nation-state dated back to the 19th century. However, the peace treaties that ended World War I expressly forbade Germany and Austria from uniting. Despite this, the Anschluss was widely popular in both Germany and Austria.
Hitler's aggressive foreign policy towards Austria was driven by his desire to unite all Germans in a Nazi German empire and acquire Lebensraum ("living space") in Eastern Europe. The annexation of Austria was a clear indication of Hitler's intentions to expand the Third Reich. By 1937, rapid German rearmament increased Berlin's interest in annexing Austria, which was rich in raw materials and labour. It supplied Germany with magnesium and the products of the iron, textile and machine industries. It had gold and foreign currency reserves, many unemployed skilled workers, hundreds of idle factories, and large potential hydroelectric resources.
Hitler's consolidation of power in Austria was aided by the Austrian Nazi Party, which had been gaining support since the late 1920s. Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg, learning of the conspiracy to seize the Austrian government, met with Hitler in the hopes of reasserting his country's independence but was instead bullied into naming several top Austrian Nazis to his cabinet. On March 9, Schuschnigg called a national vote to resolve the question of Anschluss, or "annexation," once and for all. Before the plebiscite could take place, Schuschnigg gave in to pressure from Hitler and resigned on March 11. In his resignation address, he pleaded with Austrian forces not to resist a German "advance" into the country. On March 13, Austrian Nazi Chancellor Arthur Seyss-Inquart signed the "Reunification of Austria with Germany" law, and Austria was transformed into a province of Nazi Germany.
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Public opinion and violence
The annexation of Austria by Germany, known as the Anschluss, took place from March 11 to March 13, 1938. This event was the first act of territorial expansion by Nazi Germany, violating the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint-Germain, which expressly forbade the unification of the two countries.
In the lead-up to the annexation, public opinion in Austria regarding a potential German annexation was largely against the idea. By the end of 1933, at least 60% of Austrians were opposed to the notion, according to Gunther. However, by 1938, the situation had changed, and the annexation was widely popular in both Germany and Austria. Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg, facing a conspiracy by Austrian Nazis to seize the government, met with Hitler in an attempt to preserve Austrian independence. However, he was coerced into naming top Austrian Nazis to his cabinet and eventually resigned under pressure on March 11, 1938.
The annexation was accompanied by a wave of public violence against Austria's Jewish population. This violence included beatings, attacks, humiliation, and forced labour. The so-called "scrubbing parties" were particularly notorious, where Nazis forced Jews to scrub the streets of Vienna while being mocked by jeering crowds. The violence culminated in the Kristallnacht riots and violence of November 9-10, 1938.
The Nazis carried out a rapid Nazification of Austrian life, with many Austrians participating enthusiastically. Austrians joined in the persecution of the country's Jewish population, who were subjected to discriminatory laws and restrictions similar to those in Nazi Germany. Many Austrian Jews attempted to leave the country, resulting in lines at consulates across Vienna.
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Frequently asked questions
Germany annexed Austria on March 12, 1938.
The annexation of Austria by Germany is known as the "Anschluss", which is a German word that means "connection" or "joining".
On February 12, 1938, Hitler demanded that Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg appoint members of Austria's Nazi Party to his cabinet and give full political rights to the party, or face an invasion by the German army. Schuschnigg resigned on March 11, 1938, and German troops marched into Austria on March 12, 1938, to annex the nation for the Third Reich.
