Lyla Lindsey
On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria, annexing the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. This annexation, known as the Anschluss, was the culmination of almost two decades of Austrian dissatisfaction with the Treaty of Saint Germain, a lack of consistent support from Western democracies, and international instability in the 1930s. The idea of a union between Austria and Germany, or a Greater Germany, had gained support in both countries since the 1920s, particularly among Austrian citizens of the political left and center. However, once Adolf Hitler rose to power in Germany, the desire for unification became associated with the Nazis, who sought to incorporate as many ethnic Germans outside Germany into a single state.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 12 March 1938 |
| Invading country | Germany |
| Invaded country | Austria |
| Invading leader | Adolf Hitler |
| Invaded country leader | Kurt von Schuschnigg |
| Invading army | German Wehrmacht |
| Invaded army | Austrian Bundesheer |
| Reason for invasion | Annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany |
| Popular support | Yes, Austrians greeted German troops with Nazi salutes, Nazi flags, and flowers |
| Resistance | None, Austrian government ordered Austrian army not to resist |
| Outcome | Annexation of Austria into Germany, also known as Anschluss |
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What You'll Learn
Hitler's ultimatum to Schuschnigg
On March 11, 1938, Adolf Hitler issued an ultimatum to Austrian Chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg, demanding that he call off a planned plebiscite on Austrian independence and that Austrian President Wilhelm Miklas appoint Arthur Seyss-Inquart, a leader of the outlawed Austrian Nazis, as the new chancellor. Hitler threatened to invade Austria with military force if these demands were not met.
Schuschnigg, who had long opposed Nazi infiltration into Austria, attempted to gain control of the situation by arranging for the plebiscite to be held on March 13, 1938. However, his efforts to keep Austria independent ultimately failed. On the evening of March 11, faced with Hitler's ultimatum and the massing of German troops along the border, Schuschnigg resigned.
Hitler, tired of waiting, ordered the invasion to commence at dawn on March 12, and the German army crossed the border into Austria unopposed by the Austrian military. A plebiscite was held on April 10, with the ballot manipulated through threats and coercion to produce a result of 99.7% approval for unification.
The annexation of Austria, known as the Anschluss, was the Nazi regime's first act of territorial aggression and expansion. It fulfilled Hitler's desire for unification and the incorporation of ethnic Germans outside Germany into a "Greater Germany". The Austrian Nazis had gained ground in the preceding years, and Hitler had secretly pressured Schuschnigg to resign and threatened an invasion if Austria defied his will.
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The Austrian chancellor's resignation
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 the culmination of years of political tension and intrigue between Austria and Nazi Germany.
In the late 1920s and early 1930s, the Austrian Nazi Party was weak and divided. However, by 1931, the bulk of Austrian Nazis recognised Hitler as their leader, and he began to exert more influence over Austrian politics. In 1933, Hitler became Chancellor of Germany, and the rise of the Nazis further destabilised Austria's already tumultuous political landscape.
Engelbert Dollfuss, the Austrian Chancellor at the time, attempted to maintain Austria's independence by banning the Nazi Party and cracking down on Socialists and Nazis, whom he believed were tearing the country apart. In 1934, Dollfuss transformed Austria into a right-wing authoritarian regime, known as the Corporate State or Austrofascist state. However, his efforts to suppress the Nazis proved futile, as they continued to gain support, particularly after Hitler rose to power.
In 1934, Dollfuss was assassinated by Austrian Nazis during an attempted coup, and Kurt Schuschnigg became the new Chancellor. Schuschnigg tried to cooperate with Hitler to preserve Austria's independence, signing the German-Austrian Agreement of 1936, which recognised Austrian independence but required its foreign policy to align with Germany's. Despite his efforts, Schuschnigg's position was increasingly undermined by Hitler, who was determined to bring about an Austro-German union.
In early 1938, under pressure from pro-unification activists, Schuschnigg 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 pressured Schuschnigg to resign. On March 11, Schuschnigg gave in to Hitler's demands, cancelling the plebiscite and announcing his resignation in a radio address. He pleaded with Austrians and the military not to resist a German invasion, hoping to avoid bloodshed.
Hitler immediately appointed a new Nazi government, and on March 13, the Anschluss was proclaimed. Austria became a federal state of Germany, and Schuschnigg was imprisoned. He was liberated in 1945 by the advancing United States Army and spent much of his remaining life in academia in the US, gaining American citizenship in 1956.
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The German Wehrmacht crosses the Austrian border
On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria to annex the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. The invasion, dubbed the "Blumenkrieg" or "Flower War", was met with enthusiasm and support from the Austrian population, who greeted the German Wehrmacht with Nazi salutes, flags, and flowers. This marked the beginning of the Anschluss, the annexation of the Federal State of Austria into Nazi Germany.
The idea of the Anschluss, or the union of Austria and Germany, was not new. Discussions about a potential union dated back to the 19th century, and support for the proposal was strong in both countries during the 1920s, particularly among Austrian citizens of the political left and center. However, the peace treaties that ended World War I, including the Treaty of Versailles, expressly forbade the unification of Germany and Austria.
Despite this, Adolf Hitler and the Nazis sought to redraw the map of post-World War I Europe, considering the postwar international borders unfair and illegitimate. In the early 1930s, Hitler rose to power in Germany, and the desire for unification became associated with the Nazi "Heim ins Reich" ("back home to the realm") concept. Hitler wanted to incorporate as many Volksdeutsche (ethnic Germans outside Germany) as possible into a "Greater Germany".
In 1933, the Austrian government, controlled by the Austrofascist Fatherland Front, banned the Austrian Nazi Party and its affiliates, making the Nazi movement illegal in Austria. This prompted thousands of Austrian Nazis to flee across the border into Germany, where they formed the paramilitary unit known as the Austrian Legion. Meanwhile, the German government imposed economic sanctions on Austria, crippling the country's tourism industry.
In July 1934, Austrian Nazis attempted to overthrow the Austrian government, assassinating Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss. However, the majority of Austrians remained loyal to the government, and the coup attempt failed. In the following years, Hitler continued to cultivate pro-unification tendencies in Austria and worked to undermine the Austrian government. In early 1938, Austrian chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg announced a referendum on a possible union with Germany, but Hitler threatened an invasion and pressured Schuschnigg to resign. On March 11, 1938, Schuschnigg gave in to Hitler's demands, and the German Führer signed the order to send troops into Austria.
The German Wehrmacht crossed the Austrian border early in the morning of March 12, 1938, marking the first big test of its machinery. The invasion was unopposed as the Austrian government had ordered the Austrian Bundesheer not to resist. Hitler accompanied the troops and was greeted by enthusiastic crowds. The Anschluss was proclaimed on March 13, and Austria became an integral part of the Third Reich, with a significant number of Austrians joining the Nazi Party and fighting for the Nazi German armed forces during World War II.
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Hitler enters Austria
On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria to annex the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. This was not the first time Hitler had attempted to seize control of the Austrian government. In 1934, a pro-Nazi group tried to overthrow the Austrian government with Hitler's approval and assistance from German officials. Although the group assassinated Austria's chancellor, Engelbert Dollfuss, the coup failed when Austrian military leaders did not support it.
Hitler's desire for unification with Austria stemmed from his belief that all German-speaking nations in Europe should be part of Germany. As an ethnic German born in Austria, Hitler wrote in his 1925 book, 'Mein Kampf', about his desire to unite German-Austria with the German motherland.
In early 1938, Austrian Nazis conspired to seize the Austrian government and unite with Nazi Germany. Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg, aware of the conspiracy, met with Hitler to assert his country's independence. However, he was coerced into naming several top Austrian Nazis to his cabinet. On March 9, Schuschnigg called for a national vote on the question of unification, but before the plebiscite could take place, he 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.
Hitler accompanied the German troops into Austria on March 12, crossing the border at his birthplace, Braunau am Inn, with a 4,000-man bodyguard. They were greeted by enthusiastic crowds, and Hitler received a warm welcome in Linz, where 250,000 Austrians gathered to meet him. The Austrian government had ordered the Austrian Bundesheer not to resist, and Hitler appointed a new Nazi government. On March 13, the annexation, or Anschluss, was formally proclaimed. Austria remained a federal state of Germany until the end of World War II when the Allied powers reestablished an independent Austria.
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The Allied Powers declare the Anschluss void
On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria, annexing the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. This annexation, known as the Anschluss, was the culmination of years of political tension and intrigue between Austria and Germany, as well as within Austria itself.
In the lead-up to the invasion, Austrian Nazis conspired to seize the Austrian government by force and unite with Nazi Germany. Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg attempted to resist, but ultimately succumbed to pressure from Hitler and resigned on March 11, 1938. Hitler had demanded that Schuschnigg hand over power to the Austrian Nazis, threatening an invasion if he did not comply.
The German troops were greeted by cheering Austrians with Nazi salutes, Nazi flags, and flowers. This peaceful invasion was dubbed the "Blumenkrieg" ("Flower War"). Hitler himself rode into Austria with a 4,000-man bodyguard and was enthusiastically welcomed in Linz, where 250,000 Austrians gathered to meet him. The annexation was proclaimed the following day, March 13, 1938.
However, the Allies were committed to upholding the terms of the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of St. Germain, which specifically prohibited the union of Austria and Germany. Despite this, their reaction to the annexation was only verbal and moderate, with no military confrontation taking place.
At the end of World War II, a Provisional Austrian Government under Karl Renner was set up by conservatives, Social Democrats, and Communists on April 27, 1945. This government declared the Anschluss null and void, and Austria was once again recognized as a separate country, although it remained under the control of the Allied Commission until 1955, when the Austrian State Treaty restored its sovereignty.
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Frequently asked questions
Germany invaded Austria on March 12, 1938.
The invasion was the result of almost twenty years of Austrian dissatisfaction with the Treaty of Saint Germain, which forbade unification with Germany. The invasion was also influenced by Hitler's desire for a "Greater Germany" that included all German-speaking nations in Europe.
The invasion drew worldwide attention and protest, particularly from the United States, which criticised Germany's aggressive expansionism and formulated a foreign policy to respond more forcefully to Hitler's regime. France and Great Britain also protested the invasion but ultimately accepted it as a fait accompli, prioritizing appeasement to avoid another European war.
