Lyla Lindsey
Adolf Hitler was born in Braunau am Inn, a small town in Austria-Hungary (present-day Austria) in 1889. He moved to Germany in 1913, and later served in the German Army during World War I, receiving the Iron Cross for his service. After the war, Hitler lived in Munich, where he joined the German Workers' Party (later renamed the Nazi Party) in 1919 and was appointed its leader in 1921. Despite his Austrian birth, Hitler considered himself an ethnic German and expressed loyalty only to Germany, despising the ethnically diverse Austrian Empire. He formally renounced his Austrian citizenship in 1925.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Country of Birth | Austria |
| Self-Identification | German |
| Reasoning Behind Self-Identification | Believed himself to be an ethnic German born in the Austrian Empire |
| Political Ideology | German Nationalist |
| Reasoning Behind Political Ideology | Developed German nationalist ideas from a young age due to growing up in a politically charged atmosphere in a multinational state |
| Citizenship | Austrian (formally renounced in 1925) |
| Language | Lower Bavarian dialect |
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What You'll Learn
Hitler's Austrian citizenship
While Adolf Hitler was born in Braunau, Austria, in 1889, he considered himself ethnically German. He even went so far as to state that he was a German nationalist in his book, Mein Kampf. He despised the declining Habsburg monarchy and its rule over a diverse empire, instead greeting people with "Heil" and singing the "Deutschlandlied" instead of the Austrian Imperial anthem. He also spoke with a Bavarian dialect, rather than Austrian German.
Hitler's father, Alois, returned the family to Austria and settled in Leonding in 1894. However, Hitler himself left for Germany and enlisted in the German army, even though he had tried to enlist in the Austrian army first. Historians believe he left Vienna to evade conscription into the Austrian army.
Hitler formally renounced his Austrian citizenship on 7 April 1925, following his release from prison. At the time, the Nazi Party and its affiliated organisations were banned in Bavaria. In a meeting with the Prime Minister of Bavaria, Heinrich Held, Hitler agreed to respect the state's authority and promised to seek political power only through the democratic process.
Despite his Austrian ancestry, Hitler's nationalism was German, not Austrian. He approved and assisted a pro-Nazi group's attempt to overthrow the Austrian government in 1934. In 1938, he met with Austrian chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg and demanded that members of Austria's Nazi Party be appointed to his cabinet. When von Schuschnigg called for a plebiscite to determine whether Austria should remain independent or become part of the Third Reich, Hitler decided to invade Austria to prevent the vote.
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His rejection of Austrian nationalism
Despite being born in Braunau am Inn, Austria, Adolf Hitler is widely considered a German politician and the dictator of Nazi Germany. This is partly due to his rejection of Austrian nationalism and his obsession with German nationalism, which was fuelled by his early life experiences and his belief in ethnic nationalism.
Hitler's family moved to Germany (Bavaria) when he was three years old, and he returned to Austria at the age of five, settling in Leonding. Growing up in both countries, Hitler acquired the Bavarian dialect, marking his speech throughout his life. He also developed German nationalist ideas from a young age, as did many Austrian Germans. He expressed loyalty only to Germany, despising the declining Habsburg monarchy and its rule over an ethnically diverse empire. Hitler and his friends used German greetings and sang German songs instead of the Austrian Imperial anthem.
Hitler's rejection of Austrian nationalism was further evident in his earliest writings and speeches. In the Nazi Party Platform of 1920, he explicitly demanded "the union of all Germans in a Greater Germany (Großdeutschland) on the basis of the right of national self-determination." In his autobiography, Mein Kampf, Hitler wrote about his vision for the future relationship between Austria and Germany, stating that "the reunification [of Germany and Austria] is a life task to be carried out by all means! German-Austria must be restored to the great German Motherland…People of the same blood should be in the same REICH."
Hitler's desire for an Austro-German union was not just ideological but also a personal mission. He considered himself ethnically German, born in the Austrian Empire rather than the German Empire. He believed that all ethnic Germans should live under one German state and that the postwar international borders were unfair and illegitimate. This belief was shared by many Austrians who felt that their country could not survive economically without the lands previously held by the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Some Austrians hoped for a restoration of the empire, while others wanted to unite with Germany, a discussion that dated back to the 19th century.
Hitler's rejection of Austrian nationalism culminated in his formal renunciation of Austrian citizenship on April 7, 1925. He intended to bring about an Austro-German union as Chancellor of Germany, and his actions ultimately led to the annexation of Austria (the Anschluss). On February 12, 1938, he intimidated Austrian chancellor Schuschnigg into signing the Berchtesgaden Agreement, which undermined Austrian sovereignty and independence. Despite a last-ditch attempt by Schuschnigg to assert Austrian independence through a plebiscite, Hitler took full control of Austria, igniting celebrations among Austrian Nazis and marking the country's union with Nazi Germany.
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German nationalism and his desire for a German state
Although Adolf Hitler was born in Braunau am Inn, Austria, in 1889, he considered himself ethnically German. Hitler's family moved to Germany when he was a child, and he acquired a Bavarian dialect that marked his speech throughout his life. Like many Austrian Germans, Hitler developed strong German nationalist ideas from a young age. He expressed loyalty only to Germany, despising the ethnically diverse Austrian-Hungarian Empire ruled by the declining Habsburg monarchy. He and his friends used the greeting "Heil" and sang the "Deutschlandlied" instead of the Austrian Imperial anthem.
Hitler's nationalism was influenced by many other Austrian pan-German nationalists in Austria-Hungary, including Georg Ritter von Schönerer and Karl Lueger. His pan-German ideas envisioned a Greater German Reich that would include Austrian Germans, Sudeten Germans, and other ethnic Germans. Hitler believed that all ethnic Germans should live under one German state. This ideology was a major propaganda point for Hitler, who formally renounced his Austrian citizenship in 1925.
Hitler's nationalism was also driven by his belief in social Darwinism, which he merged with geography in his mind. He believed that Germany had a right to seize cultivatable land in Russia, as the earth belonged to those willing to till it industriously. Influenced by the theories of Karl Haushofer, Hitler thought that Germany's influence could only be expanded eastward, relying on continental space and abundant arable soil. He saw the German people as more deserving than others of this land due to their alleged superior intellect.
Hitler's desire for a German state was also shaped by the political context of the time. After Germany's defeat in World War I, many Germans were dissatisfied with the new republic and longed for a return to the Empire. The ruling social democrats were blamed for losing the war, and the country faced political and economic crises. Hitler took advantage of these sentiments and used his oratory talents to attract members to the National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP). He advocated for a strong, unified Germany, and his extreme nationalism and antisemitism resonated with millions of Germans.
Hitler's rise to power as the leader of the Nazi Party and chancellor of Germany in 1933 furthered his nationalist agenda. He unified the two German states and completed the annexation of Austria (Anschluss) in 1938, fulfilling the historic aim of Austrian German nationalists. Hitler's actions demonstrated his commitment to creating a German state encompassing all ethnic Germans and realizing his vision of a Greater Germany.
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His Bavarian dialect
While Adolf Hitler was Austrian by birth, he considered himself ethnically German. He expressed loyalty only to Germany and harboured German nationalist ideas from a young age. He also used the greeting "Heil" and sang the "Deutschlandlied" instead of the Austrian Imperial anthem.
Hitler's Austrian citizenship was renounced by him on April 7, 1925. As a result of his Austrian roots, Hitler spoke with a distinctive lower Bavarian dialect, which marked his speech throughout his life. This is evident from his rolling "R" pronunciation, which is a Bavarian and Austrian characteristic. However, some sources suggest that he later replaced this dialect with a more standardised German accent to appeal to a broader German audience.
Hitler's Bavarian dialect was a result of his upbringing in Austria, specifically the region of Bavaria. This dialect is known for its distinctive pronunciation of certain letters, such as the rolled "R." While some people outside of Bavaria may have had trouble understanding this dialect, it was not a sign of inferior education. Instead, it was a regional variation of the German language.
As an orator, Hitler had to speak Hochdeutsch, or written German, which is mutually understandable by all German speakers, regardless of their local dialects. This may have contributed to the shift in his accent later in life, as he aimed to address the entire German nation.
In conclusion, while Hitler was born in Austria and spoke with a Bavarian dialect early in his life, he considered himself ethnically German and worked to unify all ethnic Germans under one state. His Bavarian accent, characterised by the rolled "R," gradually gave way to a more standardised German accent as he received intensive rhetorical training to appeal to a broader audience.
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The Austrian union with Germany (the Anschluss)
Although Adolf Hitler was born in Braunau am Inn, Austria, in 1889, he considered himself ethnically German. He despised the declining Habsburg monarchy and its rule over an ethnically diverse empire, instead expressing loyalty only to Germany. He and his friends used the greeting "Heil" and sang the "Deutschlandlied" instead of the Austrian Imperial anthem. Hitler also developed a distinctive lower Bavarian dialect, rather than speaking Austrian German.
The idea of a union between Austria and Germany, known as the "Anschluss", was first proposed in 1919 by Austria. The concept gained support after the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918, which removed the problem of the country's numerous ethnic groups. However, the Treaty of Saint Germain and the Treaty of Versailles of 1919 specifically prohibited the union of Austria and Germany.
Hitler's rise to power in 1933 made the idea of unification less attractive. In July 1936, a German-Austrian agreement guaranteed Austrian independence. However, in February 1938, Hitler pressured Austrian chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg to include Nazi ministers in his government. Hitler met Schuschnigg in person and insisted that Nazis be permitted to hold positions of power in the Austrian government. He also warned Schuschnigg that the international community would not side with Austria in the case of a German invasion.
On 9 March 1938, Schuschnigg announced a referendum on Austrian independence, to be held on 13 March. Hitler was infuriated by this plebiscite and decided to act. He deployed 100,000 German troops to Austria, who met no resistance. Schuschnigg resigned, and within minutes, swastika armbands and flags appeared on the streets. Austrian Nazis seized power, attacking their political opponents and Jews without fear of repercussions.
On 12 March 1938, German troops marched into Austria, and the Anschluss was established. Austrian armed forces members had to swear an oath of allegiance to Hitler, and civil servants had to swear an oath of loyalty. Austria was reorganised along German lines, with Nazi regional governors or Gauleiters. Eventually, the Austrian army was assimilated into the German army.
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Frequently asked questions
Hitler was Austrian by birth, but he considered himself ethnically German and renounced his Austrian citizenship in 1925.
Hitler grew up in a politically charged atmosphere in a multinational Austrian state. He developed German nationalist ideas from a young age and expressed loyalty only to Germany.
Hitler tried to enlist in the Austrian army but was rejected. He then left for Germany and enlisted in the German army.
As Hitler rose to power as the leader of the Nazi Party in Germany, his Austrian citizenship became a point of contention. He formally renounced his Austrian citizenship in 1925 to focus on his political aspirations in Germany.
Hitler's belief in German nationalism and his desire to unite all ethnic Germans under one German state led to his annexation of Austria in 1938, known as the Anschluss. He saw Austrians as "more German than the Germans" and wanted to bring them into the German Reich.
