Damon Mcknight
On March 12, 1938, German troops entered Austria, with Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg resigning the day before under coercion from Hitler, who accompanied his troops into the country. This annexation, known as the Anschluss, saw an overwhelming welcome from the Austrian population, with many Austrians participating in the Nazi administration. The Nazis quickly extended anti-Jewish legislation to Austria, establishing concentration camps and deporting thousands of Jews to occupied Poland and elsewhere in occupied eastern Europe. Austria remained a federal state of Germany until the end of World War II, when the Allied powers declared the Anschluss void and reestablished an independent Austria.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Nazi Germany's annexation of Austria | 12 March 1938 |
| Date of the proclamation of the annexation | 13 March 1938 |
| Date Austria declared independence from Nazi Germany | 27 April 1945 |
| Number of Austrians who fought for the Nazi German armed forces | 950,000 |
| Number of Austrians drafted by the Wehrmacht | 1.3 million |
| Number of Austrians who joined the Nazi Party | 700,000 |
| Number of Jews deported from Vienna to ghettos in eastern Europe | 35,000 |
| Number of Jews deported to Theresienstadt | 15,000 |
| Number of Jews remaining in Austria by November 1942 | 7,000 |
| Number of Austrian civilians arrested by Soviet military tribunals in 1945 | 800 |
| Number of Austrian civilians arrested by the Soviets by 1955 | 2,400 |
| Number of Austrians imprisoned without trial during the July revolt | 4,000 |
| Number of Romani men arrested by Nazis and sent to Dachau | 2,000 |
| Number of Romani women arrested by Nazis and sent to Ravensbrück | 1,000 |
| Number of people who died at Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp | 200,000 |
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What You'll Learn
The Austrian Legion and Nazi terrorism
On 12 March 1938, German troops entered Austria, bringing the country under Nazi rule in an event known as the Anschluss. This marked the beginning of a dark period in Austrian history, during which the country was transformed and subjected to Nazi ideology and terror.
In the lead-up to the Anschluss, Austria witnessed a wave of Nazi terrorism. The Austrian Nazi Party, linked to Hitler, gained support in the country, despite initially receiving a low number of votes in the 1927 General Election. The Austrian Nazis, also known as the Austrian Legion, posed a significant threat to the Austrian government, engaging in acts of violence and terrorism.
The Austrian Legion was a paramilitary group founded in 1933 by expatriate Austrian Nazis who had fled to Bavaria. They received military-style training in camps and were armed, posing a constant threat of invasion to Austria. The Legion, officially part of the SA-Obergruppe VIII, had over 14,000 members, 1,500 motorcars, and could reach the Austrian border within 24 hours.
The Austrian Nazis attempted to seize power through terrorist acts and a coup attempt in July 1934, during which they forced their way into the Chancellor's office in Vienna and shot Engelbert Dollfuss, who later succumbed to his wounds. This coup attempt was only partially successful, leading to fighting in various regions of Austria. The Austrian Legion also tried to push into Upper Austria but was forced back to the frontier.
The Austrian government, led by Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg, worked to maintain its power and sovereignty in the face of Nazi terrorism. However, by 1936, the economic damage caused by the German boycott was significant. Schuschnigg was pressured to agree to the release of imprisoned Nazis and to allow members of the "National Opposition" into his cabinet. Despite these concessions, Hitler was not satisfied, and the pro-German Austrian Nazis continued to gain strength.
Finally, in March 1938, the Nazis succeeded in their goal of uniting Austria with Nazi Germany. Hitler accompanied German troops into Austria, where they were met with enthusiastic crowds. The Austrian Nazi Party's military wing, the Austrian SS, actively participated in the Nazi regime, and many Austrians fought for the Nazi German armed forces during World War II.
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Nazi conspiracy to seize the Austrian government
In the early days of Nazi Germany, Austrian politics were marked by infighting and political violence. The rise of the Nazis in 1933 further destabilized the situation. Austrian chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss transformed Austria from a democratic republic into a right-wing authoritarian regime. Dollfuss's government was aligned with Fascist Italy and authoritarian Hungary, and he was committed to crushing the political left in Austria.
However, this did not stop the Austrian Nazis from waging a propaganda and terror campaign, funded by Germany, to undermine the Dollfuss regime. In May 1933, the German government announced an economic sanction against Austria, requiring German citizens to pay a 1,000 Mark customs fee to enter the country. This crippled Austria's tourism industry, which was highly dependent on German visitors. In June 1933, after a fatal Nazi bombing, the Dollfuss regime banned the Austrian Nazi Party and its affiliates, making the Nazi movement illegal in Austria.
Undeterred, the Austrian Nazis continued their campaign of violence and, on July 25, 1934, they attempted to overthrow the Austrian government. Members of the Vienna SS took control of the Austrian chancellery and shot and killed Chancellor Dollfuss. Other plotters seized control of the state radio station in Vienna and prematurely announced the coup. Outside Vienna, other Austrian Nazis also revolted, but the majority of Austrians remained loyal to the government, and the military and police forces quickly defeated the conspirators.
In 1936, Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg, under pressure from Germany, signed an agreement with the German ambassador, Franz von Papen. Schuschnigg agreed to the release of Nazis imprisoned in Austria, and Germany promised to respect Austrian sovereignty. Under the terms of the Austro-German treaty, Austria declared itself a "German state" that would always follow Germany's lead in foreign policy. Despite this concession, Hitler was not satisfied, and the pro-German Austrian Nazis continued to grow in strength.
In early 1938, Austrian Nazis conspired for the second time to seize the Austrian government by force and unite their nation with Nazi Germany. Chancellor Schuschnigg, learning of the conspiracy, met with Hitler in the hopes of reasserting his country's independence but was instead coerced into naming several top Austrian Nazis to his cabinet. On March 9, Schuschnigg called a national vote to resolve the question of annexation once and for all. However, before the vote could take place, Schuschnigg resigned on March 11, pleading with Austrian forces not to resist a German "advance" into the country. The next day, March 12, Hitler entered Austria with German troops, where they were met with enthusiastic crowds.
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The Soviet propaganda machine
On March 12, 1938, Nazi Germany annexed Austria, an event known as the Anschluss. This annexation was met with enthusiasm and support from most Austrians. Nazi propaganda had, for years, instilled fear in Austrians by spreading tales of Soviet soldiers committing atrocities. The Soviet Union, in turn, also had its own propaganda machine, which, throughout the war, sustained the army's morale through vicious anti-German hate propaganda.
Soviet commanders issued orders to discourage criminal conduct towards civilians as soon as their troops entered Austria. An instruction, read to all frontline soldiers on April 4, proclaimed that Austria was Hitler's first victim and that the Red Army's mission was to liberate the country and destroy German forces. This pro-Austrian propaganda sought to create a sympathetic image of Austria, emphasising respect for Austrian traditions, families, and private property. It also embraced the claim that Austria was Germany's first victim, a narrative that persuaded soldiers to treat Austrians humanely.
In contrast, Nazi propaganda during this period was characterised by its antisemitism and xenophobia. It often portrayed Jews as conspiring to provoke war and promoted Nazi ideology by demonising Jews, communists, capitalists, and intellectuals. Joseph Goebbels, the head of the Reich Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda, ensured that the Nazi message permeated all forms of media, including art, music, theatre, films, books, radio, educational materials, and the press.
The Nazis also employed propaganda to justify their invasions and consolidate power. For example, the false flag Operation Himmler portrayed Poland as the aggressor to justify the invasion of that country. Similarly, Nazi propaganda stressed that Germany was defending "Western" culture against the "Judeo-Bolshevik threat" posed by the Soviet Union. This narrative served to elicit political loyalty and racial consciousness among ethnic Germans while vilifying Germany's enemies, including the Soviet Union.
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Nazi camps, deportations and the Holocaust
On 12 March 1938, Nazi Germany annexed Austria, an event known as the Anschluss. This was preceded by a conspiracy by Austrian Nazis to seize the Austrian government and unite with Germany. The Austrian Chancellor, Kurt von Schuschnigg, met with Hitler to assert Austria's independence but was coerced into naming Austrian Nazis to his cabinet and eventually resigning. Hitler accompanied German troops into Austria, where they were met with enthusiasm by crowds.
Austria was part of Nazi Germany from 13 March 1938 until 27 April 1945. During this time, the Nazis established concentration camps, such as Mauthausen-Gusen, which became notorious for its cruelty and barbarism. In the camp's existence, an estimated 200,000 people died, half of whom were directly killed. The anti-gypsy sentiment was initially implemented most harshly in Austria, with the Nazis arresting around 2,000 Romani men and 1,000 Romani women, who were sent to Dachau and Ravensbrück, respectively.
In addition to Mauthausen and its subcamps, other camps in Austria included Lochau and Strasshof. The November 1938 Kristallnacht ("Night of Broken Glass") pogroms were particularly brutal in Austria, with synagogues in Vienna destroyed and Jewish businesses vandalised and ransacked. Thousands of Jews were arrested and deported to concentration camps, and Jewish emigration increased dramatically. Between 1938 and 1940, 117,000 Jews left Austria.
Systematic mass deportations from Vienna began in October 1941. The Nazis established centres where Jews were assembled before deportation. About 35,000 Jews were deported from Vienna to ghettos in eastern Europe, mostly to Minsk, Riga, and Lodz, and to ghettos in the Lublin region of Poland. Over 15,000 Viennese Jews were deported to Theresienstadt, and thousands more were sent to concentration camps in Germany. By November 1942, only about 7,000 Jews remained in Austria, mostly those married to non-Jews.
The Nazi regime sought to forcibly reorder the ethnic composition of eastern Europe through its racial policies. The German authorities used rail systems to deport Jews from their homes, primarily to German-occupied eastern Europe. The Wannsee Conference in January 1942 coordinated the deportation of European Jews to killing centres (also known as "extermination camps" or "death camps") in German-occupied Poland. Between December 1941 and July 1942, five killing centres were established: Chelmno, Belzec, Sobibor, Treblinka II, and Auschwitz-Birkenau. The Germans killed nearly 2.7 million Jews in these five killing centres.
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Nazi rule and the Austrian population
On March 12, 1938, German troops entered Austria, and the country was annexed by Nazi Germany. This event, known as the Anschluss, saw Austria become a federal state of Germany until the end of World War II. The annexation was met with enthusiasm and support from most Austrians, with large sections of the population welcoming the German troops. However, there were also Austrians who tried to escape, and mass arrests began under Hitler's regime.
In the lead-up to the Anschluss, Austrian politics was marked by instability and violence. The Austrian Nazi Party, linked to Hitler, gained popularity in 1931-1932, coinciding with Hitler's rise to power in Germany. However, the party was initially weak, divided, and ineffective, and it was banned in Austria in 1933 after a hand grenade attack. Despite the ban, the Nazis continued to receive financial and logistical support from Germany and waged a propaganda and terror campaign against the Austrian government. In 1936, Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg was pressured into signing an agreement with Germany, releasing imprisoned Nazis and allowing members of the "National Opposition" into his cabinet.
As the Nazis tightened their grip on Austria, they began to target government institutions and individuals who opposed them. The Austrian chancellor, Engelbert Dollfuss, who was committed to crushing the political left, was assassinated by Nazis in 1934. His successor, Kurt Schuschnigg, briefly maintained Austria's independence but ultimately succumbed to Hitler's demands, resigning in March 1938. The Nazis then installed a new Nazi government, and thousands of Austrians joined the Nazi Party.
During World War II, approximately 950,000 Austrians fought for the Nazi German armed forces, and others participated in the Nazi administration and death camps. The largest concentration camp in Austria was the Mauthausen-Gusen complex, where an estimated 200,000 people died. Austrians also participated in the persecution and mass murder of Jews and the implementation of anti-Romanyism policies, which were initially enforced most harshly in Austria. After the war, many Austrians sought to distance themselves from Nazi crimes and embraced the myth of Austria as the first victim of the Nazis.
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Frequently asked questions
The Nazis entered Austria on 12 March 1938.
The event was called the Anschluss, which means 'annexation' in German.
The Nazis received the overwhelming support of the Austrian population. However, according to Gestapo reports, only a quarter to a third of Austrian voters in Vienna were in favour of the Anschluss.
After the Anschluss, the Germans extended anti-Jewish legislation to Austria and established the Mauthausen concentration camp, which became the main Nazi camp in the country.
