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On March 11, 1938, Austria ceased to exist as an independent country when it was annexed by Nazi Germany. This event, known as the Anschluss, which means connection or joining in German, was the culmination of a series of aggressive actions by Hitler and the Austrian Nazis, who had long sought to unify the two countries. Austria remained a federal state of Germany until the end of World War II, when the Allied powers declared the annexation void and reestablished an independent Austria.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Country | Austria |
| Time Period | 1938-1945 |
| Reason | Annexed by Nazi Germany |
| Event | Known as the Anschluss |
| Violation of Treaties | Treaty of Versailles and Treaty of Saint-Germain |
| Austrian Chancellor | Kurt Schuschnigg |
| German Chancellor | Adolf Hitler |
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What You'll Learn
Hitler's unification of Germany and Austria
The unification of Germany and Austria, known as the Anschluss, was the first act of territorial aggression and expansion by Nazi Germany. In 1938, Germany annexed Austria, which remained a federal state of Germany until the end of World War II.
The unification of Germany and Austria had been a stated goal of the Nazi Party since the 1920 National Socialist Program, which demanded "the unification of all Germans in the Greater Germany on the basis of the people's right to self-determination". This was in line with Hitler's belief in incorporating as many ethnic Germans outside of Germany as possible into a "Greater Germany". In his 1925 book, Mein Kampf, Hitler wrote about Austria, his country of birth, and his desire to incorporate the German-Austrians into the German Empire.
In July 1934, a pro-Nazi group, with Hitler's approval, attempted to overthrow the Austrian government by assassinating the chancellor. The coup failed when Austrian military leaders did not support it. In 1938, Austrian Nazis conspired for the second time to seize the Austrian government and unite with Germany. Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg, learning of the conspiracy, met with Hitler to reassert his country's independence. However, he was coerced into naming several Austrian Nazis to his cabinet and agreeing to a referendum on unification. When Schuschnigg later tried to hold a plebiscite on the issue, Hitler threatened an invasion, and Schuschnigg resigned on March 11, 1938, pleading with Austrian forces not to resist a German "advance".
On March 12, German troops entered Austria, where they were met with enthusiasm from Austrians who saw the unification as completing the long-overdue unification of all Germans into one state. This enthusiasm surprised both Nazis and non-Nazis, as it was believed that a majority of Austrians opposed the Anschluss. On March 13, the unification was proclaimed, and Austria's states were replaced with Reichsgaue, demoting Austria from an empire to a province.
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The Anschluss
The idea of unification had been proposed as early as 1918 and had gained strong support in both Austria and Germany by the 1920s, particularly from Austrian citizens of the political left and center. However, support for unification began to wane after 1933 when Adolf Hitler rose to power in Germany. Despite this, the Nazis still sought to incorporate ethnic Germans outside of Germany into a "Greater Germany". In the early 1930s, the Austrian government considered a customs union with Germany, but regional patriotism ultimately won out over pan-German sentiment.
In 1938, German troops invaded Austria, unopposed by the Austrian military. The next day, on March 13, 1938, Nazi Germany annexed Austria, and this event became known as the Anschluss. The annexation was widely popular in both Germany and Austria, and it was met with enthusiasm from many Germans who saw it as completing the long-overdue unification of all Germans into one state. The Austrian Nazi leader Arthur Seyss-Inquart announced the revocation of Article 88 of the Treaty of Saint-Germain, which prohibited the unification of Austria and Germany.
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Austria's illegalisation of the Austrian Nazi Party
Austria ceased to exist as a country from 1938 until 1945, following its annexation by Nazi Germany in an event known as the Anschluss. The Anschluss saw Austria swiftly transformed, as Austrian and German Nazis worked together to nazify all aspects of Austrian life.
In the years leading up to the Anschluss, Austria's political landscape was characterised by infighting and violence. Austrian chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss took advantage of the instability, transforming Austria from a democratic republic into a right-wing authoritarian regime under his control. Dollfuss's regime brutally repressed Austrian Social Democrats, alienating the country from Britain and France, and losing Austria support from Mussolini's Italy, which had previously acted as a buffer between Austria and Nazi Germany.
Hitler planned to seize power in Austria through the Austrian Nazi Party, but in the late 1920s and early 1930s, the party was weak, divided, and ineffective. By 1931, however, the bulk of Austrian Nazis recognised Hitler as their leader, and the party began to gain supporters as Hitler's popularity in Germany grew. In 1933, Hitler became German chancellor, and the Austrian Nazi Party became more daring. In May 1933, the Bavarian Minister of Justice was expelled from Austria, and German citizens were required to pay a thousand marks to the German government before travelling to Austria. In June 1933, following a fatal Nazi bombing, the Dollfuss regime banned the Austrian Nazi Party and its affiliates, making the Nazi movement illegal in Austria.
Despite the ban, Austrian Nazis continued to operate illegally within the country, and thousands more fled across the border into Germany, where they formed a paramilitary unit known as the Austrian Legion. The Austrian Legion received military training from German Nazis and became a threatening military presence on the Austro-German border. In July 1934, Austrian Nazis attempted to overthrow the Austrian government, but the coup failed. Following Dollfuss's death, Kurt von Schuschnigg took over as Austrian chancellor and dictator, continuing his predecessor's authoritarian policies and arresting thousands of Austrian Nazis.
By 1937-1938, Austria was diplomatically isolated and facing an increasingly aggressive Nazi Germany. On February 12, 1938, Schuschnigg travelled to meet with Hitler, who demanded that Austria's foreign and military policies be coordinated with Germany's, and that Austrian Nazi Arthur Seyss-Inquart be placed in charge of policing and security matters. Schuschnigg gave in to these demands, signing the Berchtesgaden Agreement, which undermined Austrian sovereignty and independence. On March 9, Schuschnigg attempted to assert Austrian independence, but it was too late. On March 11-13, 1938, Nazi Germany annexed Austria, and the country ceased to exist until Allied-occupied Austria declared independence from Nazi Germany on April 27, 1945.
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Diplomatic isolation of Austria
Austria's diplomatic isolation in the period leading up to World War II was a result of several factors, including the country's fragile political situation and the geopolitical ambitions of Nazi Germany. By the winter of 1937–1938, Austria was facing an increasingly aggressive Nazi Germany, and its diplomatic isolation left it vulnerable to annexation.
In the years leading up to this isolation, Austria had made several diplomatic missteps that cost it allies. The brutal repression of Austrian Social Democrats in February 1934 by the Dollfuss regime, for example, had alienated potential allies in Britain and France. Even Italy's Mussolini, who had initially treated Austria as a buffer between Italy and Germany, was no longer a reliable guarantor of Austrian independence by 1935–1936.
At the same time, Germany was actively working to isolate Austria. Bismarck, a proactive leader towards unification, had built alliances with other major powers, including Russia, France, and Italy, making it unlikely that these countries would aid Austria in the future. Bismarck also worked to make Austria look like the aggressor in territorial disputes, further weakening its position.
By February 1938, Hitler was ready to take full control of Austria. He intimidated Austrian chancellor Schuschnigg into signing the Berchtesgaden Agreement, which undermined Austrian sovereignty and independence. On March 11–13, 1938, Nazi Germany officially annexed Austria, an event known as the "Anschluss." This annexation went unpunished by other European powers, demonstrating their acceptance and allowing Hitler to continue his expansionist policies unchecked.
In more recent times, Austria has again faced diplomatic isolation. In February 2000, the formation of a coalition government with the right-wing FPÖ led to European governments imposing diplomatic sanctions and the United States recalling its ambassador. However, these sanctions were lifted in September 2000, and Austria has since normalized its relations with other countries, emphasizing its role as a moderator between industrialized and developing nations.
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Hitler's intimidation of Austrian chancellor Schuschnigg
Austria ceased to exist as an independent country from 1938 until 1945. On March 11–13, 1938, Nazi Germany annexed Austria, an event known as the "Anschluss", which means "connection" or "joining" in German.
Now, onto Hitler's intimidation of Austrian Chancellor Schuschnigg:
Hitler intimidated Austrian Chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg into signing the Berchtesgaden Agreement, which paved the way for the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany. On February 12, 1938, Schuschnigg travelled to meet with Hitler, expecting to discuss tensions between the two countries. However, Hitler was prepared to take complete control of Austria and presented a series of demands, including that Austria's foreign and military policies be coordinated with Germany's, and that Austrian Nazi Arthur Seyss-Inquart be put in charge of policing and security. Hitler used the presence of several German generals to intimidate Schuschnigg, who ultimately gave in and signed the agreement, compromising Austrian sovereignty and independence.
Schuschnigg attempted to assert Austrian independence once more on March 9, 1938, but to no avail. He resigned from his position on March 11, and Seyss-Inquart, who had been appointed by Hitler, succeeded him as Chancellor. Schuschnigg's concessions to Hitler, beginning with the signing of an agreement in July 1936, marked the beginning of the end of Austrian independence. Schuschnigg's efforts to maintain Austria's independence failed, and he was arrested following the annexation, spending time in solitary confinement and internment camps before being liberated by the advancing US Army in 1945.
The Berchtesgaden Agreement was a significant step towards the annexation of Austria, and Hitler's intimidation tactics played a key role in coercing Schuschnigg into making concessions that ultimately led to the loss of Austrian independence.
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Frequently asked questions
Austria ceased to exist as an independent country from 1938 to 1945.
Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany on March 11, 1938, in an event known as the Anschluss, which means "connection" or "joining" in German.
Hitler, who was born in Austria, had always wanted to unify Germany and Austria, as he wrote in Mein Kampf as early as 1923.
