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Austria's involvement in World War II is a complex issue that has been the subject of historical debate and analysis. The country was annexed by Nazi Germany in 1938, an event known as the Anschluss, which was met with overwhelming support from the Austrian population. This support, however, was not universal, and it is important to acknowledge the Austrian resistance movement that opposed Nazi rule. During WWII, hundreds of thousands of Austrians fought as part of the Nazi German armed forces, while others participated in the Nazi administration, including death camp personnel and senior Nazi leadership. The role of Austrians in perpetrating Nazi atrocities and their collaboration with the Third Reich raises important questions about complicity and responsibility. After WWII, Austria was occupied by the Allies and eventually regained its independence, but the country's path to dealing with its Nazi past and coming to terms with its role in the war has been complex and controversial.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of German annexation | 12 March 1938 |
| Date of German annexation proclamation | 13 March 1938 |
| Plebiscite approval rating | 99% |
| Nazi Party membership in Austria | 700,000 people (10% of the population) |
| Number of Austrians drafted into Wehrmacht | 1.3 million |
| Number of Austrians killed or missing in action | 250,000 |
| Number of Austrian Jews killed | 65,000 |
| Number of Austrian Roma killed or deported | Thousands |
| Number of Austrians with disabilities killed | Tens of thousands |
| Number of concentration camps in Austria | 1 main camp and 60+ subcamps |
| Date of Vienna offensive | 27 April 1945 |
| Date of Austrian independence declaration | 5 June 1945 |
| Date of Austrian State Treaty | 27 July 1955 |
| Number of occupation zones in Austria | 4 |
| Countries involved in occupation | UK, US, France, Soviet Union |
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What You'll Learn
Nazi Germany's annexation of Austria
Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany on March 12, 1938, when German troops marched into the country. The annexation, known as the Anschluss, was proclaimed the following day. The Anschluss was the first act of territorial expansion committed by Nazi Germany, violating the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint-Germain, which expressly forbade the unification of Austria and Germany.
In the years leading up to the annexation, Austria experienced economic stagnation, political dictatorship, and intense Nazi propaganda. The idea of the country joining Germany grew in popularity, fuelled by Nazi propaganda campaigns. Austrian Nazis conspired to seize the Austrian government and unite with Germany, but their attempts were thwarted by Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg, who used the police to suppress Nazi supporters and held them in internment camps. However, by 1936, the damage to Austria from the German boycott was too great, and the Austrian government struggled to maintain its independence.
Hitler, an Austrian German by birth, had expressed his desire for an Austro-German union in his early writings and speeches. He and the Nazis wanted to redraw the map of post-World War I Europe, considering the postwar international borders unfair and illegitimate. The annexation of Austria was motivated by its rich resources and labour, as well as its potential hydroelectric resources and foreign currency reserves.
The annexation was met with overwhelming enthusiasm and support from most of the Austrian population. However, the plebiscite that approved the union was manipulated, and Jews and Roma were not allowed to vote. The Anschluss resulted in the persecution of Austria's Jewish population, with the establishment of the Mauthausen concentration camp and the extension of anti-Jewish legislation.
Following the annexation, Austria was an integral part of the Third Reich. About 10% of the population joined the Nazi Party, and over 1.3 million Austrians were drafted into the Wehrmacht between 1938 and 1945. Austrians served loyally as soldiers and were complicit in Nazi atrocities on the Eastern Front. At the end of World War II, the Allies declared the Anschluss void and reestablished an independent Austria.
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Austrians' support for Nazi Germany
Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany in 1938, with the support of the majority of the Austrian population. This annexation was known as the Anschluss, which means "the union" in German. The support for the Nazi regime in Austria was the result of a combination of factors, including economic stagnation, political dictatorship, and intense Nazi propaganda.
In the late 1920s and early 1930s, the Austrian Nazi Party was weak and divided. However, by 1931, the majority of Austrian Nazis recognized Hitler as their leader, and as his popularity in Germany grew, so did the number of his supporters in Austria. In 1933, the Austrian Nazi Party engaged in a wave of terrorism that resulted in four deaths and 48 injuries. Despite this, in local elections, the Nazis failed to get more than 25% of the votes in most areas.
Hitler's initial attempts to assert power in Austria were met with resistance. In 1938, Austrian chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg called for a plebiscite (referendum) on Austrian independence, which was scheduled for March 13, 1938. Hitler was infuriated by this and pressured Schuschnigg to cancel the plebiscite and resign. On March 9, Schuschnigg made a final attempt to assert Austrian independence, but he ultimately gave in to Hitler's demands and signed the Berchtesgaden Agreement, which undermined Austrian sovereignty.
On March 12, 1938, German troops entered Austria and received enthusiastic support from most of the population. The annexation was proclaimed the following day, and a manipulated plebiscite indicated that about 99% of Austrians wanted the union with Germany. Jews and Roma were not allowed to vote in this plebiscite. The Mauthausen concentration camp was established shortly after the annexation, and thousands of prisoners were worked to death there.
During World War II, approximately 950,000 Austrians fought for the Nazi German armed forces, and many others participated in the Nazi administration, including senior Nazi leadership. After the war, Austria was occupied by the Allies and declared independent from Nazi Germany on April 27, 1945. However, due to the significant contribution of Austrians to Nazi war crimes, there was a lack of thorough denazification in the country, and many Austrians sought comfort in the myth of Austria as the first victim of the Nazis.
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Soviet occupation of Austria
Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany in 1938, with the support of the Austrian population. Austria then became an integral part of the Third Reich, with 10% of the population joining the Nazi Party.
In 1945, the Allies (the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, the United States, and France) occupied Austria and declared it independent from Nazi Germany. The country was divided into four occupation zones, with Vienna being subdivided among all four powers. The Soviet Union occupied parts of Austria, including Vienna's eastern suburbs and the capital.
The Soviet occupation policies in Austria were shaped by the Moscow Declaration of 1943, which stated that Austria was the first victim of Nazi aggression but would have to pay the price for its participation. The Soviets aimed to differentiate ordinary Austrians from the Nazis and issued orders to discourage criminal conduct by their troops. However, the Red Army committed crimes, including looting and rape, with estimates of between 70,000 and 100,000 women raped in Vienna alone.
The Soviets also implemented economic policies, expropriating Austrian businesses and amalgamating them into the USIA, a conglomerate that controlled significant industries. The Soviet occupation of Austria lasted until 1955, when Austria was granted full independence and the last occupation troops departed.
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Austrian resistance to Nazi Germany
Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany in 1938, with the support of the majority of the Austrian population. However, there was a small but significant Austrian resistance movement against Nazi rule. The resistance was launched in response to the rise of fascism across Europe and the annexation of Austria by Germany, known as the Anschluss. An estimated 100,000 people participated in this resistance, with thousands imprisoned or executed for their anti-Nazi activities.
The Austrian resistance took various forms, including issuing counter-Nazi political leaflets, collecting donations for affected families, providing information to the Allies, and occasional sabotage of civil and military installations. The main cipher of the resistance was "O5", which can still be seen at the Stephansdom in Vienna. The symbol and voice of the resistance were embodied by Crown Prince Otto von Habsburg, who advocated against the Anschluss and requested the Austrian Chancellor to resist Nazi Germany. However, he was sentenced to death by the Nazi regime and forced into exile.
Resistance activities were challenging due to the widespread support for the Nazis in Austria. Large portions of Austrian society actively or tacitly supported the Nazi regime, and death sentences for "traitors" were accepted by many. Additionally, resistance groups were often ideologically separated, reflecting the spectrum of political parties before the war. The most notable resistance group was led by the priest Heinrich Maier, who provided critical information about the mass murder of Jews to the Allies and helped facilitate precise air strikes on production facilities.
After World War II, Austria was occupied by the Allies and declared independent from Nazi Germany on April 27, 1945. The Moscow Declaration of 1943 and the subsequent treatment of Austria as a victim of Nazi aggression by the Allies contributed to shaping the narrative of Austria as the "first victim" of the Nazis. This narrative was embraced by many Austrians seeking comfort in the post-war period. However, it is important to recognize that Austrian society had a complex attitude towards the Nazi government, with a small minority actively resisting and a significant number collaborating with the regime.
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Allied liberation of Austria
Austria was incorporated into Nazi Germany on March 13, 1938, after German troops entered the country on March 12, 1938, with the support of most of the Austrian population. The annexation was then approved in a manipulated plebiscite that indicated that about 99% of Austrians wanted the union.
Liberation of Austria
Austria was liberated by the Allies and declared independent from Nazi Germany on April 27, 1945, as a result of the Vienna offensive. The liberation was a joint effort by the Red Army and the NKVD, who began to comb the captured territories as soon as Hitler's armies were pushed back into Germany. The Soviets, without consulting their Western allies, instructed Karl Renner to form a provisional government on April 20, 1945. Renner's cabinet took office a week later, declaring Austria's independence from Nazi Germany and calling for the creation of a democratic state.
The liberation of Austria was not without its challenges. The Red Army suffered 94,185 casualties in Austria, with 26,006 killed and 68,179 wounded. Additionally, there are reports of looting, raping, and other criminal conduct by Soviet soldiers. According to one estimate, the Red Army raped between 70,000 and 100,000 women in Vienna alone. However, Soviet commanders did attempt to discourage criminal conduct and issued orders to respect Austrian civilians and their traditions, families, and private property.
After the liberation, Austria was divided into four occupation zones, jointly occupied by the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, the United States, and France. The Western Allies and the Soviet Union continued to jointly occupy Austria until 1955, when the Austrian State Treaty came into force. During this time, the Allies worked to denazify Austria, with the registration of 537,000 Nazis and the creation of a proper Austrian military. The Allies also provided assistance, particularly food aid, to the Austrian population, which was facing hunger and malnutrition.
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Frequently asked questions
Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany on March 12, 1938, with the support of the Austrian population.
Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg tried to maintain his country's independence but was forced to name Austrian Nazis to his cabinet and eventually resigned.
France and Great Britain protested the annexation but ultimately accepted it. The United States followed a similar policy of appeasement, while the Soviet Union demanded that the League of Nations handle the matter.
The annexation led to the extension of anti-Jewish legislation and the establishment of concentration camps in Austria, resulting in the persecution and deportation of Austrian Jews, Roma, and others.
During WWII, hundreds of thousands of Austrians fought as soldiers for Nazi Germany, and many others participated in the Nazi administration and death camps.
