Lexi Webster
Germany's annexation of Austria in 1938, known as the Anschluss, was motivated by several factors. Firstly, the idea of a united Austria and Germany, or Greater Germany, had been a long-standing concept dating back to the 19th century, particularly after the 1871 unification of Germany that excluded Austria. Secondly, both countries shared a close historical and cultural connection, with German as the official language and Germans as the majority ethnic group in both nations. Additionally, the Nazi regime in Germany sought to redraw the map of post-World War I Europe, considering the existing international borders unfair and illegitimate. Furthermore, Austria was facing severe economic difficulties, and many Austrians believed that unification with Germany could provide a solution. Finally, the Nazi Party in Germany, led by Adolf Hitler, had expressed its desire for an Austro-German union in its earliest writings and speeches, and Hitler himself had Austrian roots, which influenced his decision to pursue the annexation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Austria and Germany shared a history | Both countries were part of the Holy Roman Empire, officially a German polity from 1512 and mostly led by Austria |
| Language | German is the official language in both countries |
| Ethnic group | Germans are the majority ethnic group in both countries |
| Economic hardship | Both countries faced severe economic hardships, hyperinflation, mass unemployment and constant riots after World War I |
| Austria's military weakness | The Austrian military was restricted to 30,000 men by the allies and the police force was poorly equipped |
| Austria's independence | Most Austrians wanted Austria to remain independent |
| Austria's resistance | There was a strong communist resistance group, groups close to the Catholic Church, Habsburg groups and individual resistance groups in the German Wehrmacht |
| Nazi Germany's goal | To redraw the map of post-World War I Europe and achieve a "Greater Germany" |
| Nazi Germany's strategy | To exploit Austria's economic weakness and use propaganda to mobilise Austrian institutions and leaders |
| Nazi Germany's tactics | To use threats and force to pressure the Austrian government into accepting Nazi ministers into its government |
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What You'll Learn
- Austria and Germany shared a close historical relationship
- Austria was rich in iron, which was needed to meet steel production targets
- Many Austrians wanted unification with Germany
- Hitler wanted to redraw the map of post-World War I Europe
- Austria was isolated after Italy and Germany formed an alliance
Austria and Germany shared a close historical relationship
Austria-Hungary and the German Empire had forged a military alliance with the Kingdom of Italy, forming the Triple Alliance in 1882. However, Prussia's victory in the Franco-Prussian War in 1870 led to the creation of the German Empire, which excluded Austria-Hungary. This unified Germany then focused on building armaments in a race against the UK.
In the 1920s, many Austrians did not think their country could survive economically without the lands previously held by Austria-Hungary. Some Austrians hoped to restore a form of the empire, while others wanted to unite with Germany. The hope of uniting Austria and Germany was not new, with discussions and debates about Austria's role in a German nation-state dating back to the 19th century. The idea of Anschluss, or the annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany, arose after the 1871 unification of Germany, which excluded Austria and the German Austrians from the Prussian-dominated German Empire.
In the 1930s, the Nazis gained votes at the expense of the various German national groups, which also wanted unity with Germany. In 1933, Austrian-born Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany and demanded the right to Anschluss. In 1935, Hitler declared to the Reichstag:
> Germany neither intends nor wishes to interfere in the internal affairs of Austria, to annex Austria or to conclude an Anschluss.
However, in 1938, Austria was annexed into Nazi Germany, and Hitler entered Vienna to give a speech, boasting of his "greatest accomplishment".
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Austria was rich in iron, which was needed to meet steel production targets
Germany's annexation of Austria, known as the Anschluss, was a significant event in the lead-up to World War II. The idea of uniting Austria and Germany into a "Greater Germany" was not new and had arisen after the 1871 unification of Germany, which excluded Austria. This desire for unification was driven by several factors, including historical, cultural, and economic reasons. One of the key economic reasons was Austria's rich iron deposits, which were crucial for meeting steel production targets.
In the 1930s, Germany under Adolf Hitler was pursuing an aggressive expansionist policy, seeking to redraw the map of post-World War I Europe. Hitler, in his early speeches and writings, expressed a strong desire for an Austro-German union. The unification of Austria and Germany would not only fulfil Hitler's ideological goals but also provide access to valuable resources, including Austria's rich iron deposits.
At the time, Germany was facing challenges in meeting the steel production targets laid out in the Four Year Plan, which had to be met by September 1940. In a secret speech to German industrialists in April 1937, Hermann Göring, a high-ranking Nazi official, stated that annexing Austria, which was rich in iron, was the only solution to the steel production issues. This statement highlighted the importance of Austria's natural resources in the decision to pursue the Anschluss.
Austria's iron resources were a crucial factor in Germany's strategic calculations. Iron ore was essential for steel production, and with Austria's deposits, Germany could boost its domestic steel industry and support its military build-up. Steel was vital for manufacturing weapons, armour, and infrastructure needed for warfare. By securing access to Austria's iron, Germany could strengthen its war capabilities and ensure the necessary resources for its ambitious military goals.
The annexation of Austria provided Germany with the raw materials needed to fuel its war machine. Austria's iron deposits played a significant role in Germany's ability to produce steel and develop its industry and military might. This natural resource was a key factor in Germany's decision to protect and ultimately annex Austria, setting the stage for the Second World War and shaping the course of history.
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Many Austrians wanted unification with Germany
The idea of unification between Austria and Germany, or Anschluss, was not new. Discussions and debates about Austria's role in a German nation-state dated back to the 19th century. After Prussia's victory in the Franco-Prussian War in 1870, the Prussian army entered and marched over Paris, and Bismarck subsequently announced the creation of the German Empire, excluding Austria-Hungary. This exclusion continued when Austria was left out of the unification of Germany in 1871. The idea of Anschluss gained support after the Austro-Hungarian Empire fell in 1918, and the Republic of German-Austria attempted to form a union with Germany. However, this was forbidden by the 1919 Treaty of Saint Germain and the Treaty of Versailles, which also stripped Austria of some of its territories.
In the 1920s, many Austrians did not think their country could survive economically without the lands previously held by Austria-Hungary. Some Austrians hoped to restore a form of the empire, while others wanted to unite with Germany. The majority in both countries wanted unification into a Greater German nation. However, this was forbidden by the Treaty of Versailles, which aimed to prevent the formation of a dominant German state. Despite this, after Hitler came to power in Germany in 1933, he demanded the right to Anschluss. In 1934, Austrian Nazis attempted a coup d'etat and killed Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss, but the coup failed due to loyal police and army units and Italian support for Austrian independence. In 1936, Austria was isolated as a result of strategic collaboration between Italy and Germany, and Chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg was pressured by Hitler into accepting Nazi ministers into his government.
Hitler and the Nazis wanted to redraw the map of post-World War I Europe, considering the international borders unfair and illegitimate, and claiming that Germans had been denied the right of self-determination. The annexation of Austria would help them achieve their goal of a Greater Germany. Hitler expressed his desire for an Austro-German union in his earliest writings and speeches, including the Nazi Party Platform in 1920 and his autobiography, Mein Kampf. In 1937, Hitler told Goebbels that Austria would eventually have to be taken "by force". In February 1938, Hitler invited Schuschnigg to Germany and forced him to agree to give the Austrian Nazis freedom to act. Schuschnigg later announced a plebiscite on the Anschluss question, but he was pressured into cancelling it and resigned, ordering the Austrian Army not to resist the Germans. On March 11, 1938, his successor Seyss-Inquart invited the German Army to cross the border, and the next day, Anschluss was declared, with Austria becoming part of Germany.
Hitler held a plebiscite a month later, claiming a 99% vote in favour of the Anschluss and his rule. However, between 300,000 and 400,000 Austrian citizens, including Jews, Roma, and political opponents, were forbidden to vote in the referendum. Many Austrians helped carry out the Nazification of their country, with civil servants, soldiers, and police officers taking a public oath to Hitler, often accompanied by parades.
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Hitler wanted to redraw the map of post-World War I Europe
Adolf Hitler and the Nazis wanted to redraw the map of post-World War I Europe. They considered the postwar international borders unfair and illegitimate and believed that Germans had been denied the right of self-determination. Hitler expressed his desire for an Austro-German union in his earliest writings and speeches. The first point of the Nazi Party Platform (1920) stated: "We demand the union of all Germans in a Greater Germany (Großdeutschland) on the basis of the right of national self-determination".
The idea of an Anschluss, or annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany, gained support after the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918. The new Republic of German-Austria attempted to unite with Germany, but the 1919 Treaty of Saint Germain and Treaty of Versailles prohibited this union and stripped Austria of some of its territories. In the 1920s, many Austrians believed that their country could not survive economically without the lands previously held by Austria-Hungary. Some wanted to restore the empire, while others wanted to unite with Germany.
Hitler planned to achieve power in Austria through the Austrian Nazi Party. However, in the late 1920s and early 1930s, the Austrian Nazi Party was weak and divided. By 1931, the bulk of Austrian Nazis recognized Hitler as their leader, and he appointed a German Nazi to bring the Austrian party in line. Despite the Austrian Patriotic Front's attempts to maintain Austrian independence, the Anschluss occurred on March 12, 1938, with the support of many Austrians. This act of territorial expansion demonstrated Nazi disdain for the post-World War I European order and allowed Hitler to continue his expansionary policies unchecked.
Hitler's expansionist ideology was also reflected in his pursuit of "living space" (Lebensraum) in Eastern Europe. He rejected the pre-war borders of Germany as inadequate and saw the redrawing of national borders as a continuous political goal. The conquest of Lebensraum was a major ideological goal of Hitler and the Nazi Party, providing justification for their territorial expansion into Central and Eastern Europe. The Generalplan Ost stipulated that Germany required Lebensraum and that the populations of Central and Eastern Europe would have to be permanently removed, enslaved, or exterminated.
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Austria was isolated after Italy and Germany formed an alliance
Austria and Germany have historically shared close relations due to their common history, language, and ethnicity. In the 19th century, discussions about Austria's role in a German nation-state began, and the idea of a union between the two countries gained support after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918. However, the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of St. Germain-en-Laye in 1919 prohibited the unification of Austria and Germany to prevent the formation of a dominant German state.
Despite these treaties, Germany under Adolf Hitler continued to pursue the idea of Anschluss, or the annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany. In the mid-1930s, Germany faced challenges in meeting the steel production targets set by the Four Year Plan, and Austria, with its rich iron deposits, became an attractive target for annexation. Additionally, Hitler aimed to redraw the map of post-World War I Europe, considering the international borders unfair and illegitimate.
In the context of these ambitions, Austria found itself isolated after Italy and Germany formed a strategic collaboration in the mid-1930s. Italy, under Benito Mussolini, had initially supported Austrian independence, but after Mussolini was internationally isolated following Italy's conquest of Abyssinia, he strengthened his relations with Hitler. This left Austria without a crucial ally.
As a result of this isolation, Austria's Chancellor, Kurt Schuschnigg, was pressured by Hitler to accept Nazi ministers into his government. Despite initially calling for a plebiscite on the question of Anschluss, Schuschnigg ultimately cancelled the vote and resigned. On March 12, 1938, Germany annexed Austria, and the Republic of Austria ceased to exist as an independent state. This annexation was met with international inaction, and Austria became part of Nazi Germany until the end of World War II.
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Frequently asked questions
Germany wanted to protect Austria because of their shared history, with German being the official language and Germans being the majority ethnic group of both countries.
The Anschluss, or the annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany, was significant because it was the first step in Hitler's plan to redraw the map of post-World War I Europe and create a "Greater Germany".
The Republic of Austria ceased to exist as an independent state, and Austria's Jews fell under Nazi control. Many Jews, leftists, and Schuschnigg supporters tried to flee the country, but most were trapped in a rapidly Nazifying Austria.
Britain and France followed a policy of appeasement and did not intervene. However, the annexation of Austria provoked an international crisis that led to the Munich Agreement in September 1938, giving Nazi Germany control of the industrial Sudetenland.
In the 1920s, many Austrians did not believe that their country could survive economically without the lands previously held by the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Some Austrians hoped to restore a form of the empire, while others wanted to unite with Germany.
