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On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria to annex the German-speaking nation for the Third Reich. This was the first act of territorial expansion committed by Nazi Germany, and it was a significant step towards Hitler's desire to create a Greater German Reich that included all ethnic Germans and territories lost by the German Empire after World War I. The annexation of Austria, known as the Anschluss, was a highly popular move among Austrians, who hoped for improved economic conditions and the avoidance of bloodshed. However, it also marked a significant breach of the post-World War I international order and demonstrated Nazi disdain for the existing European political arrangements.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Annexation | 15 March 1938 |
| Hitler's Motivation | To create a Greater German Reich that included all ethnic Germans and all the lands and territories that the German Empire had lost after the First World War |
| To redraw the map of post-World War I Europe, considering the postwar international borders unfair and illegitimate | |
| To achieve the goals of the Nazi Party Platform (1920) | |
| To achieve the goals of Hitler's autobiography and political treatise Mein Kampf | |
| To gain access to Austria's raw materials and labour | |
| To gain access to Austria's gold and foreign currency reserves, unemployed skilled workers, idle factories, and large potential hydroelectric resources | |
| Austrian Response | Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg met with Hitler to reassert his country's independence but was forced to name several top Austrian Nazis to his cabinet |
| On 10 April, the Nazis organised a referendum to legitimise their military action, with more than 99% of the Austrian population voting in favour of the annexation | |
| Austrians welcomed Hitler warmly as he traveled to Linz and then to Vienna | |
| International Response | The governments of the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, and the United States of America considered the annexation imposed on Austria by Germany as null and void |
| The other European powers did not intervene or punish the Nazis for violating international treaties, which allowed Hitler to continue his expansionary policies unchecked |
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What You'll Learn
Hitler's Austrian roots
Adolf Hitler was born in Braunau am Inn, Austria, in 1889. He was an Austrian citizen by birth and lived in Austria until 1913 when he moved to Munich, Germany, to avoid being drafted into the Austrian army.
Hitler's father, Alois, was a mid-level customs official, and the family moved frequently during Hitler's childhood. In 1892, when Hitler was three, the family moved to Passau, Germany, following Alois's promotion to the customs administration there. In 1893, the family moved to Linz, Austria, but Hitler's mother and siblings remained in Passau. Hitler acquired the distinctive lower Bavarian dialect, rather than Austrian German, which marked his speech throughout his life. The family returned to Austria and settled in Leonding in 1894, and in 1895, Alois retired to Hafeld, near Lambach, where he farmed and kept bees. Hitler attended a state-funded primary school in nearby Fischlham.
Hitler's time in Linz also coincided with the development of his German nationalist ideas. He expressed loyalty only to Germany, despising the rule of the ethnically diverse Habsburg monarchy. Hitler and his friends used the greeting "Heil" and sang the "Deutschlandlied" instead of the Austrian Imperial anthem.
In 1907, Hitler left Linz to live and study fine art in Vienna, financed by orphan's benefits and support from his mother. He applied for admission to the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna but was rejected twice. Hitler lived in Vienna until 1913, and during this time, he was exposed to racist rhetoric and anti-Semitic literature, which was easily accessible in the city. Vienna's mayor, Karl Lueger, promoted anti-Semitism, and Hitler was also influenced by the German racist nationalism propagated by the Upper Austrian Pan-German politician Georg von Schönerer. Despite his exposure to anti-Semitism in Vienna, Hitler also had personal and business relationships with Jews in the city, and Jewish art dealers helped him sell his paintings.
Hitler's Austrian citizenship and naturalization as a German later became a matter of public discussion. In 1924, Hitler applied to be released from his Austrian citizenship, and in 1925, he became stateless. In 1932, after several failed attempts and seven years of statelessness, he finally obtained German citizenship through an arrangement with the Free State of Brunswick.
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Austria's economic value
Austria had endured financial troubles in the early 1920s, with its urban population largely dependent on relief from the US and the UK. Despite production improvements, inflation threatened financial collapse in 1922. Chancellor Ignaz Seipel secured a loan through the League of Nations, stabilising Austrian finances but committing to remaining independent for 20 years. The country experienced relative prosperity and economic reconstruction in the following years, with ambitious programs in housing, health, and education.
However, the worldwide depression in the early 1930s hit Austria hard, leaving a high unemployment rate. The country's most influential banking house, Creditanstalt, went bankrupt in 1931, bringing Austria close to financial ruin. The Austrian government's attempts to stave off economic collapse included a project for a customs union with Germany in 1931, which faced violent opposition from France and the Little Entente.
Hitler, an Austrian himself, had expressed his desire to unite Austria with Germany as early as 1925 in his book, Mein Kampf. He wrote, "German-Austria must return to the great German motherland... Common blood belongs in a common Reich." Despite initially denying any intention to annex Austria, Hitler's true intentions became clear when he demanded that Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg appoint members of the Austrian Nazi Party to his cabinet in 1938, threatening invasion otherwise.
Hitler's annexation of Austria, known as the Anschluss, was partly driven by economic considerations. Austria's resources and labour force would benefit Germany's rearmament efforts. Additionally, bringing Austria into the German economic sphere was a step towards Hitler's goal of creating a Greater German Reich that included all ethnic Germans and territories lost after World War I.
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Violation of international treaties
The annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany, known as the Anschluss, was among the first major steps in Austrian-born Hitler's desire to create a Greater German Reich that was to include all ethnic Germans and all the lands and territories that the German Empire had lost after the First World War. The unification of Austria and Germany was also part of the propaganda used by Nazi Germany to create the impression that the union was not coerced.
The annexation of Austria in 1938 was a violation of Article 80 of the Versailles Treaty, which stated that Germany must "respect strictly the independence of Austria". This was not the only breach of the Versailles Treaty, as Germany also violated Articles 42 to 44 regarding the demilitarized zone of the Rhineland, and Article 99 concerning the incorporation of the district of Memel.
The annexation also violated the Pact of Paris, signed by Germany and other countries on August 27, 1928. This pact was explicitly based on the maintenance of permanent peace and the outlawing of the use of force.
Furthermore, the annexation can be seen as a violation of the Conventions of Arbitration and Conciliation entered into between Germany, the Netherlands, and Denmark in 1926, and between Germany and Luxembourg in 1929. These conventions were intended to promote peaceful cooperation and the settlement of disputes through arbitration and conciliation, rather than through the use of force or aggression.
The annexation of Austria was also a breach of the principle of non-aggression, as Germany had signed non-aggression treaties with Denmark and Russia in 1939.
Finally, the annexation can be viewed as a violation of the Vienna Convention Law Treaties, which states that a treaty is void if its conclusion has been procured by the threat or use of force, or if it conflicts with a peremptory norm of general international law. The annexation of Austria was certainly an act of aggression and a threat to the use of force, and it also conflicted with the norm of respecting the independence and sovereignty of other nations.
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The Anschluss referendum
The Anschluss, or the annexation of Austria, was the first act of territorial expansion committed by Nazi Germany. It was a significant step in Austrian-born Hitler's desire to create a Greater German Reich that would include all ethnic Germans and all the lands and territories that the German Empire had lost after the First World War.
Hitler had expressed his desire for an Austro-German union in his earliest writings and speeches. In his 1925 book, 'Mein Kampf', he wrote, "German-Austria must return to the great German motherland, and not because of economic considerations of any sort... Common blood belongs in a common Reich." By 1937, rapid German rearmament increased Berlin's interest in annexing Austria, which was rich in raw materials and labour.
On February 12, 1938, Hitler met with the Austrian chancellor, Kurt von Schuschnigg, and demanded that he appoint members of Austria's Nazi Party to his cabinet and give them full political rights, threatening invasion by the German army if he did not comply. On March 9, Schuschnigg called a national vote to resolve the question of the annexation once and for all. However, before the plebiscite could take place, Schuschnigg gave in to Hitler's demands and resigned on March 11.
On April 10, 1938, the Nazis organised a referendum to legitimise their military action. This vote, which took place under the supervision of the German army, resulted in more than 99% of Austrian voters supporting a union with Germany. The high percentage can be attributed to several factors, including genuine enthusiasm for the union, relief that bloodshed had been avoided, and the desire for improved economic conditions. Additionally, the vote was not anonymous, so opponents did not dare to vote against the annexation.
The Anschluss transformed Austria almost overnight. Austrian and German Nazis quickly carried out the Nazification of Austrian life, and many Austrians participated willingly. The annexation of Austria was a significant breach of the post-World War I international order and a violation of the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint-Germain, which expressly forbade the unification of Austria and Germany.
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International community's appeasement
The annexation of Austria, or the Anschluss, was the first act of territorial expansion committed by Nazi Germany. By annexing Austria, Hitler violated the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint-Germain, which expressly forbade the unification of the two countries. This act of open aggression was not met with any intervention from the international community, nor was Nazi Germany punished for violating international treaties. This was a significant act of appeasement, which allowed Hitler to continue his expansionary policies unchecked.
The Anschluss was a watershed moment in Nazi Germany's foreign policy. It demonstrated Nazi disdain for the post-World War I European order and the international community's failure to uphold it. The international community's acceptance of the Anschluss emboldened Hitler and allowed him to pursue his aggressive foreign policy goals without fear of repercussions.
In the lead-up to the annexation, Hitler had denied any intention to interfere in Austrian affairs or to pursue an Anschluss. However, by 1936, the damage to Austria from the German boycott was too great, and Austria was forced to come to an agreement with Germany. This agreement included the release of Nazis imprisoned in Austria and a promise from Germany to respect Austrian sovereignty. Despite this, Hitler continued to pressure Austria, eventually demanding that Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg appoint members of the Austrian Nazi Party to his cabinet and give them full political rights.
On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria, and the country ceased to exist as a nation. A plebiscite was held on April 10, under the supervision of the German army, and 99.75% of Austrian voters supported a union with Germany. The international community's lack of response to the annexation of Austria set a precedent for further acts of aggression by Nazi Germany, including the occupation of Czech lands and the invasion of Poland, which started World War II.
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Frequently asked questions
Hitler wanted to annex Austria because he believed that all Germans should be united in a "Greater Germany" or "Greater German Reich". In his 1925 book Mein Kampf, Hitler wrote that German-Austria must return to the "great German motherland".
On February 12, 1938, Hitler met with Austrian chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg and demanded that he appoint members of Austria's Nazi Party to his cabinet. On March 11, Schuschnigg gave in to Hitler's demands and resigned. The following day, German troops marched into Austria and on March 13, Austrian Nazi Chancellor Seyss-Inquart signed the "Reunification of Austria with Germany" law.
Many Austrians welcomed the annexation and Hitler was greeted warmly when he travelled to Linz and Vienna. A referendum was held on April 10, 1938, to legitimise the military action, and more than 99% of the Austrian population voted in favour of the union with Germany. However, it is important to note that the vote was not anonymous and opponents did not dare to vote against.
The annexation of Austria, known as the Anschluss, was the first act of territorial expansion committed by Nazi Germany. It violated the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint-Germain, which expressly forbade the unification of Austria and Germany. However, the international community did not intervene or punish Nazi Germany for violating these treaties, which was an act of appeasement.
