Damon Mcknight
Adolf Hitler was born in Austria but identified as ethnically German, and his favourite teacher at school was a German nationalist who was part of the underground Nazi SS. When he lived in Vienna as a young adult, he read many books on German nationalism, which helped form his later beliefs. Hitler was a Pan-Germanist who wanted to unite the German race, and he saw Austrians as Germans. He was appointed Chancellor of Germany in 1933 and intended to bring about an Austro-German union, but he had to focus on establishing a Nazi dictatorship and gaining power in Austria first. He eventually took full control of Austria in 1938, and the country was part of Nazi Germany until 1945.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Hitler's nationality | Hitler considered himself ethnically German, born in the Austrian Empire rather than the German Empire |
| German nationalism | Hitler was fascinated with German nationalism, influenced by a nationalist teacher in his youth |
| Austrian politics | Hitler planned to gain power in Austria through the Austrian Nazi Party, which initially lacked organisation and direction |
| Austro-German union | Hitler intended to unite Austria and Germany, a popular idea in both countries |
| Austrian independence | Austrian chancellors Schuschnigg and Dollfuss attempted to maintain Austrian independence |
| Nazi support | The Nazis gained votes in Austria due to the economic crisis, and most Austrians supported the Anschluss |
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What You'll Learn
Hitler's Austrian identity was secondary to his German identity
Hitler's Austrian identity was indeed secondary to his German identity. Hitler was born in Braunau, Austria, but he considered himself ethnically German. After the split of Austria-Hungary, the remaining part of Austria was called "Deutsch-Österreich" (German Austria), and the idea of forming a country with Germany was popular. Many Austrians hoped to unite with Germany, and Hitler was no exception.
Hitler was a nationalist, and German nationalism was more natural for him than Austrian nationalism because he was a German speaker. He saw himself as German first and Austrian second. He was fascinated with German nationalism from a young age, and his favourite teacher growing up often spoke of German nationalism and was even part of the underground Nazi SS. When he lived in Vienna as a young adult, he consumed countless books about German nationalism that helped form his beliefs.
Hitler was not a German nationalist but a Pan-German, striving to unite the German race. He saw the Austrian state as rotting due to mediocrity and believed that the Austrian monarchy was 'corrupting the purity of German nationality'. He wanted to redraw the map of post-World War I Europe and considered the postwar international borders unfair and illegitimate. As German Chancellor, he first annexed Austria to Germany and then took control of the non-German parts separately as "colonies" or satellite states.
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Hitler's nationalism was driven by Pan-Germanism
Hitler, despite being Austrian by birth, considered himself ethnically German and was fascinated with German nationalism from a young age. He was influenced by German nationalist thinkers such as Georg Ritter von Schönerer, who led the Pan-German Society and advocated for the annexation of all German-speaking territories to the German Empire, rejecting Austrian nationalism. Hitler's time in Vienna as a young adult further solidified his nationalist beliefs, as he consumed books on German nationalism that helped form his later political ideology.
Hitler's adoption of Pan-Germanism is evident in his early political career. He met Heinrich Class in 1918, a supporter of the Beer Hall Putsch, and shared many basic pan-German visions with the Pan-German League. Hitler went on to lead the Nazi Party (National Socialist German Workers' Party, NSDAP), which strongly advocated for unifying all ethnic Germans under the Greater Germany concept. This was reflected in the first point of the Nazi 25-point programme, demanding the unification of all Germans in a Greater Germany.
Hitler's nationalism and Pan-Germanic vision led to his annexation of Austria (Anschluss) and the Sudetenland, completing the Nazi goal of unifying German-speaking peoples. He also demanded coordination of Austrian foreign and military policies with Germany and the release of imprisoned Austrian Nazis, further asserting his control over Austria. Hitler's Pan-Germanism was a significant factor in his expansionist policies and contributed to the outbreak of World War II.
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Hitler's time in Vienna influenced his German nationalism
Hitler's time in Vienna, the capital of Austria, played a significant role in shaping his extreme German nationalism. While living in Vienna as a young adult, Hitler consumed countless books, particularly those espousing German nationalism, which helped form his later beliefs.
It is important to understand the context of Austria at the time. After the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire following World War I, many Austrians felt that their country was economically vulnerable and sought solutions, including uniting with Germany. This idea of unification was not new, as discussions about Austria's role in a German nation-state dated back to the 19th century.
Hitler, despite being born in Austria, considered himself ethnically German first and Austrian second. He viewed the Austrian state with disdain, seeing it as corrupt and mediocrity that was "corrupting the purity of German nationality." This sentiment is reflected in his writing, where he states that Germanisation of lands cannot be achieved merely by making people speak the German language.
Hitler's time in Vienna coincided with a period of political and economic instability in Austria. The Austrian Nazi Party, linked to Hitler's NSDAP, initially struggled to gain traction, receiving only 3.6% of the votes in the election. However, as the economic crisis deepened, Hitler's party gained support, doubling its membership annually after 1930.
Hitler's extreme nationalism and desire to unite all Germans under one nation led him to pursue an Austro-German union. He saw Austria as a relatively pure extension of Germany that could be easily annexed, followed by the non-German parts as "colonies" or satellite states. This Pan-Germanic ideology, influenced by his time in Vienna, shaped his foreign policy goals and ultimately contributed to his rise to power in Germany.
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Hitler's Austrian background was not a barrier to German unification
Hitler's Austrian identity was also not an obstacle to his pursuit of German unification because he was a Pan-Germanist, striving to unite the German race. He opposed the rise of sub-nationalism among the various states of German nationality, including the Austrian state, which he saw as mediocre and corrupt. Hitler's goal was to redraw the map of post-World War I Europe, considering the international borders of the time unfair and illegitimate.
Additionally, discussions and debates about Austria's role in a German nation-state dated back to the 19th century, and many Austrians hoped for unification with Germany after World War I. Hitler intended to bring about an Austro-German union, and his Austrian background did not hinder this ambition. He worked towards achieving power in Austria through the Austrian Nazi Party, which gained support due to the economic crisis and anti-Semitic sentiments. By 1931, the bulk of Austrian Nazis recognised Hitler as their leader.
Hitler's Austrian chancellor, Schuschnigg, attempted to maintain Austrian independence but ultimately had to give in to Hitler's demands, signing the Berchtesgaden Agreement, which undermined Austrian sovereignty. On March 13, 1938, Austria officially became part of Nazi Germany, known as the Anschluss, and Hitler's unification goals were realised despite his Austrian roots.
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Hitler's Austrian supporters wanted unity with Germany
The idea of a union between Austria and Germany, or Anschluss, was not new and dated back to the 19th century. The 1871 unification of Germany excluded Austria and the German Austrians from the Prussian-dominated German Empire. After the Austro-Hungarian Empire fell in 1918, the new Republic of German-Austria attempted to unite with Germany, but the Treaty of Saint Germain and Treaty of Versailles expressly forbade this.
In the 1920s, many Austrians did not believe 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. Hitler, too, wanted to redraw the map of post-World War I Europe and considered the postwar international borders unfair and illegitimate. In his 1925 book, Mein Kampf, he wrote that he would create a union between his birth country, Austria, and Germany by any means possible. He also wrote, "German Austria must return to the great German motherland" and "common blood belongs in a common Reich".
In the 1930s, the Nazis gained votes at the expense of other German national groups, which also wanted unity with Germany. On February 12, 1938, Hitler demanded that Austrian chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg appoint members of Austria's Nazi Party to his cabinet and give full political rights to the party or face an invasion by the German army. On March 9, 1938, Schuschnigg attempted to assert Austrian independence by calling a referendum on the issue. However, on March 12, the German army crossed the border into Austria, unopposed by the Austrian military.
On April 10, 1938, Austrians were asked whether they supported the union, and 99.75% of voters said they did. This high percentage was likely due to the vote not being anonymous, with opponents not daring to vote against. The referendum was another propaganda opportunity for the Nazis, who co-opted and mobilized a wide variety of Austrian institutions and leaders, including representatives of two constituencies that had been reluctant to embrace the Nazi movement: the Austrian working class and the Catholic Church.
There were several reasons for the enthusiasm with which most Austrians greeted the loss of their country's independence. Firstly, most Austrians were aware of Hitler's economic achievements and hoped for an improvement in their everyday lives. Secondly, many welcomed the union as a chance to put an end to the "Jewish Question", with Austrian Nazis and their accomplices perpetrating antisemitic violence.
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Frequently asked questions
Hitler considered himself ethnically German and only Austrian by birth. He was fascinated with German nationalism from a young age, and his favourite teacher growing up espoused German nationalism and was even part of the underground Nazi SS.
Hitler was a Pan-Germanist, striving to unite the German race. He saw Austrians as Germans and wanted to unite the two countries.
Yes, Hitler wanted to invade Austria and unite it with Germany. In 1938, Hitler threatened to invade Austria and forced Austrian chancellor Schuschnigg to implement measures favourable to Austrian Nazism.
In the 1920s, many Austrians did not think their country could survive economically without the lands previously held by Austria-Hungary. Some wanted to restore a form of the empire, while others wanted to unite with Germany.
Austria was part of Nazi Germany from 13 March 1938 (the Anschluss) until 27 April 1945, when Allied-occupied Austria declared independence.
