Anschluss: Hitler's bloodless conquest of Austria

In the aftermath of World War I, Austria emerged as a diminished state. It had been stripped of its empire and was grappling with economic instability and political fragmentation.

At the Treaty of Saint-Germain, which was signed on September 10, 1919, heavy reparations were imposed on it.

Then, during the 1920s, a series of unstable governments, with the country divided between conservative, nationalist, and socialist factions, each vied for power in the new Republic of Austria.

The sudden global economic crisis of the 1930s hit Austria particularly hard. The collapse of the Creditanstalt bank in 1931, the largest bank in Austria, sent shockwaves through its economy.

It resulted in high unemployment and widespread poverty. This economic despair provided fertile ground for extremist ideologies.

The Austrian Nazi Party, inspired by Adolf Hitler's rise to power in Germany, began to gain significant traction.

Meanwhile, the Austrian government, led by Engelbert Dollfuss of the Christian Social Party, sought to stave off both Nazi and communist influences through increasingly authoritarian measures.

In 1933, Dollfuss effectively dissolved the parliament and established a dictatorship: aiming to create a corporate state along the lines of Fascist Italy.

This move further polarized Austrian politics. The situation escalated on July 25, 1934, when Dollfuss was assassinated during a failed coup attempt by Austrian Nazis.

His successor, Kurt Schuschnigg, continued Dollfuss's policies but faced mounting pressure from Hitler's Germany.

Hitler wanted to unify all German-speaking peoples under the Third Reich.

In the mid-1930s, Austria's new Chancellor, Kurt Schuschnigg, faced increasing pressure from Hitler's Germany.

The remilitarization of the Rhineland by Germany in 1936 and the formation of the Rome-Berlin Axis in October 1936 left Austria geopolitically isolated.

Hitler's demand for the incorporation of Austrian Nazis into Schuschnigg's government intensified the pressure.

In July 1936, Austria and Germany signed the July Agreement, which, while ostensibly a non-interference treaty, allowed for the release of imprisoned Austrian Nazis and a more lenient approach to the Nazi Party in Austria.

The pivotal year was 1938. On February 12, Schuschnigg met with Hitler at Berchtesgaden, where he was coerced into agreeing to appoint Austrian Nazis to key government positions.

IN particular, rthur Seyss-Inquart was appointed as Minister of the Interior.

This meeting marked a significant erosion of Austrian independence. In a bold move to reaffirm Austria's sovereignty, Schuschnigg announced a plebiscite on Austrian independence to be held on March 13, 1938.

The question to be posed to the Austrian people was whether they wished to maintain a free and independent Austria.

Hitler, viewing the plebiscite as a direct challenge, escalated his demands. He insisted on the cancellation of the vote and the resignation of Schuschnigg. 

So, on March 11, 1938, under immense pressure and the threat of military invasion by Germany, Schuschnigg resigned.

His resignation paved the way for Arthur Seyss-Inquart to take over as Chancellor.

Within hours of his appointment, Seyss-Inquart appealed to Germany for military support, claiming the need to maintain order.

This request effectively invited German troops into Austria and marked the beginning of the Anschluss.

On March 12, German forces crossed the Austrian border. They faced no resistance and were apparently greeted by many Austrians with enthusiasm and support.

This was a reflection of the significant pro-Nazi sentiment among parts of the Austrian population.

Soon, the German troops took control of key infrastructure and government institutions.

By the time they reached Vienna on March 14, Austria had effectively ceased to exist as an independent nation.

Eventually, the formal declaration of the Anschluss came on March 13, 1938, when Austria was incorporated into Nazi Germany.

Hitler himself entered Austria on March 14, receiving a hero's welcome in Vienna.

The annexation was followed by a referendum on April 10, 1938, retrospectively asking the Austrian people to ratify the Anschluss.

The official results showed overwhelming support, though the fairness and freedom of the referendum were heavily compromised by Nazi propaganda and intimidation.

Following the Anschluss in March 1938, Austria underwent a series of legal and political changes as it was absorbed into Nazi Germany. 

The country was renamed "Ostmark" and divided into several administrative districts, directly overseen by officials appointed by Berlin.

The Austrian Nazi Party, which had been a key player in facilitating the annexation, was merged into the National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP).

The Austrian parliament, political parties, and independent institutions were dissolved, and all facets of political power were consolidated under the Nazi regime.

In terms of civil administration, the Anschluss brought about the centralization of power in the hands of the Nazi party.

Civil service, education, and cultural institutions were all Nazified, with a strong emphasis on loyalty to Hitler and the Nazi ideology.

Schools and universities were purged of Jewish and politically undesirable teachers and students.

The curriculum was rewritten to include racial theory and the glorification of the Aryan race.

In addition, the Hitler Youth and the League of German Girls became integral parts of the education system, indoctrinating the youth with Nazi ideals.

This transformation extended to all aspects of public life, including the media, which was tightly controlled and used for Nazi propaganda.

As a result, the public was saturated with Nazi symbolism and propaganda, with flags, banners, and posters promoting the regime and its leaders.

Public events, parades, and celebrations were used to foster a sense of unity and loyalty to the Nazi cause.

The traditional Austrian identity was suppressed in favor of a new, German-centric identity, with the German language and culture being promoted at the expense of local traditions.

In addition, the implementation of the Nuremberg Laws, Jews were systematically stripped of their rights.

They were subjected to violent persecution and forced out of their jobs and homes.

Many were even compelled to flee the country, while those who remained faced increasingly brutal repression. 

Among the major European powers, the responses varied. France, which had been a traditional ally of Austria and a signatory to the Treaty of Versailles that prohibited such unifications, was internally divided and politically weak.

The French government issued statements of disapproval but took no significant action, partly due to its own political instability and partly due to its reliance on British support.

The United Kingdom, under Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, was reluctant to confront Germany militarily.

Chamberlain's government, prioritizing peace and stability in Europe and dealing with the constraints of a still-recovering economy from World War I, chose not to intervene, rationalizing the Anschluss as a natural union of German-speaking peoples.

Following the remilitarization of the Rhineland in 1936, the Anschluss was a clear violation of the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint-Germain, which had prohibited the unification of Austria and Germany after World War I.

The ease with which Germany annexed Austria without significant international opposition demonstrated the ineffectiveness of these treaties and the League of Nations in maintaining peace.

The annexation also had strategic implications for Nazi Germany. It provided Germany with a strategic advantage in Central Europe, bolstering its position for further expansionist moves.

The acquisition of Austria's resources and military infrastructure also strengthened Germany's military capabilities.

Furthermore, the Anschluss served as a test for the reactions of other European powers, particularly Britain and France.

The lack of a forceful response from these nations likely influenced Hitler's decision to continue his expansionist policies, leading to subsequent aggressions such as the Sudetenland crisis in Czechoslovakia later in 1938 and the eventual invasion of Poland in 1939, which directly triggered the outbreak of World War II.