What is Anschluss?
In 1938, a political union of Austria with Germany achieved an annexation by Adolf Hitler, which was termed as Anschluss. Chiefly with Austrian social democrats from 1919 to 1933, Anschluss with Germany remained a hope. As a result, Hitler’s rise to power drew less attention to it. After the unsuccessful attempt of Austrian and German Nazis, an authoritarian right-wing government took over the power. Hitler invited the Austrian Chancellor Kurt Von Schuschnigg in the February of 1938 to Germany and forced him to give a free hand to the Austrian Nazis.
In the past, Austria turned to Italy for support, but the idea of intervening to protect Austria was abandoned by Benito Mussolini. Schuschnigg announced a plebiscite on Anschluss' question. He was forced to cancel the plebiscite, and he decided to resign as Chancellor. He ordered the Austrian army not to support Germany any further. Arthur Seyss Inquart was not accepted as the new Chancellor of Austrian Nazi by Wilhelm Miklas of Austria. Hitler was given the cover to annex Austria outright on March 13 due to the invasion of Germans on March 12. Around ninety-nine percent approval was given by a controlled plebiscite of April 10.
Anschluss With Austria
Hitler dreamt about turning all German-speaking nations to be a part of Germany in Europe. His first plan was to reunite his homeland Austria with Germany. Germany and Austria were forbidden to be unified under the terms of the treaty of Versailles. Hitler also wanted control over Sudetenland, a huge German-speaking land within Czechoslovakia. Hitler was ready to destabilize and undermine its independence to reach his goal. Anschluss with Austria was his ultimate goal. To preserve the German invasion in Austria, Schuschnigg, the new Chancellor never gave Hitler an excuse for aggression.
Schuschnigg signed the German Austrian Agreement of 1936 and tried to cooperate with Hitler to much extent. Since Nazis held Official posts in Austria, Schuschnigg thought it would please Hitler. His position as a chancellor was undermined in 1936, and Austria lost protection from Italy. Now Austria was in a dangerous state of manners and was vulnerable to German aggression. Hitler's goal of Anschluss with Austria turned true by completely ruining Austria’s strength and independence.
Relation Between Austria and Germany
With German being the shared language of the two countries, their shared history, and their past, the relation between Austria and Germany is close and deep. Until the unification of German states under Prussia, their predecessors were part of the Holy Roman Empire and German confederation. After World war I, Austria renamed itself to be the Republic of Germany-Austria to unify with Germany. The treaty of Saint Germain-en-Laye was successful in terminating this attempt by Austria in 1919. Adolf Hitler, who was Austrian-born, annexed Austria in the Anschluss. Austria and Germany were unified, but it left Austria under the terror of German aggression and attacks. Although, the chancellors of Austria tried to cooperate with Hitler to prevent attacks.
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Interesting Anschluss Facts
Some interesting facts about the Anschluss union which was the main reason for the unification of Germany and Austria, are stated below:
Anschluss's meaning is union in the German language. It was proposed in 1919 and occurred in 1938 after the unification of Austria and Germany.
Hitler demanded to put several Austrian Nazis at powerful governmental posts. Hitler also positioned Arthur Seys Enquart, the Austrian Nazi leader that made him more powerful.
After the set of Annexation, the total Austrian power was handed to German Nazis. To maintain the Anschluss, many Wehrmacht troops moved to Austria.
German Federation forces led by Austria and Prussia defeated the Danish armies. It resulted in the Treaty of Vienna, where Denmark gave up their two territories - Schleswig and Holstein.
Conclusion
Until the conclusion of World War II, Austria was considered a part of Germany. The government of Austria declared Anschluss invalid on the 27th of April 1945. Austria became a separate nation from Germany after the allied treaty of the Austrian State was formed in 1955. Although Anschluss was declared for the unification of Austria and Germany, it mainly brought terror to Austria under the rule of Adolf Hitler.
FAQs on Anschluss
1. Briefly discuss the unification of Austria?
Just after the end of World War II, Austria split into four occupation zones, and each zone was held by the United States, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and France. In 1863-64, the war of unification took place for the first time in history. But the treaty was a real problem for Austria as they had to travel through Prussia to reach Holstein. Then the 2nd war of unification took place where Bismarck led the Prussian army against Austria as Austria was the crucial obstacle to unification.
Before attacking Austria, Bismarck made alliances with some country powers - Russia, France, and Italy. This war continued for seven weeks and, at last, ended on the 23rd of August 1866, with the Treaty of Prague. With the help of this treaty, Prussia kept all the territories that they had won in the war, and Austria would be isolated as they would have no right to get engaged in German affairs.
2. What did the term Anschluss mean to Hitler and the Germans?
Anschluss is a German word that means "Union." Anschluss is a political unification between two countries - Germany and Austria. It was the Annexation by the great leader of Nazi Germany, Adolf Hitler, in the year 1938. The Anschluss was the biggest step taken by Hitler to make a greater German Reich recapture all the German territories which they lost in the First World War. Before Anschluss, Austrian chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg announced a referendum on a possible union of Austria with Germany. But Hitler threatened to invade Austria, and as a result, Schuschnigg had to resign. Schuschnigg desperately wanted Austria to be independent and requested assistance from some countries. When no one reached for assistance, Schuschnichigg had to resign in March. On 12th March, Hitler invaded and crossed the border of Austria, and on 13th March took Austrians into his Great German Reich. On the 15th of March, Hitler announced about the Anschluss around 195,000 Austrian people in Heldenplatz.
