On the night of March 11-12, 1938, Nazi troops invaded Austria.

From that moment, the process of the actual absorption of the country by Nazi Germany began.

Preconditions for the Anschluss

The ideas of uniting Germany and Austria into a single state became popular among the population of both countries after the end of the First World War.

After the collapse of Austria-Hungary, official Vienna lost most of the territories under its control, industrial enterprises and agricultural land.

For this reason, according to historians, many public and political figures doubted the viability of the republic in the new conditions, and saw a chance to become part of a mighty power in joining Germany.

However, Western countries initially prevented their unification.

The creation of a unified German state was prohibited at the initiative of the victorious countries in the First World War.

The members of the Entente recorded this ban in the Versailles and Saint-Germain peace treaties.

As a result, under pressure from the Western European powers, Berlin and Vienna in 1919 curtailed the unification process that had actually been launched, which was perceived by the Germans and Austrians as an additional humiliation on the part of the victors and an obstruction of the right to self-determination.

In the early 1930s, against the background of the global economic crisis, Germany and Austria tried to create a customs union, but this initiative also failed due to pressure from the powers that won the First World War.

In 1932, right-wing politician Engelbert Dollfuss became Chancellor of Austria.

He began to build a "corporate state" regime, which some historians also call Austrofascism.

Dollfuss abandoned the idea of ​​unification with Germany, and began to focus on fascist Italy in foreign policy.

In turn, Adolf Hitler, who was rapidly increasing his influence on the social and political life of Germany, was a supporter of the transfer of Austria under the control of Berlin.

The Austrian Nazis launched a propaganda campaign on the territory of their country, during which they expressed support for Hitler and tried to discredit Dollfuss.

They staged illegitimate protests on the streets, fought with the police and political opponents, and persecuted local Jews.

In 1933, the German government introduced a special duty for Germans traveling to Austria - in this way, official Berlin decided to undermine the Viennese authorities' income from tourism.

In the summer of 1933, in response to another terrorist attack, Dollfuss banned the activities of the Nazi Party in Austria.

Some of the Nazis went to Germany and formed the paramilitary "Austrian Legion" there, and some launched underground activities.

In July 1934, an attempted coup d'etat was made in Austria: the Nazis seized the chancellery building, where government meetings were held, and the state radio station.

Dollfuss was seriously injured.

The Nazis demanded that the Chancellor resign, but he refused.

After that, he was left without medical care.

Dollfuss died a few hours later.

  • Chancellor of Austria Engelbert Dollfuss

  • © Public Domain

At the same time, security forces loyal to the Austrian authorities blocked the government building, and Benito Mussolini, as part of allied obligations, sent five divisions to the border with Austria.

The rebels were forced to surrender, and Hitler announced his non-involvement in the preparation of the putsch.

Kurt von Schusching became the new chancellor of Austria, continuing the policy of his predecessor.

And the Austrian Nazis, who after the death of Dollfuss were persecuted by the authorities, began to act more cautiously.

According to historians, the Nazi secret services and diplomats deliberately drove Austria into a foreign policy impasse, depriving Vienna of the opportunity to act independently: they conducted Nazi propaganda, undermining the influence of official Vienna among the population, demonstrated the growing strength of the Wehrmacht, strengthened ties between Berlin and Rome, discouraging Mussolini from intervening in German-Austrian relations.

In 1936, von Schusching signed an agreement with Germany, in fact forcing him to coordinate his actions in the international arena with Berlin.

In addition, he announced a partial amnesty to the Nazis and began to appoint them to administrative positions.

"Confidence in one's own impunity"

In late 1937 - early 1938, representatives of the British authorities made a number of statements indicating that official London did not object to the transfer of Austria under the control of the Nazis and would not defend it.

None of the Western leaders began to argue with the British.

On February 12, 1938, Hitler presented von Schusching with an ultimatum, including a demand to appoint Austrian Nazi leader Arthur Seyss-Inquart as head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and to announce a new amnesty for members of the Nazi Party.

Von Schusching agreed, but in order to obtain political insurance against further pressure from Berlin, he scheduled a referendum on Austrian independence for March 13.

Hitler was not sure of the results of the people's will and was furious at von Schusching's decision.

The Nazi Fuhrer demanded from the official Vienna the cancellation of the referendum, the resignation of the chancellor and the appointment of Arthur Seyss-Inquart, now the head of government.

On the evening of March 11, von Schusching announced his resignation and called on the citizens of Austria not to resist the German troops in the event of an invasion.

Nazi processions began on the streets of Austrian cities.

Supporters of the left forces and Jews began to leave the country en masse.

Von Schusching was placed under house arrest.

On the night of March 11-12, 1938, Austrian President Wilhelm Miklas appointed Seyss-Inquart chancellor, and a few hours later, units of the German army crossed the Austrian border.

Pro-Nazi locals greeted them with flowers.

On March 13, Seyss-Inquart signed the Austrian-German Reunification Act.

On the evening of the same day, Adolf Hitler arrived in Vienna.

  • Entry of Nazi troops into Austria

  • © Bundesarchiv / Wikimedia Commons

Historians call the events of 1938 the Anschluss - accession.

The Nazis even stopped using the word Austria itself, renaming it, according to medieval tradition, the Eastern March.

In the referendum on April 10, 1938, more than 99% of its participants officially supported the idea of ​​joining Germany.

“As a result of the Anschluss, the territory of the Third Reich increased by 17%, and the population by 10%.

The German army was replenished with new divisions.

Many Austrians sincerely believed that Nazism would bring them good, ”said Dmitry Surzhik, a senior researcher at the IVI RAS, in a conversation with RT.

  • Arrival of Adolf Hitler in Vienna

  • © Bundesarchiv / Wikimedia Commons

According to historians, carrying out the Anschluss of Austria, Hitler covered himself with anti-communist and anti-Soviet rhetoric.

The Nazis argued that if not for their actions, official Vienna could allegedly fall under the influence of Moscow.

At the same time, the Nazi Fuhrer became convinced that under such a pretext his foreign policy actions could go unpunished.

The only major power that officially condemned the Anschluss of Austria was the Soviet Union.

As the People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the USSR Maxim Litvinov said, "this time the violence was committed in the center of Europe, creating an undoubted danger not only for the 11 countries now bordering the aggressor, but also for all European states, and not only European ones."

  • Austria (in red) after joining Nazi Germany in 1938

  • © Wikimedia Commons / Kramler

“The most important historical consequence of the Anschluss was the improvement of the strategic position of Nazi Germany and confidence in their own impunity.

A little later, Hitler will also get away with the capture of Czechoslovakia, ”Valery Kulichkov, a researcher at the Victory Museum, said in an interview with RT.

According to experts, by his gradual violation of the conditions of the Versailles system under the guise of "the fight against communism", Hitler ensured that the Western powers turned a blind eye to his criminal activities for a very long time.

“The entry of troops into the Rhineland and the Anschluss of Austria became Hitler’s “trial balloons”.

The West swallowed it and calmly went to the Munich agreement.

The Nazis got the opportunity to build up their military potential on the eve of World War II, ”said Maksim Sinitsyn, a graduate student at the IVI RAS, in a conversation with RT.

As Valery Kulichkov said, during the Second World War, Austria provided Hitler with an influx of volunteers in the Wehrmacht and the SS, as well as the supply of military products.

About 65 thousand Austrian Jews were destroyed during the Holocaust.

  • Monument to Soviet soldiers who died during the liberation of Austria from fascism during the Second World War on Schwarzenbergplatz in Vienna

  • RIA News

In 1943, the members of the Anti-Hitler Coalition agreed that Austria should become independent after the end of the war.

In fact, Austrian statehood was restored in 1945.

Ten years later, the USSR, the USA, Great Britain and France officially confirmed its sovereignty.