The Anschluss March 1938
Article 80 of Versailles Peace Treaty
• Germany acknowledges and will respect
strictly the independence of Austria,
within the frontiers which may be fixed in
a Treaty between that State and the
Principal Allied and Associated Powers;
she agrees that this independence shall
be inalienable, except with the consent of
the Council of the League of Nations.
Hitler’s views on Anschluss
Adolf Hitler; Mein Kampf, 1924 page 1
‘German–Austria must return to the great German
mother country,……’
‘ Only when the Reich borders include the very last
German…. will the moral right to acquire foreign soil
arise…’
BBC clip Was Hitler planning for war?
Why did Hitler want Anschluss?
• To build a united and Greater German nation
which meant:
– get all German speaking people (the German race)
into one nation (reich). Included 6 million Austrians
– Strategically
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Anschluss would be one more removal of terms of VPT
Bigger population + bigger armed forces for the Reich
Would give access to SE Europe (Yugoslavia, Hungary)
Italy could be dominated
Czechoslovakia’s Sudetenland could be next area to bring
back into Germany.
The Hossbach Memorandum
Nov 1937
• What was it?
– Notes taken by Colonel Count Friedrich Hossbach
after a meeting of Hitler with his Foreign Minister
and the 3 armed forces heads
– Hitler's future expansionist policies were outlined.
– Used as evidence by historians to argue Hitler either
– had a master plan for war
– OR
– Was an opportunist who took chances as
they arose.
The Hossbach Memorandum Nov 1937
• What was in it?
– A discussion of what Germany should do if any one of 3
possible scenarios arose.
– Case 1 – 1943 1945
• To achieve lebensraum Germany must act before this date. Her
armed forces would be at their peak. Other countries would be
catching up.
– Case 2
• If France has a civil war making her army useless against
Germany, then Germany should take action against the Czechs
– Case 3
If France has a war with any other country so she cannot fight
against Germany, the following action should be taken:
• Take over Czechoslovakia and Austria
• Assume Britain and France will not take action against Germany
The Hossbach Memorandum Nov 1937
• Its significance
• Used in 1946 at the Nuremberg Trials as
evidence to “prove” the Nazi government
was planning for and intending to start a
war in Europe.
• However, some historians dispute the
idea it was a plan with a start date and
timetable for war. It was more of a wish
list to take action when the possibilities
arose.
How Anschluss happened
• Austrian Chancellor in 1938 - Dr Kurt
von Schuschnigg
• Austrian Nazi leader in 1938 - Arthur
Seyss-Inquart
Schuschnigg, Hitler meeting 12th Feb 1938
• What happened?
• Jan 1938 Schuschnigg bans Austrian
Nazi Party
• Feb meeting at the Berghof (Hitler’s
house in Bavaria).
The Berghof
Berghof meeting ctd
• Hitler demands:
– Sch’ to lift ban on Nazi Party
– Nazi prisoners to be released and reinstated
– Nazis to be put in key govt posts –
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S-Inq as Minister of Interior (control of police)
Horstmann- Minister for War
Fisch- Finance Minister
If demands refused Hitler would occupy Austria
• Outcome of meeting – see note after Qu.
52
Results of Berghof meeting
• Schuschnigg arranges a plebiscite in
Austria.
Results ctd.
• Hitler incensed. Desperate to avoid a ‘No’ vote. WHY?
• Would mean no mandate to unite with Austria.
• Nazis create trouble in Austria declaring Austrian
people asking for help from Germany.
• 11 March Hitler sends ultimatum to Schuschnigg –
hand over power to Austrian Nazis or face invasion.
• Schuschnigg realises no help coming from GB or
France so he resigns.
• 12 March German troops cross the border unopposed
into Austria. Anschluss complete.
Germans cross Austrian border
March 1938
Germans entering Vienna, capital of Austria
Austrians welcoming Nazis
March 1938
More welcoming Austrians
Hitler in Vienna. March 1938
Anschluss BBC clip
Hitler’s plebiscite: April
• Why were 99.7% in favour of Anschluss?
– The vote was rigged by the Nazis
– Many Austrians were actually in favour of
Anschluss
• "Do you agree with the reunification of Austria with the German
Reich that was enacted on 13 March 1938, and do you vote for
the party of our leader Adolf Hitler?;"
• the large circle is labelled "Yes," the smaller "No."
Humiliation of Austrian Jews in Vienna
Forcing Jews to clean up Schuschnigg’s
slogans off the streets.
Freedom leaves
Austria
April 1938
A comment by a Swiss
cartoonist
The importance of Anschluss
• Strategic
– Austria now a gateway for Hitler to invade SE
Europe
– Czechoslovakia next to bring into Reich
• Economic
– Austrian gold can help repay rearmament deficit
– Austrian iron and steel, engineering, armaments
manufacturing
• International relations
– Hitler and Mussolini strengthen relations
– GB and France clearly not prepared to act against
Germany with force
Why no military response from Italy
• Mussolini believed Hitler’s promise that
the Brenner Pass would be the
permanent border between Italy and
Germany.
• Mussolini firmly allied to Hitler and has
lost faith in France and Britain.
• Hitler thanks Mussolini for not reacting
against him.
Why no military response from France
• Maginot line – defensive stance.
• No military support from Italy or Britain
British Government reaction
to Anschluss
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On 14 March, the British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain noted in the House of Commons:
“His Majesty's Government have throughout been in the closest touch with the situation. The Foreign
Secretary saw the German Foreign Minister on the 10th of March and addressed to him a grave
warning on the Austrian situation and upon what appeared to be the policy of the German
Government in regard to it.... Late on the 11th of March our Ambassador in Berlin registered a protest
in strong terms with the German Government against such use of coercion, backed by force, against
an independent State in order to create a situation incompatible with its national independence.”
However the speech concluded:
“I imagine that according to the temperament of the individual the events which are in our minds today will be the cause of regret, of sorrow, perhaps of indignation. They cannot be regarded by His
Majesty's Government with indifference or equanimity. They are bound to have effects which cannot
yet be measured. The immediate result must be to intensify the sense of uncertainty and insecurity in
Europe. Unfortunately, while the policy of appeasement would lead to a relaxation of the economic
pressure under which many countries are suffering to-day, what has just occurred must inevitably
retard economic recovery and, indeed, increased care will be required to ensure that marked
deterioration does not set in. This is not a moment for hasty decisions or for careless words. We must
consider the new situation quickly, but with cool judgement... As regards our defence programmes,
we have always made it clear that they were flexible and that they would have to be reviewed from
time to time in the light of any development in the international situation. It would be idle to pretend
that recent events do not constitute a change of the kind that we had in mind. Accordingly we have
decided to make a fresh review, and in due course we shall announce what further steps we may
think it necessary to take.”
Within this speech, Chamberlain also stated in the House of Commons: "The hard fact is that nothing
could have arrested what has actually happened [in Austria] unless this country and other countries
had been prepared to use force"
More British responses to Anschluss
• Majority view
• Minority view
• See handout –
Anschluss – I’ve got to know this