3.2.4 Anschluss, 1938

Question 1

How many years had Germany been ruled by Austria?

Answer 1

600 years

Question 2

In what treaty were Germany and Austria forbidden to unite?

Answer 2

Treaty of Versailles

Question 3

Which three Hitler foreign policy aims were thought of when he decided to invade Austria?

Answer 3

• Lebensraum
• Volksdeutsche
• Destroy TOV

Question 4

Why did Hitler back down in 1934 after he ordered for the murder of Dollfuss?

Answer 4

Mussolini moved troops to the Austrian border

Question 5

Anschluss, 1938 (5)

Answer 5

• In 1938, Austrian Nazis planned to get rid of the new chancellor, Schuschnigg, but police discovered and stopped this plot. Austrian Nazis were imprisoned, but Schuschnigg still felt vulnerable. He met with Hitler and agreed to give key positions in the Austrian government in return for Hitler’s support
• Hitler’s puppet, Seyss-Inquart, was appointed as minister for the interior, with full power over the police in Austria. He now had full control of the Austrian police force, who turned a blind eye to Nazi terrorist attacks on the Austrian government
• Schuschnigg planned a plebiscite to prove that the people of Austria did not want to be ruled by Hitler, but Hitler demanded that this be delayed and then forced Schuschnigg to resign
• Hitler made Seyss-Inquart the new chancellor. Seyss-Inquart was a Nazi ‘puppet’ - Hitler controlled him. He claimed that Austria was in a state of chaos and asked Hitler to restore order, and so on 12 March Nazi forces entered Austria. Crowds of Austrians gathered in the streets to cheer the Nazi soldiers’ arrival
• On 10 April the plebiscite was held, and the Nazis won 99% of the vote

Question 6

When Nazi troops entered Austria, how were they greeted by the Austrians?

Answer 6

With fanfare

Question 7

When Hitler held the plebiscite in Austria, which group of people were present?

Answer 7

SA

Question 8

What was the result of Hitler’s plebiscite in April 1938?

Answer 8

99% of people wanted Anschluss with Germany

Question 9

What did Schuschnigg promise Hitler in January 1938? (3)

Answer 9

• To let some Nazis held in Austria out of prison
• Key positions in the Austrian government would be given to Nazis in return for Hitler’s government
• He would hold a plebiscite (vote) to decide if the Austrians wanted to be part of Germany or not

Question 10

What was the Austrian chancellor called in 1938?

Answer 10

Schuschnigg

Question 11

How did Austria react to the Anschluss?

Answer 11

99% of people voted in favour of Anschluss, but polling stations were heavily policed by the SS (Stormtroopers), and the ‘yes’ box on the ballot form was much larger than the ‘no’ one

Question 12

How did Britain react to the Anschluss?

Answer 12

Some British people had decided that the Treaty of Versailles was too harsh on Germany, and since they thought that Germany and Austria were essentially the same country, they felt that Hitler should be allowed to unite the two

Question 13

Why was France unable to react to the Anschluss?

Answer 13

Two days before Hitler’s invasion the whole government had resigned. France was in no position to get involved

Question 14

How did Czechoslovakia react to the Anschluss?

Answer 14

The Czech people feared that Hitler’s policy of Lebensraum would mean that they would be invaded next. Britain and France agreed that they would protect Czechoslovakia if Hitler did invade

Question 15

How did Germany react to the Anschluss?

Answer 15

Hitler was able to use the Anschluss as a great propaganda victory. The German people were delighted to be uniting with their Austrian neighbours, and could see that Hitler was achieving his foreign policy aims of Volksdeutsche and creating a Greater Germany

Question 16

How did Anschluss mean that Hitler’s road to war could be achieved more easily now? (3)

Answer 16

• He could now use the Austrian army
• He could now access the east much more easily through Austria
• The Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia was now bordered by Germany (and Austria) on three sides