WW2 - Anschlus - German Austrian Unification

Under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919, the unification of Germany and Austria within a greater Germany was expressly forbidden, yet in both countries the movement for political union or Anschluss remained strong. Adopted by the Nazi parties in both states, Anschluss became one of the foundation stones upon which the Thousand Year Reich was to be built. In 1934, Austrian Nazis murdered Chancellor Dollfuss and attempted a coup, but the murder and the failure of the coup combined with the hostility of much of Europe forced Hitler to withdraw active support for the Austrian Nazi Party. By 1938, however, he felt strong enough to threaten force to achieve the promotion of Austrian Nazis to positions of power in the Government of Austria. With the connivance of these politicians, and with growing turmoil inspired by the Nazis, Hitler was able, on the 12th March 1938, to send German troops into Austria to restore order and to secure that state for the Reich. In the first few weeks of Anschluss, 76,000 of his Austrian opponents were transported to Dachau concentration camp and 35,000 to Mauthausen to be executed.

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YouTube | August 12, 2008

Tags:. .countries. .march. .few. .under. .both