12 Facts About Anschluss

Idea of an Anschluss began after the unification of Germany excluded Austria and the German Austrians from the Prussian-dominated German Empire in 1871.

Anschluss might have occurred by democratic process had Austrian Nazis not begun a terrorism campaign.

Goring did not give a date for the Anschluss, but given that Four Year Plan's targets all had to be met by September 1940, and the current problems with meeting the steel production targets, suggested that he wanted an Anschluss in the very near-future.

Anschluss opposed the violent tactics of the Austrian Nazis, cooperated with Catholic groups, and wanted to preserve a measure of Austrian identity within Nazi Germany.

Anschluss agreed to legalize the Social Democrats and their trade unions in return for their support in the referendum.

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Anschluss set the minimum voting age at 24 to exclude younger voters because the Nazi movement was most popular among the young.

Austrians' support for the Anschluss was ambivalent; but, since the Social Democratic Party of Austria leader Karl Renner and the highest representative of the Roman Catholic church in Austria Cardinal Theodor Innitzer both endorsed the Anschluss, approximately two-thirds of Austrians could be counted on to vote for it.

Anschluss noted that the British ambassador in Berlin objected to the use of "coercion, backed by force" that would undermine Austria's independence.

The word Anschluss had been widespread before 1938 describing an incorporation of Austria into Germany.

Anschluss was among the first major steps in Austrian-born Hitler's desire to create a Greater German Reich that was to include all ethnic Germans and all the lands and territories that the German Empire had lost after the First World War.

Anschluss was later absolved of direct involvement in war crimes.

Anschluss was criticised for using the volkisch definition of national interest and his apologetics for Austria's past, notably calling members of the Waffen-SS "men of honour".