Anschluss

The Anschluss was the annexation of Austria into the German Reich on March 13, 1938, after years of debate and support for a united Austria and Germany. The idea of an Anschluss arose after the Austro-Hungarian Empire fell in 1918 and gained support in the 1920s, particularly among Austrian citizens of the left and center. However, support for unification faded over time, and it was not until Adolf Hitler rose to power in Germany in 1933 that the Anschluss became a key part of the Nazi agenda. Nazi Germany's agents cultivated pro-unification tendencies in Austria, and in 1938, under pressure from pro-unification activists, Austrian chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg announced a referendum on a possible union with Germany. However, Hitler threatened an invasion and secretly pressured Schuschnigg to resign, and the German Army crossed the border into Austria on March 12, 1938, unopposed by the Austrian military. A plebiscite was held on April 10, 1938, in which 99.7% of voters approved the Anschluss.learn more on wikipedia