Throughout the s, Nazi Germany pursued an aggressive foreign policy. Prewar and wartime territorial expansion eventually brought millions of Jewish people under German control. On March 11—13, , Nazi Germany annexed the neighboring country of Austria. This event is known as the Anschluss. These treaties expressly forbade the unification of Austria and Germany. It was the first act of territorial expansion committed by Nazi Germany.
The other European powers did not punish the Nazis for violating international treaties. Their acceptance of the Anschluss was a significant act of appeasement. It allowed Adolf Hitler to continue his expansionary policies unchecked.
The Anschluss transformed Austria. Almost overnight, the country of Austria ceased to exist. In the days, weeks, and months that followed, Austrian and German Nazis carried out the Nazification of all aspects of Austrian life. Many Austrians participated enthusiastically in this endeavor. They enacted Nazi policies. And they fought in World War II. The Anschluss was not inevitable. Nor was the rapid Nazification of Austria.
However, certain historical factors and events facilitated these processes. Most of these Austrians considered themselves ethnically German. At this time, millions of people who considered themselves German lived outside of Germany. Many of them lived in areas that had previously been part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. New states were established in its place. Among them were Austria, Czechoslovakia , and Poland. These countries were home to millions of people who considered themselves German and who spoke German as their primary language.
In the s, many Austrians did not think that their country could survive economically without the lands previously held by Austria-Hungary. Some Austrians hoped to solve this problem by restoring a form of the empire. Others wanted Austria to unite with Germany. The hope of uniting Austria and Germany was not new. European leaders worried that a united Germany and Austria would be too large and powerful.
