How Did Hitler Achieve Anschluss ?
• Anschluss means the joining together of
Germany and Austria
• By the end of this lesson you should know
• Why Hitler wanted Anschluss
• How Hitler achieved Anschluss
• You will produce a cartoon strip to show
these events.
Homework
• Find out who or what the following are:
• Mussolini
• Schuschnigg
• Seyss Inquart
• Fascists
• General Franco
• Nazi Soviet Pact
• Stalin
• Danzig
• Benes
• Sudetenland
• Appeasement
• Neville Chamberlain
Why Anschluss ?
• Hitler was born in Austria, he felt that he was part
of the German race.
• One of Hitler’s key aims was to unite all German
speaking people under his rule.
• Hitler wanted to challenge the Treaty of
Versailles
Hitler’s First Attempt - 1934
• Hitler’s first attempt at Anschluss came in 1934.
**before the re-occupation of the Rhineland**
• Austrian Nazis murdered the Austrian
Chancellor (leader)
• The Nazis tried to take over the government.
• Italian leader Mussolini was worried by this and
threatened to take action.
• Hitler and the Austrian Nazis were forced to
back down
Q: What do Mussolini’s actions tell us about
the remilitarisation of the Rhineland?
The Spanish Civil War
• Hitler and Mussolini were both Fascists (a
political group.)
• In 1936 a civil war broke out in Spain
between Fascists lead by General Franco
and the Republican government.
• Hitler and Mussolini joined forces to help
General Franco.
• Italy and Germany confirmed their new
friendship with the Rome/Berlin Axis.
(Alliance) that was signed in 1936.
Q: What benefits did Hitler and Mussolini
gain from the Spanish Civil War?
Hitler’s Second Attempt - 1938
• Confident that Italy would not • Hitler moved
stop him and that Britain and his troops to
France would try to avoid war the border.
Hitler tried again. • Schuschnigg
• He ordered Austrian Nazis to resigned and
begin riots and protests was replaced
demanding Anschluss. by a Nazi,
• Austria’s Chancellor Seyss Inquart.
Schuschnigg tried to arrange
a vote to decide on
Anschluss.
Q: Why would Hitler feel confident that Britain and France would not
stop him?
Q: Why do you think Schuschnigg resigned?
What Happened Next ?
• Seyss Inquart invited the Germans into
Austria to restore order.
• Nazi troops moved in and imprisoned
80,000 opponents of Hitler.
• Anschluss was established 14th March
1938
• A vote was held to confirm this……
• 99.75% agreed ?!?!
Q: How would Hitler use the result of the plebiscite?
Q: Why might the result of the plebiscite be questioned?
Consequences
• What consequences do you see?
Confidence
Task
• In pairs decide what you think are the 8
most important events to explain how
Hitler achieved Anschluss.
• Join with another pair. As a group agree
on 8 events.
Using the 8 events we have
listed, create a cartoon strip to
show how Hitler achieved
Anshcluss
Hitler was born in Austria Hitler’s 1st attempt in 1934. Mussolini is worried by this and Spanish Civil War 1936.
and wanted to unite all Austrian Nazis murder the moves troops to the border to Mussolini and Hitler join
German speaking people Austrian Chancellor and try to stop Hitler. Hitler is forced to forces, confirmed by the
take over the government back down. Rome/Berlin Axis.
2nd attempt. Hitler Schuschnigg tries to arrange a Faced with war Schuschnigg A vote is held to decide on
encourages riots and vote on Anschluss. Hitler is resigns. He is replaced by the Anschluss. 99.75% agree
demonstrations by the worried and moves troops to the Nazi- Seyss Inquart. Nazis
Austrian Nazis border move into Austria and 80000
opponents are arrested.