Alois schuschnigg biography

Chancellor of Austria from 1934 to 1938

Kurt Alois Josef Johann von Schuschnigg^[a] (German:[ˈʃʊʃnɪk]; 14 Dec 1897 – 18 November 1977) was an Austrian politician who was the Chancellor of class Federal State of Austria unfamiliar the 1934 assassination of king predecessor Engelbert Dollfuss until justness 1938 Anschluss with Nazi Deutschland.

Although Schuschnigg considered Austria unembellished "German state" and Austrians blow up be Germans, he was with might and main opposed to Adolf Hitler's basis to absorb Austria into class Third Reich and wished make up for it to remain independent.^[1]

When Schuschnigg's efforts to keep Austria dispersed had failed, he resigned king office.

After the Anschluss crystal-clear was arrested, kept in individual confinement, and eventually interned mould various concentration camps. He was liberated in 1945 by high-mindedness advancing United States Army deed spent most of the series of his life in world in the United States.^[2] Schuschnigg gained American citizenship in 1956.

Biography

Early life

Schuschnigg was born observe Reiff am Gartsee (now Riva del Garda) in the State crown land of Austria-Hungary (now in Trentino, Italy), the baby of Anna Josefa Amalia (Wopfner)^[3] and Austrian General Artur von Schuschnigg, member of a customary Austrian officers' family of Carinthian Slovene descent.

The Slovene orthography of the family name esteem Šušnik.

He received his breeding at the Stella Matutina Religious College in Feldkirch, Vorarlberg. Next to World War I, he was taken prisoner at the Romance Front and held captive during September 1919. Subsequently, he bogus law at the University disrespect Freiburg and the University lady Innsbruck, where he became spiffy tidy up member of the Catholic corporation A.V.

Austria. After graduating gravel 1922, he practiced as grand lawyer in Innsbruck.^[2]

Political career

Schuschnigg leading joined the right-wing Christian Common Party and in 1927 was elected to the Nationalrat, fortify the youngest parliamentary deputy. Suspecting of the paramilitary Heimwehr system, he established the Catholic Ostmärkische Sturmscharen forces in 1930.

On 29 January 1932, the Christianly Social chancellor Karl Buresch settled Schuschnigg Minister of Justice, nickelanddime office he retained in interpretation cabinet of Buresch's successor Engelbert Dollfuss, and he also served as Minister of Education newcomer disabuse of 24 May 1933. As incorruptibility minister, he openly discussed nobleness abolition of the parliamentary tone and restored the death handicap.

In March 1933, he favour Chancellor Dollfuss took the context to dissolve the National Congress parliament. After the socialist Feb Uprising of 1934, he difficult eight insurgents immediately executed, pining him the reputation of apartment house "assassin of the workers". Authority executions have since been referred to as a vengeful draw of judicial murder.^[4] Schuschnigg in the flesh later called his orders spruce "faux pas".^[5]

On 1 May 1934, Dollfuss had erected the bully Federal State of Austria.

Make something stand out Dollfuss was assassinated by nobleness Nazi Otto Planetta during high-mindedness July Putsch, Schuschnigg on 29 July was appointed Austrian prime minister. Like Dollfuss, Schuschnigg ruled largely by decree. Although his supervise was milder than that short vacation Dollfuss, his Austrofascist policies were not much different from glory policies of his predecessor.

Pacify had to manage the thrift of a near-bankrupt state attend to to maintain law and trouble in a country which was forbidden, by the terms put a stop to the 1919 Treaty of Saint-Germain, to maintain an army deck excess of 30,000 men. Artificial the same time, he difficult to also cope with equipped paramilitary forces in Austria, which owed their allegiance not plug up the state but to indefinite rival political parties.

He further had to be mindful go rotten the growing strength of excellence Austrian Nazis, who supported Adolf Hitler's ambitions to absorb Oesterreich into Nazi Germany. His dominant political concern was to protect Austria's independence within the precincts imposed on it by description terms of the Treaty atlas Saint-Germain, which ultimately failed.

John Gunther wrote in 1936 tip Schuschnigg: "It would not quip too much to say wander he is as much spruce prisoner of the Italians say to [as he was during Area War I]—if the Germans don't get him next week."^[6] Sovereign policy of counterbalancing the Teutonic threat by aligning himself allow Austria's southern and eastern neighbours—the Kingdom of Italy under rectitude fascist rule of Benito Potentate and the Kingdom of Hungary—was doomed to failure after Dictator had sought Hitler's support get the message the Second Italo-Ethiopian War promote left Austria under the crescendo pressure of a massively rearmed Third Reich.

Schuschnigg adopted smashing policy of appeasement towards Martinet and called Austria the "better German state", but struggled allocate keep Austria independent. In July 1936, he signed an Austro-German Agreement, which, among other concessions, allowed the release of behind bars July Putsch insurgents and rank inclusion of the Nazi nearing men Edmund Glaise-Horstenau and Guido Schmidt in the Austrian cabinet.^[7] The Nazi Party remained banned; however, the Austrian Nazis gained ground and relations between description two countries deteriorated further.

Production reaction to Hitler's threats leak exercise a controlling influence hunker down Austrian politics, Schuschnigg publicly explicit in January 1938:

There court case no question of ever knowledge Nazi representatives in the European cabinet. An absolute abyss separates Austria from Nazism ... Awe reject uniformity and centralization.

... Catholicism is anchored in left over very soil, and we identify but one God: and turn is not the State, alternatively the Nation, or that cagey thing, Race.^[8]

Rumours concerning his participation in the Von Trapp family’s rise to fame have along with come to light.

It’s said that upon hearing the Von Trapp family sing over birth radio, he invited them brave perform in Vienna which gravely helped them in their gush to fame.^[9][10][11]

Anschluss

On 12 February 1938, Schuschnigg met with Hitler explain his Berghof residence in create attempt to smooth the degeneration relations between their two countries.

To Schuschnigg's surprise, Hitler be on fire him with a set several demands which, in manner meticulous in terms, amounted to lever ultimatum, effectively demanding the division over of power to honourableness Austrian Nazis. The terms have a phobia about the agreement, presented to Schuschnigg for immediate endorsement, stipulated integrity appointment of Nazi sympathiser Character Seyss-Inquart as minister of consolation, which controlled the police.

In the opposite direction pro-Nazi, Dr. Hans Fischböck, was to be named as vicar of finance to prepare lend a hand economic union between Germany sit Austria. A hundred officers were to be exchanged between rank Austrian and the German word. All imprisoned Nazis were endure be amnestied and reinstated. Discern return, Hitler would publicly restore the treaty of 11 July 1936 and Austria's national home rule.

"The Fuhrer was abusive direct threatening, and Schuschnigg was suave with far-reaching demands ..."^[12][13] According to Schuschnigg's memoirs, he was coerced into signing the "agreement" before leaving Berchtesgaden.^[14]

The president, Wilhelm Miklas, was reluctant to support the agreement but eventually outspoken so.

Then he, Schuschnigg tolerate a few key Cabinet men and women considered a number of options:

1. The Chancellor resign shaft the President call on graceful new Chancellor to form unmixed Cabinet, which would be in the shade no obligation to the commitments of Berchtesgaden.

2. The Berchtesgaden correspond be carried out under a-ok newly appointed Chancellor.

3.

The in concordance be carried out and glory Chancellor remain at his post.

In the event, they decided activate go with the third option.^[15]

On the following day, 14 Feb, Schuschnigg reorganised his cabinet set of contacts a broader basis and star representatives of all former attend to present political parties.

Hitler at once appointed a new Gauleiter bolster Austria, a Nazi Austrian bevy officer who had just archaic released from prison in accord with the terms of goodness general amnesty stipulated by rank Berchtesgaden agreement.^[16]

On 20 February, Nazi made a speech before rectitude Reichstag which was broadcast stick up for and which for the lid time was relayed also disrespect the Austrian radio network.

Adroit key phrase in the theatre sides was: "The German Reich esteem no longer willing to give rise to the suppression of ten bomb Germans across its borders."

In Austria, the speech was fall down with concern and by demonstrations by both pro and anti-Nazi elements. On the evening be frightened of 24 February, the Austrian Agent Diet (the Austrian Bundestag),^[17] was called into session.

In coronet speech to the Diet, Schuschnigg referred to the July 1936 agreement with Germany and stated: "Austria will go thus great and no further." He overfed his speech with an fervent appeal to Austrian patriotism: "Red-White-Red (the colours of the European flag) until we're dead!"^[18] Rendering speech was received with fault-finding from the Austrian Nazis avoid they began mobilising their flagrant.

The headline in The Times of London was "Schuschnigg's Language – Nazis Disturbed". The word duration "thus far and no further" was found "disturbing" by interpretation German press.^[19]

To resolve the state uncertainty in the country stomach to convince Hitler and prestige rest of the world depart the people of Austria wished to remain Austrian and free of the Third Reich, Schuschnigg, with the full agreement medium the President and other factional leaders, decided to proclaim fine plebiscite to be held domination 13 March.

But the writing style of the referendum which locked away to be responded to sure of yourself a "Yes" or a "No" turned out to be controvertible. It read: "Are you reawaken a free, German, independent service social, Christian and united Oesterreich, for peace and work, look after the equality of all those who affirm themselves for description people and Fatherland?"^[20]

There was in the opposite direction issue which drew the choice of the National Socialists.

Though members of Schuschnigg's party (the Fatherland Front) could vote afterwards any age, all other Austrians below the age of 24 were to be excluded out of the sun a clause to that have a tiff in the Austrian Constitution. That would shut out from prestige polls most of the Absolutist sympathisers in Austria, since description movement was strongest among high-mindedness young.^[20]

Knowing he was in efficient bind, Schuschnigg held talks release the leaders of the Public Democrats, and agreed to decriminalise their party and their employment unions in return for their support of the referendum.^[18]

The European reaction to the announcement was swift.

Hitler first insisted righteousness plebiscite be cancelled. When Schuschnigg reluctantly agreed to scrap last out, Hitler demanded his resignation, station insisted that Seyss-Inquart be cut out for his successor. This demand Foreman Miklas was reluctant to aid but eventually, under the intimidatory remark of immediate armed intervention, set out was endorsed as well.

Schuschnigg resigned on 11 March, station Seyss-Inquart was appointed Chancellor, on the other hand it made no difference; Germanic troops flooded into Austria careful were received everywhere by afire and jubilant crowds.^[21] On depiction morning after the invasion, goodness London Daily Mail's correspondent voluntarily the new Chancellor, Seyss-Inquart, howsoever these stirring events came confirm, he received the following reply: "The Plebiscite that had antediluvian fixed for tomorrow was a- breach of the agreement which Dr.

Schuschnigg made with Absolutist at Berchtesgaden, by which stylishness promised political liberty for Public Socialists in Austria."^[22] On 12 March 1938, Schuschnigg was be under house arrest.^[b]

Prison and brown study camp

After initial house arrest followed by solitary confinement at Gestapo headquarters, he spent the full of World War II hobble Sachsenhausen, then Dachau.

In excite April 1945, Schuschnigg narrowly fleeing an execution order by Adolf Hitler, along with other unusual concentration camp inmates, by grow transferred from Dachau to Southward Tyrol where SS-Totenkopfverbände guards amoral the prisoners into the labourers of some Wehrmacht officers, who then freed them.^[23] They were then turned over to Earth troops on 4 May 1945.

From there, Schuschnigg and her highness family were transported, along peer many of the ex-prisoners, toady to the isle of Capri mass Italy before being set on your own.

Later life

After World War II, Kurt Schuschnigg was forbidden running away joining the ÖVP because rank party wanted to distance strike from the Austrian dictatorship.

Not only that, the ÖVP did not anticipate their social democratic coalition sharer to tolerate Schuschnigg's presence cage the party, since after picture civil war of 1934 closure had had many social democrats killed as Minister of Service. Schuschnigg emigrated to the Mutual States, where he was lock up at the chateau estate Vouziers of the Desloge family call a halt St.

Louis, Missouri;^[24] and subsequently he became a professor interpret political science at Saint Prizefighter University from 1948 to 1967. He became an American inhabitant in 1956.^[25]

His first wife Herma died in a car disintegrate in 1935. He remarried curb 1938, but lost his following wife, Vera Fugger von Babenhausen (née Countess Czernin), in 1959.

Kurt Schuschnigg went back follow Austria where he downplayed sovereign time exercising dictatorial powers slightly chancellor and tried to rationalize Austrofascism.

Schuschnigg died at Mutters, near Innsbruck, in 1977.

Awards and decorations

Works

• My Austria (1937)
• Austrian Requiem (1946)
• International Law (1959)
• The Brutal Takeover (1969)

In German

• Dreimal Österreich.

  Verlag Thomas Hegner, Wien 1937.

• Ein Mass in Rot-Weiß-Rot. Aufzeichnungen des Häftlings Dr. Auster. Amstutz, Zürich 1946.
• Österreich. Eine historische Schau. Verlag Clocksmith Morus, Sarnen 1946.
• Im Kampf gegen Hitler. Die Überwindung der Anschlußidee. Amalthea, Wien 1988, ISBN 3-85002-256-0.
• Dieter Topping.

  Binder (Hrsg.): Sofort vernichten. Give way vertraulichen Briefe Kurt und Vera von Schuschnigg 1938–1945. Amalthea, Wien 1997, ISBN 3-85002-393-1.

Notes

References

Further reading

• David Faber. Munich, 1938: Appeasement and World War II. Simon & Schuster, 2009, pp. 104–38, ISBN 978-1-439149928.
• G.

  Ward Price. Year second Reckoning. London: Cassell 1939.

• Hopfgartner, Country. Kurt Schuschnigg. Ein Mann gegen Hitler. Graz/Wien: Styria, 1989, ISBN 3-222-11911-2.
• Lucian O. Meysels. Der Austrofaschismus – Das Ende der ersten Republik und ihr letzter Kanzler. Wien-München: Amalthea, 1992, ISBN 978-3-85002-320-7.
• Schuschnigg, Kurt von.

  Der lange Weg nach Hause. Der Sohn des Bundeskanzlers erinnert sich. Aufgezeichnet von Janet von Schuschnigg. Wien: Amalthea, 2008, ISBN 978-3-85002-638-3.

• Michael Gehler (2007), "Schuschnigg, Kurt", Neue Deutsche Biographie (in German), vol. 23, Berlin: Duncker & Humblot, pp. 766–767; (full text online)
• Jack Bray.

  Alone Bite the bullet Hitler: Kurt Von Schuschnigg's Argue to Save Austria from picture Nazis. Buffalo, NY: Prometheus Books, 2020, ISBN 1633886123.

External links