NAZI Anschluss: Actions Against Jews (March 1938)

Anschluss Jews
Figure 1.--The NAZIs in Austria with the arrival of the Wehrmacht immediately began to target and humiliate Jews, especially in Vienna. Notice that the Vienna Jews here being forced to scrub the sidewalks here are being overseen by Hitler Youth boys, including some very young boys. Put your cursor on the image for a widerview and a better idea of how Hitler Youth boys are overseeing this action.

Violence occured against the Jews immediately with the NAZI seizure of power. The violence was worst in Vienna where most Austrian Jews lived. NAZI students attacked Jewish students and professors in universities. The local NAZIs tried to dream up humiliating torments for the Jews. Jews at random were dragged into streets to scrub the sidewalks sometimes with toothbrushes on their hands and knees--surounded by taunting crowds. It was considered a treat to find Jews and force them to scrub off the Heil Schuschnigg slogans that had been painted on the sidewalks. NAZIs stood by Jewish shops and roughed up patrons, making them wear traitor signs around their necks. One observer writes, "With bare hands, university professors were compelled to scrub the streets. Devout, white beared Jews were dragged into the temple and forced by howling youths to do deep knee bends and shout 'Heil Hitler' in chorous. Innocent persons were caught en masse in the street like rabbits and dragged off to sweepmout the latrines of the SA barricks. All the morbidly filthy hate fantasies orgiastically conceived in the course of many nights were released in broad daylight." [Zweig, pp. 446ff.] A Vienna Jew whose parents were arrested and murdered by the NAZIs, described on a British television broadcast how quickly racial persecution appeard in Vienna. This was a city with a long history of Jewish life and a Jewish population of about 10 percent. "What happened in Germany over 5 years, happened in Vienna in 5 days. We had no idea that we would face such violence." [Gershon] As Austria was now part of the Reich, the full force of the Nuremberg Laws and countless other anti-Jewish laws were brought to bear on Austrian Jews. After the Anchluss, the fate of Austrian Jews becomes fused with that of the German Jews. Unlike German Jews, however, they, had only a year and a half to escape before the onset of the War was to make escape virtually impossible.

SS Squads

With the Wehrmact came SS and 40,000 German policemen. Even while the celebrations were going on, Himmler's Schutzstaffeln (SS) assisted by local NAZIs began rounding up those individuals who had opposed the NAZIs. They initiated a thorough going repression of anti-NAZI elements. The SS arrived with carefully prepared lists of NAZI opponents. The arrests covered a wide political spectrum including Socilaists, Communists, and any one who had outspokenly criticized Hitler and the NAZIs. Included on the list were prominant Jews. The SS crushed the Austrian Social Democratic Party (OSDP). Jews were prominant in the OSDP, both the membership and the leadership. Thousands of Austrians were arrested. In addition to politicians, thecarrests included trade unionists, two-thirds of the officers in the Austrian army and an estimated 30,000 Jews. They were taken to local jails or deported to already operating concentration camps in the Reich. Many were sent to Dachau which was right across the border in Bavaria. Here many were killed or died because of the deplorable conditions. Some of the Jews were released after signing away their property. The SS squads that went into Austria were the forerunners of the vocious Einsatzgruppen of World War II.

Immediacy

A Vienna Jew whose parents were arrested and murdered by the NAZIs, described on a British television broadcast how quickly racial persecution appeard in Vienna. This was a city with a long history of Jewish life and a Jewish population of about 10 percent. "What happened in Germany over 5 years, happened in Vienna in 5 days. We had no idea that we would face such violence." [Gershon]

Violent Attacks

Violence occured against the Jews immediately with the NAZI seizure of power. The Austrian people celebrated the Anschluss by ringing church bells, waving swastika flags, giving NAZI salutes, and maniacal attacks on Jews. The worst violence was in Vienna where most Austrian Jews lived. Jews were not hard to find in Vienna. Over 15 percent of the population was Jewish. Individuals who looked Jewish were in the greatest danger. Jews were chased through the streets. One group of Jews which had been rounded up was driven into the Danube Canal. "Only good swimmers could save themselves." [Lachs, p. 201.] Those people who looked Jewish were most in danger. One Jew writes how she was among a group of Jews were rounded up and humiliated and forced to do exercises until they collapsed. Because she did not look Jewish she was separated from the group. [Tausig, pp. 39-40/]]

Humiliation

The local NAZIs tried to dream up humiliating torments for the Jews. Jews at random were dragged into streets to scrub the sidewalks sometimes with toothbrushes on their hands and knees--surounded by taunting crowds. It was considered a treat to find Jews and force them to scrub off the Heil Schuschnigg slogans that had been painted on the sidewalks. Here we see Hitler Youth boys involved in this (figure 1). Anyone with a Swastica on his arm or a uniform could order Jews to do just about anything. Jews who objected were putting their lives in danger. One observer writes, "With bare hands, university professors were compelled to scrub the streets. Devout, white beared Jews were dragged into the temple and forced by howling youths to do deep knee bends and shout 'Heil Hitler' in chorous. Innocent persons were caught en masse in the street like rabbits and dragged off to sweepmout the latrines of the SA barricks. All the morbidly filthy hate fantasies orgiastically conceived in the course of many nights were released in broad daylight." [Zweig, pp. 446ff.] Another observer writes,"The old people, crawling on their knees scouring away the Kruckenkrenze (Austrian Fascist symbol} with toothbrushes and soapy water, amid gleeful looks and catcalls from passers-by." [Freundlich, p.56.]

Schools

Attacks on Jewish students were not unknown before the Anschluss. [Lachs] Attacks only increased as axresult of the Deporession. One author describes how meducal students had to ask the Zionist sports organization (HaKoah) for protection. They organized 'convoys' to and from classes. [Sachar, p. 490.] This was nothing, however, with what transpired as a result of the Anschlus. With the Anschluss, Jewish children becane targets in the schools. NAZI students attacked Jewish students as well as Jewish teachers and professors in universities. Attacks on children were less common outside of Vienna. Within days, the Vienna children who dared return to school along with other Austrian children were expelled from public school. Teachers and professors were formally dismissed.

Jewish Stores and Shops

Jewish shops were a popular target of the Austrian NAZIs before the Anscluss. Befire beung banned, attacksxwere common in Leopoldstadt quarter where they would break windiws and paint abti-Semetic grafitti. There were alsoninstances of driving Jews off tge sidewalks and out of parks. [Sachar, p. 490.] Some Jewish stores and shops were pillaged. Mobs stormed into shops and stole what they wanted abd destroyed much what they did not take. Jewish shop owners did not dare resist. The police did nothing to imede actions against Jews. The destruction was not nearly as bad as wouuld follow with Kristallnacht. Austrians were not accustomed to such violence and what was allowed under NAZI law. Anti-Semetic grafitti was daubed on the windows of Jewish owned shops or painted on the entranceways. NAZIs thugs stood by Jewish shops and roughed up patrons, making them wear traitor signs around their necks. After the Ansscluss the new NAZI authorities would move against store abd shopn owners to disposess Jewish owners, all part of a pricess of depriving Jews of their livlihood.

Jewish Homes and Apartments


Legal Framework

As Austria was now part of the Reich, the full force of the Nuremberg Laws and countless other anti-Jewish laws were brought to bear on Austrian Jews. They thus were deprived of their civil rights. They were expelled from public schools and universities. They were excluded from most professions. Shop ownersxwere dispossed. Many workers lost their jobs and the community was quickly impoverished. NAZI authorities clsed down all Jewish organizations and institutions. After the Anchluss, the fate of Austrian Jews becomes fused with that of the German Jews. Unlike German Jews, however, the Austrian Jews had only a year and a half to escape before the onset of the War. The NAZIs allowed emigration after stealing property. The problem was finding countries that would accept them. Nearly 130,000 Austrian Jews managed ton leave. About 30,000 reached the United States. Most of the other found shelter in other European countries that would soon in turn be over run by the Germans andcthus in NAZI hands again. The onset of World War II would make escape virtually impossible.

Kristallnacht (November 1938)

The NAZI Kristallnacht pogrom (November 9-10), 1938included Austria, especislly Vienna, which was by that time part of the Reich. This timecthe NAZIs were better organized. More Jewish stores, factories and building were ransacked. This time many were destroyed. There were public displays of hatred. Most of Vienna's synagogues were ransacked or destroyed. Only the Central Synagogue was left untouched probably because to burn it down threatened the surrounding housing. Police arrested 6,000 men andctrabsported them to Dachau.

Sources

Freundlich, Elizabeth. (1999).

Gershon, Evan. British television interview, March 12, 2008.

Lachs, Minna. Lachs: Warum schaust du zurück: Erinnerungen 1907-1941 (Wien, Europaverlag, 1986). "Why you look back: Memories 1907-1941". The Lachs managed to make it to Switzerland and eventuakly found refuge in the United States.

Sachar, Howard Morley. A History of the Jews in the Modern World.

Tausig, Franziska. Shanghai Passage: Flucht und Exil einer Wiene (1987). Tausig managed ti=o get her son to England and then escaped to Shanghai where she spent the War. The NAZIs deported her parents to Theresienstadt and mirdered in Treblinka.

Zweig, Stefan. Die Welt von Gerstern.






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Created: 10:29 PM 4/27/2007
Last updated: 9:51 PM 12/9/2011