relationship between the two countries steadily
worsened, and finally the Austrian Chancellor Schuschnigg was
persuaded by the Defendant Von Papen and others to seek a conference
with Hitler, which took place at Berchtesgaden on 12 February 1938.
The Defendant Keitel was present at the conference, and Dr.
Schuschnigg was threatened by Hitler with an immediate invasion of
Austria. Schuschnigg finally agreed to grant a political amnesty to
various Nazis convicted of crime, and to appoint the Nazi
Seyss-Inquart as Minister of the Interior and Security with control
of the Police. On 9 March 1938, in an attempt to preserve the
independence of his country, Dr. Schuschnigg decided to hold a
plebiscite on the question of Austrian independence, which was fixed
for 13 March 1938. Hitler, two days later, sent an ultimatum to
Schuschnigg that the plebiscite must be withdrawn. In the afternoon
and evening of 11 March 1938 the Defendant Göring made a series
of demands upon the Austrian Government, each backed up by the threat
of invasion. After Schuschnigg had agreed to the cancellation of the
plebiscite, another demand was put forward that Schuschnigg must
resign, and that the Defendant Seyss-Inquart should be appointed
Chancellor. In consequence, Schuschnigg resigned, and President
Miklas, after at first refusing to appoint Seyss-Inquart as
Chancellor, gave way and appointed him.
Meanwhile Hitler had given the final order for the German troops
to cross the border at dawn on 12 March and instructed Seyss-Inquart
to use formations of Austrian National Socialists to depose Miklas
and to seize control of the Austrian Government. After the order to
march had been given to the German troops, Göring telephoned the
German Embassy in Vienna and dictated a telegram which he wished
Seyss-Inquart to send to Hitler to justify the military action which
had already been ordered.
It was:
"The provisional Austrian
Government, which, after the dismissal of the Schuschnigg Government,
considers its task to establish peace and order in Austria, sends to
the German Government the urgent request to support it in its task
and to help it to prevent bloodshed. For this purpose it asks the
German Government to send German troops as soon as
possible."
Keppler, an official of the German Embassy, replied:
"Well, SA and SS are marching through the streets, but
everything is quiet."
After some further discussion, Göring stated: "Please
show him (Seyss-Inquart) the text of the telegram and do tell him
that we are asking him —well, he doesn't even have to send the
telegram. All he needs to do is to say 'Agreed'."