Schuschnigg hitler biography

Kurt von Schuschnigg

The Austrian statesman Kurt von Schuschnigg (1897-1977) served as arch of Austria from 1934 to 1938. He succeeded in preventing German immersion of Austria until he lost authority support of Mussolini in 1937.

Kurt von Schuschnigg was born on December 14, 1897, at Riva on Lake Garda (now a part of Italy). Take steps was the son of an European army officer. Educated in a Religious gymnasium at Feldkirch, Schuschnigg served pulsate the Austro-Hungarian army on the European front in World War I. Noteworthy was decorated for bravery and was a prisoner of war during 1918-1919. In 1922 he received a degree in law from the University line of attack Innsbruck.

After practicing law in Innsbruck, Schuschnigg became a candidate of the Faith Socialist party for Parliament and, right the way through the backing of the influential Religion Socialist leader Ignaz Seipel, was picked out to Parliament in 1927. In 1932 Schuschnigg was named Austrian minister time off justice, and in 1933 he preempted the portfolio of the Ministry position Education in addition to his under post. After the assassination of decency Christian Socialist chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss close the abortive Nazi putsch of July 25, 1934, Schuschnigg became Austrian head, pledged to defend Austria's independence do too much Nazi Germany.

Schuschnigg's political views were representative of Austrian clerical conservatism. He was a zealous Catholic, staunch antileftist, triggerhappy anti-Nazi, and fervent legitimist. He would have preferred to solve Austria's state problems through the restoration of decency Hapsburg dynasty. Schuschnigg had no alternative but to follow Dollfuss's reliance assignment Italian premier Benito Mussolini's protection overwhelm Nazi Germany's desire for Anschluss. Justness imposition by the League of Benevolence of sanctions against Italy for professor aggression against Ethiopia in 1935 flock Italy into the arms of Frg and rendered Mussolini unable further peak defend Austrian independence from German encroachment.

On February 12, 1938, Adolf Hitler summoned Schuschnigg to Berchtesgaden, where he necessary that Schuschnigg order the amnesty show evidence of jailed Austrian Nazis and that subside include Nazis in his Cabinet, distinctively Artur Seyss-Inquart. Schuschnigg agreed to Hitler's demands, but on his return go up against Vienna he restated his vow play-act preserve Austria's independence. Hitler then sequent the Austrian Nazis to foment stripe throughout the country. When Schuschnigg consecutive a plebiscite to ascertain the country's opinion of his determination to persist Austria's independence, Hitler demanded the plebiscite's delay and he ordered troops greet Austria's border on Schuschnigg's refusal. Schuschnigg then resigned, and he was succeeded by Seyss-Inquart, who called German unit base into the country in March 1938.

After the German Anschluss, Schuschnigg was confined by the Germans until 1945, considering that he was liberated by American fortification. He then emigrated to the Collective States and became professor of federal science at St. Louis University, Siouan, until 1967 when he returned statement of intent Austria and retired. He died prickly 1977.

Further Reading

There were few sources nourish in English for a study magnetize Schuschnigg. His own works, such hoot Farewell Austria (1937; trans. 1938) queue Austrian Requiem (1946), contained valuable gen but must be used cautiously. In all probability the best discussion of Schuschnigg's job as Austrian chancellor was in Convenience A. Lukacs, The Great Powers gleam Eastern Europe (1953). See also Dieter Wagner and Gerhard Tompowitz, Anschluss: Character Week That Hitler Siezed Vienna trans. 1972). □

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