Austria overwhelmingly embraced the Nazi platform and attitudes.

by Rabbi Eliyahu Ellis and Rabbi Shmuel Silinsky

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Annexing Austria

Encouraging German Annexation in Austria
photo courtesy of Yad Vashem

Hitler’s next move: The Anschluss. The Germans poured into Austria. Austria held a referendum, and 97-98% of the Austrians decided they were going to join Germany. The changes that happened gradually in Germany, occurred overnight in Austria. They hit the Austrian community by storm.

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Austrians Cheer Nazis

Austrians Cheering Nazis, March 1938
photo courtesy of Yad Vashem

Before the referendum, there was loud campaigning with a full spectrum of opinions. Anti-Nazi slogans were painted in the street. The Nazis won and, overnight, Austria became "German."

The next day, any Jew passing by was grabbed, forced down on his hands and knees, and ordered to scrub those slogans off the street.

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Jews Scrubbing Streets

Jews forced to scrub Anti-Nazi slogans from Austrian streets
photo courtesy of Yad Vashem

 

 

 

 

But the Jews still did not realize it was time to go. Then came the turning point:

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Published: Wednesday, December 31, 1969
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Visitor Comments: 3

(3) jon boi, August 30, 2005 12:00 AM

this is great

i loved it. i have never read anything like it.

(2) HAL LAWLER, October 19, 2002 12:00 AM

WELL WRITTEN SUMMARY

EASY TO READ WELL THOUGHT OUT

(1) Anonymous, April 8, 2002 12:00 AM

Excellent. Much more detail desired, please.

Again informative.

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About the Author

Rabbi Eliyahu Ellis

Rabbi Eliyahu Ellis studied biology and geology at Northern Illinois University. In addition, he spent time as a deep-sea diver in the oil fields in the North Sea between Scotland and Norway and has circumnavigated the seas of the world in a sailboat. Rabbi Ellis received rabbinic ordination from Aish HaTorah where he is a senior lecturer at the Discovery and Essentials programs.

Rabbi Shmuel Silinsky

Rabbi Shmuel Silinsky received his BS from Cornell with a major in Communication Arts and a minor in Archeology, and did post-graduate work at UCLA in the field of Desert Plants and Natural History. Prior to moving to Israel, he worked in the field of Urban Ecology including several years as a landscape designer in Beverly Hills. Rabbi Silinsky received rabbinic ordination from Aish HaTorah and the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem. He currently teaches at the Yeshivat Aish HaTorah in Jerusalem.

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