July Putsch
Encyclopedia
The July Putsch was a failed coup d'etat attempt against the Austrofascist
regime by Austrian Nazis
, which took place between 25 – 30 July 1934.
by Adolf Hitler
in Germany on 30 January 1933 gave an enormous boost to Austrian Nazis. When Austrian chancellor Engelbert Dollfuß closed parliament on 4 March 1933, the Nazis responded with demand for a new election and with a wave of bomb terror. Dollfuß met the terror, beginning with house searches and arrests, finally banning the Nazi Party on 19 June 1933. Many Nazis then fled to Germany and joined the Austrian Legion, while others remained in Austria and continued their actions.
men disguised as Bundesheer soldiers and policemen pushed into the Austrian chancellery. Chancellor Dollfuß was assassinated by two bullets. The rest of the government was able to escape. Another group of the putschists occupied the Radio Verkehrs building and broadcast a false report about the putative transfer of power from Dollfuß to Anton Rintelen
. This was to have been the call for Nazis all over Austria to begin the uprising against the state. There were several days of fighting in parts of Carinthia
, Styria and Upper Austria
, as well as smaller uprisings in Salzburg
. There was fighting in Upper Styria
, both the industrial area between Judenburg
and Leoben
and in Enns
, the Deutschlandsberg District in southwestern Styria and in southeastern Styria by Bad Radkersburg
. Bloody clashes took place in and around Schladming
and Leoben
. In Carinthia, the centers of the coup were in Lower Carinthia and Sankt Paul im Lavanttal
. In Upper Austria, in addition to individual actions in the Salzkammergut
, the fighting was concentrated in the Pyhrn Pass
and in the Mühlviertel
, where on the night of 26 July, in the Kollerschlag
area on the Bavaria
n-Austrian border, a division of the Austrian Legion invaded Austrian territory and attacked the customs guard and a police station.
Early on 26 July, a German courier was arrested at the border crossing in Kollerschlag, carrying precise instructions for the putsch. Called the "Kollerschlag Document", it testified to a clear connection between Bavaria and the July Putsch.
On 26 July 1934 military tribunals took place to prosecute rebels. 13 were executed. 4,000 Nazi supporters had been detained. Many fled to Yugoslavia
or to Germany. Kurt von Schuschnigg became the new Chancellor and Ernst Rüdiger Starhemberg
remained as Vice-Chancellor.
Austrofascism
Austrofascism is a term which is frequently used by historians to describe the authoritarian rule installed in Austria with the May Constitution of 1934, which ceased with the forcible incorporation of the newly-founded Federal State of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938...
regime by Austrian Nazis
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
, which took place between 25 – 30 July 1934.
Background
The MachtergreifungMachtergreifung
Machtergreifung is a German word meaning "seizure of power". It is normally used specifically to refer to the Nazi takeover of power in the democratic Weimar Republic on 30 January 1933, the day Hitler was sworn in as Chancellor of Germany, turning it into the Nazi German dictatorship.-Term:The...
by Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
in Germany on 30 January 1933 gave an enormous boost to Austrian Nazis. When Austrian chancellor Engelbert Dollfuß closed parliament on 4 March 1933, the Nazis responded with demand for a new election and with a wave of bomb terror. Dollfuß met the terror, beginning with house searches and arrests, finally banning the Nazi Party on 19 June 1933. Many Nazis then fled to Germany and joined the Austrian Legion, while others remained in Austria and continued their actions.
Course of the putsch
On 25 July 1934, in the midst of difficult social and political tensions, and with the knowledge of official German positions, 154 SSSchutzstaffel
The Schutzstaffel |Sig runes]]) was a major paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. Built upon the Nazi ideology, the SS under Heinrich Himmler's command was responsible for many of the crimes against humanity during World War II...
men disguised as Bundesheer soldiers and policemen pushed into the Austrian chancellery. Chancellor Dollfuß was assassinated by two bullets. The rest of the government was able to escape. Another group of the putschists occupied the Radio Verkehrs building and broadcast a false report about the putative transfer of power from Dollfuß to Anton Rintelen
Anton Rintelen
Anton Rintelen was an Austrian academic, jurist and politician. Initially associated with the right wing Christian Social Party, he later became involved in a Nazi coup d'etat plot....
. This was to have been the call for Nazis all over Austria to begin the uprising against the state. There were several days of fighting in parts of Carinthia
Carinthia (state)
Carinthia is the southernmost Austrian state or Land. Situated within the Eastern Alps it is chiefly noted for its mountains and lakes.The main language is German. Its regional dialects belong to the Southern Austro-Bavarian group...
, Styria and Upper Austria
Upper Austria
Upper Austria is one of the nine states or Bundesländer of Austria. Its capital is Linz. Upper Austria borders on Germany and the Czech Republic, as well as on the other Austrian states of Lower Austria, Styria, and Salzburg...
, as well as smaller uprisings in Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
. There was fighting in Upper Styria
Upper Styria
In the Austrian usage of the term, Upper Styria refers exclusively to the northwestern, generally mountainous and well wooded half of the federal state of Styria, the southwestern half of the state around the capital of Graz being known as Mittelsteiermark , which is further divided into Eastern...
, both the industrial area between Judenburg
Judenburg
- People :* Renate Götschl* Egon Haar * Herbert Hufnagl, journalist * Gernot Jurtin* Christian Muthspiel, jazz musician, painter* Kurt Muthspiel, composer * Wolfgang Muthspiel* Christian Pfannberger* Walter Pfrimer* Georg Pichler...
and Leoben
Leoben
Leoben is a Styrian city in central Austria, located by the Mur river. With a population of about 25,000 it is a local industrial center and hosts the University of Leoben which specialises in mining...
and in Enns
Enns (city)
Enns is a city in the Austrian state of Upper Austria, located 281 m above sea level on the river Enns, which forms the border with the state of Lower Austria....
, the Deutschlandsberg District in southwestern Styria and in southeastern Styria by Bad Radkersburg
Bad Radkersburg
Bad Radkersburg is a city in the southeast of the Austrian state of Styria and capital of the district of Radkersburg. It is located at an elevation of 208 m and covers an area of 2.17 km². Its population amounts to about 1,940 people...
. Bloody clashes took place in and around Schladming
Schladming
Schladming is a small mining town in the Austrian state of Styria, that is now very popular with tourists. It has become a large ski resort and has held various skiing competitions recently. The shopping area has lots of cafes, restaurant and a variety of shops and caters well for tourists.As of...
and Leoben
Leoben
Leoben is a Styrian city in central Austria, located by the Mur river. With a population of about 25,000 it is a local industrial center and hosts the University of Leoben which specialises in mining...
. In Carinthia, the centers of the coup were in Lower Carinthia and Sankt Paul im Lavanttal
Sankt Paul im Lavanttal
Sankt Paul im Lavanttal is a municipality of the Wolfsberg discrict, Carinthia, Austria.-External links:*http://www.sanktpaul.at...
. In Upper Austria, in addition to individual actions in the Salzkammergut
Salzkammergut
The Salzkammergut is a resort area located in Austria. It stretches from City of Salzburg to the Dachstein mountain range, spanning the federal states of Upper Austria , Salzburg , and Styria . The main river of the region is the Traun, a tributary of the Danube...
, the fighting was concentrated in the Pyhrn Pass
Pyhrn Pass
Pyhrn Pass is a high mountain pass in the Austrian Alps between the Bundesländer of Upper Austria and Styria.It connects Warscheneck and Bosruck. The pass road has a maximum grade of 10 percent....
and in the Mühlviertel
Mühlviertel
The Mühlviertel is an Austrian region belonging to the state of Upper Austria: it is one of four "quarters" of Upper Austria, the others being Hausruckviertel, Traunviertel, and Innviertel. It is named for the two rivers and .-Region:...
, where on the night of 26 July, in the Kollerschlag
Kollerschlag
Kollerschlag is a municipality in the district of Rohrbach in Upper Austria, Austria....
area on the Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
n-Austrian border, a division of the Austrian Legion invaded Austrian territory and attacked the customs guard and a police station.
Early on 26 July, a German courier was arrested at the border crossing in Kollerschlag, carrying precise instructions for the putsch. Called the "Kollerschlag Document", it testified to a clear connection between Bavaria and the July Putsch.
Aftermath
The coup was finally crushed by the police, military and paramilitary units loyal to the government. There is varying information regarding the number of fatalities. Gerhard Jagschitz took over the work of military historian Erwin Steinböck. In 1965 his figures claimed that the July coup and its immediate consequences lead to the deaths of 270 people. 153 Nazi supporters died (including 13 executed and seven people who committed suicide). 104 died on the Government side, along with 13 civilians. In contrast, Kurt Bauer's extensive studies concluded that there were 223 deaths: 111 Nazi supporters, 101 on the Government side, and 11 civilians. The number of injured is estimated at 500–600 people.On 26 July 1934 military tribunals took place to prosecute rebels. 13 were executed. 4,000 Nazi supporters had been detained. Many fled to Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
or to Germany. Kurt von Schuschnigg became the new Chancellor and Ernst Rüdiger Starhemberg
Ernst Rüdiger Starhemberg
Ernst Rüdiger Camillo Starhemberg was an Austrian nationalist and conservative politician prior to World War II, a leader of the Heimwehr and later of the Christian Social Party/Fatherland's Front...
remained as Vice-Chancellor.
Figures Regarding People Affected
- Beiträge zur Vorgeschichte und Geschichte der Julirevolte. Published using official sources, Vienna 1934
- Die Erhebung der österreichischen Nationalsozialisten im Juli 1934. Akten der Historischen Kommission des Reichsführers SS. Compiled by Herbert Steiner, Europa Press, Vienna-Frankfurt/Zurich 1965 (new edition 1984)
- Die Juli-Revolte 1934. Das Eingreifen des österreichischen Bundesheeres zu ihrer Niederwerfung. Only for internal use. Printed by the Federal Ministry of Defence as a manuscript, Vienna 1936
Overviews
- Bauer, Kurt: Elementar-Ereignis. Die österreichischen Nationalsozialisten und der Juliputsch 1934, Czernin Verlag, Vienna 2003, ISBN 3-7076-0164-1
- Etschmann, Wolfgang: Die Kämpfe in Österreich im Juli 1934 (Military History Series, No. 50) Austrian Federal Publisher, Vienna 1984
- Jagschitz, Gerhard: Der Putsch. Die Nationalsozialisten 1934 in Österreich, Verlag Styria, Graz-Vienna-Cologne 1976, ISBN 3-222-10884-6
- Kindermann, Gottfried-Karl: Hitlers Niederlage in Österreich. Bewaffneter NS-Putsch, Kanzlermord und Österreichs Abwehrsieg von 1934, 1st Edition, Hoffmann und Campe, Hamburg 1984, ISBN 3-455-08235-1
- Schafranek, Hans: Sommerfest mit Preisschießen. Die unbekannte Geschichte des NS-Putsches im Juli 1934, Czernin Verlag, Vienna 2006, ISBN 3-7076-0081-5
Studies and Essays on Various Regions Affected
- Klösch, Christian: Des Führers heimliche Vasallen. Die Putschisten des Juli 1934 im Kärntner Lavanttal, Czernin Verlag, Vienna 2007, ISBN 978-3-7076-0234-0
- Maislinger, AndreasAndreas MaislingerAndreas Maislinger is an Austrian historian and founder of the Austrian Holocaust Memorial Service and Braunau Contemporary History Days.- Studying and learning :...
: Der Putsch von LamprechtshausenLamprechtshausenLamprechtshausen is a municipality in the district of Salzburg-Umgebung in the state of Salzburg in Austria....
. Zeugen des Juli 1934 berichten, Self-publishing, Innsbruck 1992 - Staudinger, Eduard G.: Der Juli-Putsch 1934 im Bezirk Weiz. In: Journal 'Gleisdorf' 6, 1984, Edition no. 239-248
- Wolf, Gerald M.: „Jetzt sind wir die Herren ...“ Die NSDAP im Bezirk Deutschlandsberg und der Juli-Putsch 1934 (Grazer Contemporary Studies, Volume 3) Innsbruck-Vienna-Bozen 2008, ISBN 978-3-7065-4006-3
External links
- Austria-Forum: Juliputsch 1934
- Juliputsch im Dokumentationsarchiv des österreichischen Widerstands
- Ermordung von Engelbert Dollfuß in der österreichischen Presse Österreichische Nationalbibliothek
- Juliputsch 1934: Lavanttaler Nazis am "erfolgreichsten" ORFORFORF may refer to:* ORF , the Austrian public service broadcaster.* Open reading frame, a portion of the genome.* The IATA airport code for Norfolk International Airport in Norfolk, Virginia.* ORF format , Olympus raw image file format....
-Science