| Original caption: “Germany’s SS Reichsführer and Chief of the German Police Heinrich Himmler, left, stands with Austrian officers during a ceremony at the War Ministry in Vienna, Austria, when the German war flag was unfurled to symbolize the union of the German and Austrian war departments.” Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler, Chef der Schutzstaffel (SS) und Deutschen Polizei (“German Police”), with the generals of the Austrian Bundesheer (“Federal Army”) at a Reichskriegsflagge (“Nazi German war flag”) raising ceremony in the building of the Österreich Bundesministerium für Landesverteidigung (“Austrian Federal Ministry of Defense”), now the office of the Ministry of Agriculture as well as the Ministry of Economy. These generals wore Austrian transitional military uniforms with the Hoheitsabzeichen Wehrmacht patch on the chest. The photo was taken in Vienna on March 17, 1938, at the time of the Anschluss (“the ‘peaceful’ annexation/unification of Austria by Germany”) process. From left to right: Himmler, Field Feldmarschalleutnant Eugen Beyer (February 18, 1882 – July 25, 1940); in the Bundesheer he was Kommandant of 6.Division, alpine infantry, and Militäkommandant (“Military Commander”) of Salzburg, Nordtyrol und Vorarlberg; he later became General der Infanterie in the Wehrmacht (“Nazi German Army) as the most senior Austrian officer to join. Next to him is Feldmarschalleutnant Ingenieur (“Engineer”) Johann Kubena (February 22, 1882 – July 16, 1955) who was Leiter der Sektion I im Bundesministerium für Landesverteidigung, who later became Generalleutnant Wehrmacht. Next, Feldmarschalleutnant Doktor-Ingenieur Karl Leitner (March 10, 1883 – April 18, 1953), the Leiter der Sektion II im Bundesministerium für Landesverteidigung, who later became a Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht. Generalmajor Ingenieur Ernst Walter (June 26, 1945 – June 7, 1945), Chief of the Military Technical Office, who became Generalmajor zur Zeit at Oberkommando der Wehrmacht. Generalmajor Heinrich Stümpfl (December 18, 1884 – August 18, 1902), Kommandant of 1.Division and Militärkommandant of Burgenland, who later became Generalleutnant Wehrmacht, General Alexander Löhr (May 20, 1885 – February 26, 1947), later Generaloberst Luftwaffe, Kommandant of Luftflotte (“Air Wing”) 4 during the invasion of Poland, France and Operation Barbarossa; executed for war crimes as 12th Army Kommandant in Southeast Europe. Generalmajor Ingenieur Emil Hickmann (July 12, 1884 – October 10, 1968), Vorstand der Abteilung Schwere Waffen (“Head of the Heavy Weapons Department”), who remained Generalmajor with the Bundesministerium für Landesverteidigung; who later became General der Infanterie Wehrmacht for a short time until November 1938, when his anti-Nazi sentiments were uncovered, and he was expelled from the Army. His daughter, Hildegard Hickmann (September 20, 1917 – ????) was eventually expelled from the University of Vienna for a remark made on campus in 1940 – “Many National Socialists strut around here in the hinterland with their uniforms, while my father and my brother have to stake their lives for an idea they hate.” This monumental building, still located at Stubenring 1, 1010 Vienna, features the Late Historicist style. It was built by architect Ludwig Baumann (May 11, 1853 – February 6, 1936) between 1909 and 1913. It was considered to be 1 of the most modern office buildings at that time. The building was used as the Bundesministerium für Landesverteidigung between 1918 and 1938. It became a military building in 1938 and was used as such until 1945. From 1925, it also housed Radio-Verkehrs-Aktiengesellschaft (RAVAG – “Radio Communication Company Limited”) the 1st broadcasting channel of Austria. With the Austrian Anschluss to Nazi Germany and the invasion of Wehrmacht troops in 1938, RAVAG was dissolved and replaced by Reichssender Wien subordinate to the national Reichs-Rundfunk-Gesellschaft network (Großdeutscher Rundfunk from 1939) in Berlin, where programs were also produced. 1 of the last RAVAG transmissions was Schuschnigg’s “God Save Austria” farewell address on March 11, 1938. Only hours later, live broadcasts featured the cheering devotees of his Nazi successor Arthur Seyss-Inquart (July 22, 1892 – October 16, 1946), the triumphant entry of Adolf Hitler in Linz the next day, and his speech on Heldenplatz in Vienna. In 1939, the former RAVAG transmission facilities were taken over by the German Reichspost. In World War II, listening to Feindsender (“enemy radio stations”) became a capital offense. However, such stations such as the Swiss Radio Beromünster as well as the German language programs of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Voice of America (VOA) and Vatican Radio, were widely listened to for information sources. Reichssender Wien transmissions were important for strategic bombing alerts. The Funkhaus broadcasting centre itself was damaged by Allied bombs in January and February 1945, followed by the Red Army Vienna Offensive. Reichssender Wien last aired April 6, 1945, before retiring SS troops blew up the Bisamberg transmitter. The Classicist main façade was severely damaged during World War II. Subsequently, it lost its highly expressive roof shape when it was restored between 1949 and 1952. Since then, the building has been home to a number of ministries. The Knoxville Tennessee News-Sentinel reported on March 17, 1938: “General Clean-up of Anti-Nazis Ordered. Vienna, March 17 – Henrich Himmler, chief of all Germany’s police, ordered today the arrest of all persons belonging to ‘certain clerical quarters.’ who he said were spreading ‘false rumors about national Socialist Austria,’” “The order mentions no names, but it warned an immediate cleanup was in store for these ‘clericals.’ Their object, he said, was ‘not only to sow unrest within. but also to disturb the Reich’s good foreign relations.’” “He blamed the ‘clericals’ for starting a rumor Italian Premier Mussolini had given back to Germany the South Tyrol, formerly a part of Austria.” “Communists in Nazi uniforms officially were charged with illegal house searching and seizures of property and persons. Flying squads had been organizing, the announcement said, to deal sharply with this practice. There was no mention of how widespread it was.” “Masonic Lodges Closed – The public also was warned against a wave of ‘money collecting,’ ostensibly for party purposes.” “A notice that all Free Mason lodges were watched and that no one was permitted to enter completed the day’s warnings. The lodges, the notice said, later will be cleaned out and closed for good.” “Joseph Bürckel [March 30, 1895 – September 28, 1944)], former commissioner of the German Saar, started his plebiscite campaign today with an appeal for a unanimous ‘yes’ vote on April 10 to approve the Austro-German union.” “Simultaneously, the Reich flag was raised ceremoniously over the Austrian war office, in the presence of Colonel General [Fedor] Von Bock [(December 3, 1880 – May 4, 1945)] of the Eighth Army Corps, which includes Austria.” “There is only one question to be answered in the plebiscite, Buerckel said. ‘Are you German, do you belong to your Germany and its Adolf Hitler, or have you nothing to do with us?’” “Austrians were told of further benefits they may expect from union with Germany, The lower Austrian provincial government announced a large highway building program to relieve unemployment in that section, while Nazi Party headquarters at Munich announced allotment of a million marks (four hundred thousand dollars) for distribution among Austria’s needy.” Vienna’s House of Commons, former seat of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was made Nazi headquarters to prepare for the plebiscite, with a branch of Paul Joseph Goebbel’s [(October 29, 1897 – May 1, 1945)] ministry of propaganda occupying a section of the building. | |
| Image Filename | wwii0601.jpg |
| Image Size | 284.70 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 1729 x 1344 |
| Photographer | |
| Photographer Title | United States Army Signal Corps |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | March 17, 1938 |
| Location | |
| City | Vienna |
| State or Province | Vienna |
| Country | Austria |
| Archive | |
| Record Number | |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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