Office of the Historian

863.00/1427: Telegram

The Chargé in Austria (Wiley) to the Secretary of State

Vienna, March 13, 1938—11 a.m.
[Received March 13—8:55 a.m.]

73. We deeply appreciate your March 12, 2 p.m.61 Hitler reported en route to Salzburg from Linz, expects to leave Vienna this week.

Situation completely liquidated. Austria under German military occupation under guise of “friendly visit”. Detachments of S. S. and S. A.62 have been armed. Only question in doubt is whether Austria is to maintain fiction of independence or whether outright union is intended.

New Government has not yet announced itself to Diplomatic Corps.

Consensus is that political opponents and Jews will be dealt with in German Nazi manner rather than in milder Austrian fashion. Many already arrested.

No difficulties reported by American citizens. Schuschnigg left Austria last night presumably for Hungary.

French Legation smuggled widow of Dollfuss63 to Czechoslovakia by car with false passport.

Wiley
  1. Not printed; it expressed the Secretary’s appreciation of efforts to keep the Department fully informed of developments in Austria (863.00/1426a).↩
  2. Schutzstaffel and Sturmabteilung.↩
  3. Austrian Chancellor assassinated in 1934.↩