The Referendum on the Union of Salzburg with Germany on 29 May 1921: an Overview

At the end of World War I (1918), the Republic of „German-Austria“ was founded as one of many successor states of the Habsburg Empire. The political representatives of „German-Austria“ welcomed the idea of Austria´s unification with Germany for both economic and ideological reasons. However, the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en Laye (1919) explicitly prohibited such a union under Article 88, placing Austria under significant diplomatic and financial pressure from the victorious Allies of World War I. The federal government was forced to distance itself from the idea of „Anschluss“ (unification). Support for the union shifted from the federal level to the regional level. On May 29, 1921, a referendum was held in Salzburg province, with nearly 99 percent of voters expressing support for joining Germany. This article examines the political and economic context of the Salzburg referendum, drawing on primary sources such as official announcements and propaganda materials.