Well it’s not like Austria put up much of a fight… But anyway, my larger point was that Hitler, like many other people on both sides of the border, was explicitly opposed to the national distinction between Austria and Germany. They thought that the founding of the German Reich to the exclusion of Austria in 1871 was a mistake and that Austria should be part of Germany. So saying that somebody born in Austria, who believes Austria is part of Germany, is “a fully integrated German” (as opposed to Austrian) doesn’t make much sense I think.
Yeah, but the Prussian led is the crucial bit there. Austria wouldn’t have had one bit of a problem with a German Reich led by the Austrian monarchy, which is conversely something Prussia was unable to accept. Catch-22 type situation. Hence the split.
Well it’s not like Austria put up much of a fight… But anyway, my larger point was that Hitler, like many other people on both sides of the border, was explicitly opposed to the national distinction between Austria and Germany. They thought that the founding of the German Reich to the exclusion of Austria in 1871 was a mistake and that Austria should be part of Germany. So saying that somebody born in Austria, who believes Austria is part of Germany, is “a fully integrated German” (as opposed to Austrian) doesn’t make much sense I think.
That’s a good argument.
Wasn’t it Austria though that didn’t want to join a Prussian led Germany?
Yeah, but the Prussian led is the crucial bit there. Austria wouldn’t have had one bit of a problem with a German Reich led by the Austrian monarchy, which is conversely something Prussia was unable to accept. Catch-22 type situation. Hence the split.