Figure 1.--These are Austrian Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss' two surviving children, Rudolf and Eva. They are pictured when they escaped to Switzerland after the Anschluss (1938). Their mother fearful of NAZI vengence took them there. We are not entirely sure why. Their father was strongly anti-NAZI. We don't think that they would have arrested the children. We do not know if their mother would have been targetted. The children would have had to join the Hitler youth had they stayed in Austria. We have been unable to find much information about them during the War. We believe that Britain granted them asylum during the War.

Engelbert Dollfuss was an Austrian conservative Christian Social (CS) and Patriotic Front statesman who seized dictatorial power in Austria. Engelbert was born in Texing, Lower Austria. His parents, Josepha Dollfuss and Joseph Weninger, were unmarried. They were of peasant origin. They were unavle to marry because of his father's limited income. Josepha married landowner Leopold Schmutz in Kirnberg. He did not adopt Engelbert. The boy was raised as a devout Roman Catholic. A good student, he received a scholarship for the minor seminary of the Archdiocese of Vienna in Hollabrunn (1904). He earned his Matura degree (1911). He began studies at the Vienna seminary, but subsequently decided to study law at the University of Vienna. With the outbreak of World War I, Dollfuss had difficulty entering the Austro-Hungarian Army because he was so short (under 5 feet). He eventually joined the Tyrolean Landesschützen regiment at Brixen, He ended the War as a highly decorated officer. After the War he worked as secretary of the Austrian Farmers' Association (Bauernbund). They sent him to study economics at the University of Berlin. There he met Alwine Glienke (1897–1973), a German woman from a Protestant family. They married (1921). They had one son and two daughters. One daughter died during early childhood. The surviving children were Rudolf and Eva (figure 1). Dollfuss returned to university and joined a Catholic male student fraternity (Studentenverbindung). He was a co-founder of the German Student Union in Austria and acted as a representative at the Cartellverband umbrella organization. He occassionally asoociated with allies like Arthur Seyss-Inquart, Robert Hohlbaum and Hermann Neubacher. He was a strident German nationalist and anti-semite. A stiil youtful Dolfuss fisished his law degree and began working in government (1922). He was impressed with the ideas of Karl Freiherr von Vogelsang. Dolfuss, an ardent Catholic, joined the conservative Christian Social Party (CS). He promoted the establishment of agricultural cooperatives as well as the implementation of social insurance and unemployment benefits for farm workers. Consrvatives within the CS rejected these progressuve steps. CS Chancellor Carl Vaugoin appointed him president of the Austrian Federal Railways (1930). The Depression at the time was destabilizing Austrian politics. The Social Democrats (CD), a socialist party, emerged as the the most important party in an election (1930). Vaugoin resigned as chancellor. Dollfuss was named Minister of Agriculture and Forests in a short-lived coalition cabinet of Chancellor Otto Ender (1931). When Ender resigned shirtly after during the Creditanstalt affair. Dolfuss retained his ministry under Ender's successor Karl Buresch. The political situstin cointinued to dertriorte after a failed Heimwehr coup d'état. The Austrian NAZIs won seats in Landtag (provincial) elections. When the CS coaltion broke up with the departure of their Greater German allies the Buresch givernmebt vresigned (1932). President Wilhelm Miklas, a fellow CS member, asked Dolfuss to form a government. It was a surprising choice. Dollfuss was only 39 years old and with only one year's experience in the Federal Government, was offered the office of Chancellor by, also a member of the Christian-Social Party. Dollfuss led a coalition government between the Christian-Social Party, the Landbund (a right-wing agrarian party), and the Heimatblock (the parliamentary wing of the Heimwehr, a paramilitary ultra-nationalist group). The coalition with only a narriw minority assumed the difficult task of dealing with the the Great Depression. Dollfuss was a conservative and fervent Catholic and was a German nationalist. He was not against union with Germany. He did object to Hitler and the NAZIs anbd did not want to join a Nazified Germany. Dolfuss unable to maintin a parlimentary majority, dismissed parliament, banned the Austrian NAZI Party, and assumed dictatorial powers. He also moved agsinst the SD. A new constitution swept away the last remnants of democracy and basic civil rights in Austria. The Heimwehr merged into the Fatherland Front which threatened the Government (1934). He also suppressed Socialist Social Democrars (1934). He decribed his regime as 'austrofascism' implemented by authoritarian First of May Constitution. Austrian fascists were divided as to wether the country should join Germany. Austrian NAZIs (Regiment 89) without Hitler's approval assasinated Dollfuss as part of a failed coup -- the July Putsch (1934). Mussolini concluded it was Hitler's attempt a seizing Austria and it nearly resulted in a confrontation. Mussolini had not yet formed an alliance with Hitler. As it was he personally informed Frau Dolfuss who was a guest at his villa in Riccione with her children. Hitler was initally jubilant, but Mussolini's reactuin surprised him. The Austrians NAZIs led by by Arthur Seyss-Inquart, (the future NAZI occupation head in the Netherlands) were agitating for union with Germany. Hitler was not ready for a confrointstion in 1934 as rearmament had just begun. His successor Kurt Schuschnigg maintained Austrian independence until the Annscluss ordered by Hitler (1938). The Anschluss was accompanied with the thunderous approvl of the Austrian people an unimaginably outburst of violence against Austrian Jews.

Childhood

Engelbert was born in Texing, Lower Austria. His parents, Josepha Dollfuss and Joseph Weninger, were unmarried. They were of peasant origin. They were unavle to marry because of his father's limited income. Josepha married landowner Leopold Schmutz in Kirnberg. He did not adopt Engelbert. The boy was raised as a devout Roman Catholic.

Education

A good student, he received a scholarship for the minor seminary of the Archdiocese of Vienna in Hollabrunn (1904). He earned his Matura degree (1911). He began studies at the Vienna seminary, but subsequently decided to study law at the University of Vienna.

World War I

With the outbreak of World War I, Dollfuss had difficulty entering the Austro-Hungarian Army because he was so short (under 5 feet). He eventually joined the Tyrolean Landesschützen regiment at Brixen, He ended the War as a highly decorated officer.

Family

Dollfuss after the War he worked as secretary of the Austrian Farmers' Association (Bauernbund). They sent him to study economics at the University of Berlin. There he met Alwine Glienke (1897–1973), a German woman from a Protestant family. They married (1921). They had one son and two daughters. One daughter died during early childhood. The surviving children were Rudolf and Eva (figure 1). They remained in Austria after Dolfuss was assasinated, but fled to Switzerland when Hitler invaded Austria (1938). Frau Dollfuss appaenly married Ferdinand Glienke. We know nothing about him. She was satirized in Bertolt Brecht's The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui -- an anti-Hitler play as the character 'Betty Dullfeet' (1941). I am not sure why Brecht, who fled the NAZIS (1933), chose to portray her in such a manner. She survived the War and passed away in 1973. She is buried with her two daughters at Hietzinger Cemetery in Vienna. Eva survived the War and died in 1993. We have no informatiion on Rudolf.

Political Orientation

Dollfuss returned to university and joined a Catholic male student fraternity (Studentenverbindung). He was a co-founder of the German Student Union in Austria and acted as a representative at the Cartellverband umbrella organization. He occassionally asoociated with allies like Arthur Seyss-Inquart, Robert Hohlbaum and Hermann Neubacher. He was a strident German nationalist and anti-semite. Dollfuss was a conservative and fervent Catholic and was a German nationalist. He was not against union with Germany. He did object to Hitler and the NAZIs after their rise in Germany and did not want to join a Nazified Germany.

Poltical Career: Christian Social Party (1930-32)

A stiil youtful Dolfuss fisished his law degree and began working in government (1922). He was impressed with the ideas of Karl Freiherr von Vogelsang. Dolfuss, an ardent Catholic, joined the conservative Christian Social Party (CS). He promoted the establishment of agricultural cooperatives as well as the implementation of social insurance and unemployment benefits for farm workers. Consrvatives within the CS rejected these progressuve steps. CS Chancellor Carl Vaugoin appointed him president of the Austrian Federal Railways (1930). The Depression at the time was destabilizing Austrian politics. The Social Democrats (CD), a socialist party, emerged as the the most important party in an election (1930). Vaugoin resigned as chancellor. Dollfuss was named Minister of Agriculture and Forests in a short-lived coalition cabinet of Chancellor Otto Ender (1931). When Ender resigned shirtly after during the Creditanstalt affair. Dolfuss retained his ministry under Ender's successor Karl Buresch. The political situstin cointinued to dertriorte after a failed Heimwehr coup d'état. The Austrian NAZIs won seats in Landtag (provincial) elections. When the CS coaltion broke up with the departure of their Greater German allies the Buresch givernmebt vresigned (1932). President Wilhelm Miklas, a fellow CS member, asked Dolfuss to form a government. It was a surprising choice. Dollfuss was only 39 years old and with only one year's experience in the Federal Government, was offered the office of Chancellor by, also a member of the Christian-Social Party. Dollfuss led a coalition government between the Christian-Social Party, the Landbund (a right-wing agrarian party), and the Heimatblock (the parliamentary wing of the Heimwehr, a paramilitary ultra-nationalist group). The coalition with only a narriw minority assumed the difficult task of dealing with the the Great Depression.

Dictator: Astrofacism (1932-34)

Dolfuss unable to maintin a parlimentary majority, dismissed parliament, banned the Austrian NAZI Party, and assumed dictatorial powers. He also moved agsinst the SD. A new constitution swept away the last remnants of democracy and basic civil rights in Austria. The Heimwehr merged into the Fatherland Front which threatened the Government (1934). He also suppressed Socialist Social Democrars (1934). He decribed his regime as 'austrofascism' implemented by authoritarian First of May Constitution. Austrian fascists were divided as to wether the country should join Germany.

Assasination (1934)

The NAZIs seized power in Germany (Janury 1933). NAZI support was growing in Austria as well for many of the same reasons. Dollfuss was a German ntionalist. He was also a devot Catholic and outspoken anti-NAZI. He made no secret about it. He publically warned Hitler about interfering in Austria (February 1934). 【James】 Austrian NAZIs (Regiment 89) without Hitler's approval assasinated Dollfuss as part of a failed coup -- the July Putsch (July 1934). Mussolini concluded it was Hitler's attempt at seizing Austria and sent troops to the border. It nearly resulted in a military confrontation. Mussolini had not yet formed an alliance with Hitler. And he personally informed Frau Dolfuss of the assasination. She and her children were guests at his villa in Riccione.

Delayed Union (1934-38)

Hitler was initally jubilant about Dollfuss's murder. Mussolini's reaction, however, surprised him. The Austrians NAZIs led by by Arthur Seyss-Inquart, (the future NAZI occupation head in the Netherlands) were agitating for union with Germany. Hitler was not ready for a confrontation in 1934 as rearmament had just begun. His successor Kurt Schuschnigg maintained Austrian independence for 4 years. Finally Hitler called him Berchesgarden and demanded that his government accept union and an end to Austrian independence.

Anschluss (1938)

There was considerable sentiment in both Germany and Austria after World War I to join the two German-speaking states. France adamently refused. Hitler after seizing power revived the issues. Austrain NAZIs were encouraged to promote the idea. Hitler and Austrian NAZIs throughout 1937 demanded an Anschluss with Austria. Belaegered Austrian Chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg on March 9, 1938, announced plans to hold a plebiscite on the independence of Austria. Hitler used this opportunity to take action against the Austrian state. The NAZIs with the Wehrmacht on the border pressed Schuschnigg was pressed to resign. The NAZI surrogate, Arthur Seyss-Inquart, took over the chancellorship and formed a new government dominated by the Austrian NAZIs. The German Wehrmacht and the SS, armed with list of NAZI opponents, crossed the German-Austrian frontier (March 12). Hitler the following day on March 13, speaking before a jubilent crowd in Linz, announced the "Anschluss" (Annexation) of Austria into the German Reich. Joyous celebrations occurred throught Austria. The Anschluss was accompanied with the thunderous approvl of the Austrian people an unimaginably outburst of violence against Austrian Jews. Even while the celebrations were going on, SS Einsatzgruppe and local NAZIs began rounding up those who had opposed the NAZIs. Violence occured against the Jews. Jewish students and professors were attacked in universities. Jews at random were dragged into the streets to scrub the sidewalks on their hands and knees--surounded by taunting crowds. The Anschluss which added Austria to the German Reich irrevocably changed the European ballance of power.

World War II

These are Austrian Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss' two surviving children, Rudolf and Eva (figure 1). They are pictured when they escaped to Switzerland after the Anschluss (1938). Their mother fearful of NAZI vengence took them there. We are not entirely sure why. While their father was strongly anti-NAZI, we don't think that they would have arrested the children. We do not know if their mother would have been targetted. The children would have had to join the Hitler Youth had they stayed in Austria. We have been unable to find much information about them during the War. We believe that Britain granted them asylum during the War. Aeader reports, "Rudolph went to Canada. He became a pulmonary physician at McGill university and the Queen Elizabeth hospital where I was an intern in 1978-79. I worked with him. He was an avid sailor. Ultimately he went to Vancouver BC." 【McIlvaine】

Sources

James, Edwin Leland. "Engelbert Dollfuss warns Adolph Hitler to leave Austria alone," New York Times (February 4, 1934). The James article is interesting as he thought that the Allies (Btitain and France) and the League of Nations would defend Austrian independence.

McIlvaine, William. E-mail message (July 2, 2023).

Created: 5:23 PM 7/31/2018
Last updated: 12:05 AM 7/3/2023