1939 Liechtenstein putsch
Date24 March 1939
Location
Schaan, Liechtenstein
Result

Coup failed

  • German invasion failed to materialize
  • VBDL leadership arrested or fled
Belligerents
German National Movement in Liechtenstein

Nazi Germany (unofficial)		 Progressive Citizens' Party
Patriotic Union
House of Liechtenstein
Commanders and leaders
Theodor Schädler
Alfons Goop

Franz Josef II
Josef Hoop

The 1939 Liechtenstein putsch, also known as the Annexation putsch (German: Anschlussputsch) was an unsuccessful coup d'état by the German National Movement in Liechtenstein (Volksdeutsche Bewegung in Liechtenstein or VBDL) designed to provoke Liechtenstein's annexation into Nazi Germany.

Background

A Nazi swastika being hoisted in Vaduz, around 1938.

Nazi groups had existed in Liechtenstein since 1933, primarily due to the rise of Nazi Germany and the introduction of anti-Jewish laws in the country, which caused Liechtenstein to experience a large amount of a large rise Jewish emigrants to the country.[1][2] As a result, there was continuing antisemetic agitation in Liechtenstein throughout the 1930s.[3]

The German National Movement in Liechtenstein (VBDL) itself formed after the Anschluss of Austria in 1938, advocating for the integration of Liechtenstein into Nazi Germany.[4] A slogan associated with the party, Liechtenstein den Liechtensteinern! (Liechtenstein for the Liechtensteiners!). This implied a radical populism that would threaten the allegiance of the people of Liechtenstein to ruling Prince of Liechtenstein Franz Josef II.[5] Its membership included many members of the former Liechtenstein Homeland Service, which was merged into the Patriotic Union in January 1936.[5]

It has been speculated that Franz I had given the regency to Franz Joseph as he did not wish to remain in control of the principality if Nazi Germany were to invade, primarily because his wife Elisabeth von Gutmann was of Jewish relation.[3][6] In March 1938 the governing Progressive Citizens' Party and opposition Patriotic Union formed a coalition, assigning a roughly equal number of seats each, in order to prevent the VBDL from acquiring any seats in the Landtag.[7][8]

Preparation and coup

The plan was drawn up by Nazi authorities in Feldkirch and leader of the VBDL Theodor Schädler, though importantly it was not backed by the German government itself. The plan was for members of the VBDL to march on Vaduz and seize control of the government, which was hoped to cause clashes between them and the government. German troops from Feldkirch would then move into Liechtenstein after a call for help and incorporate the country into Germany.[9]

In the late evening of 24 March 1939, during a visit of Franz Joseph II and Josef Hoop to Berlin where they met Adolf Hitler and Joachim von Ribbentrop, approximately 40 members of the VBDL starting from Nendeln marched towards Vaduz.[9][10] However, in front of Schaan opponents had gathered to stop them and they were convinced to turn back by government councillor Anton Frommelt who also blocked their telephone lines.[9][11]

VBDL members subsequently gathered outside of Schaan under the leadership of Theodor Schädler, but many were prevented from leaving their homes from opponents. Further coup participants were supposed to close the Triesen-Balzers road and the Vaduz-Sevelen Rhine bridge in the wake of the German invasion, though this did not happen as it was personally blocked by Adolf Hitler after intervention by Deputy Prime Minister Alois Vogt.[9][12] Instead, VBDL members resorted to burning Swastikas in order to provoke and intervention from Nazi Germany.[9]

Aftermath

After the coup's failure, 36 out of the 100 participants fled to Feldkirch and another 76 people were arrested and questioned, with about 50 of them being charged.[9][13][14] Though out of fear of German intervention, they were all released in December 1939 on the condition that they leave Liechtenstein.[9]

As a result of the coup, a large majority of Jews living in Liechtenstein fled the country, though most returned the following day after its failure. The coup was unpopular with the general population of Liechtenstein, and created a large sense of patriotic unity following it.[9] This directly caused the Liechtenstein Loyalty Association to heighten its operations against the VBDL and launch a signature campaign to reaffirm Liechtenstein's independence.[15] The VBDL was effectively defunct after the coup until it was reformed by Alfons Goop in 1940.[16] After World War II ended in 1945, twelve men being put on trial for high treason for the coup, of which seven were convicted. Alois Baltiner, Franz Beck, and Josef Frick were each sentenced to five years in prison, Egon Marxer was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison, and Alois Kindle, Hermann Marxer, and Josef Gassner each received suspended two-month sentences. During the war, Batliner had served in the Schutzpolizei, Marxer had served in the Waffen-SS on the Eastern Front.[17]

See also

References

  1. ↑ TIMES, Wireless to THE NEW YORK (1933-07-03). "Nazi Group Formed in Lichtenstein". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  2. ↑ "Regierungschef Josef Hoop orientiert den Landtag über einen Entwurf für ein Staatsbürgerschaftsgesetz". Staatsarchiv des Fürstentum Liechtenstein (in German). 29 May 1933. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  3. 1 2 "NAZIS IN CABINET IN LIECHTENSTEIN; Prince Franz Joseph, the New Ruler, Names Them Though Pledging Independence HITLER MOVEMENT GAINS Its Growing Strength Was One Reason for Abdication of Franz 1, Old Sovereign". The New York Times. 1 April 1938. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  4. ↑ Gustaf Adolf von Metnitz (1941). Hundert Millionen Deutsche schaffen Raum (in German). NS.-gauverlag Steiermark. p. 15.
  5. 1 2 Marxer, Wilfried (31 December 2011). "Volksdeutsche Bewegung in Liechtenstein (VDBL)". Historisches Lexikon des Fürstentums Liechtenstein (in German). Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  6. ↑ "Prince Franz of the 'Postage Stamp State' Retires". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 1 May 1938. p. 76. Archived from the original on 21 April 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "Parties in Liechtenstein 1921-1943". Prince and People: Liechtenstein Civics (in German). 2007. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  8. ↑ Dieter Nohlen; Philip Stöver (2010). Elections in Europe: A data handbook (in German). p. 1179. ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Büchel, Donat (31 December 2011). "Anschlussputsch". Historisches Lexikon des Fürstentums Liechtenstein (in German). Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  10. ↑ "Prince Franz Josef II visits Adolf Hitler in Berlin". Liechtenstein-Institut (in German). 27 March 2019. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
  11. ↑ Vogt-Frommelt, Rita (31 December 2011). "Frommelt, Anton". Historisches Lexikon des Fürstentums Liechtenstein (in German). Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  12. ↑ Schremser, Jürgen (31 December 2011). "Vogt, Alois". Historisches Lexikon des Fürstentums Liechtenstein (in German). Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  13. ↑ "Liechtenstein Jails Nazi For Attempt at Uprising". The New York Times. 27 April 1939. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  14. ↑ "27 April 1939". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 27 April 1939. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  15. ↑ Marxer, Wilfried (31 December 2011). "Heimattreue Vereinigung Liechtenstein". Historisches Lexikon des Fürstentums Liechtenstein (in German). Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  16. ↑ Peter Geiger (31 December 2011). "Goop, Alphonse". Historisches Lexikon des Fürstentums Liechtenstein (in German). Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  17. ↑ "Das Kriminalgericht führt die Schlussverhandlung im Prozess gegen die Putschisten durch". www-e--archiv-li.translate.goog. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
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