Original 1938 Anschluss Referendum Ballot and Hitler Election Pencil

Description

Original 1938 Anschluss Referendum Ballot

This original 1938 Anschluss ballot is an important piece of German political ephemera connected with the annexation of Austria, the expansion of Nazi Germany and the final stages of European political tension before the Second World War.

The group contains two related period objects:

• An original marked ballot for the 1938 referendum and Greater German Reichstag election
• An original dark wooden “Deutschland wählt Hitler!” political propaganda pencil

The ballot is headed:

“Volksabstimmung und Großdeutscher Reichstag”

This translates approximately as:

“Referendum and Greater German Reichstag.”

Below appears the word:

“Stimmzettel” — “Ballot paper.”

The central question asks the voter whether they agree with the “reunification” of Austria with the German Reich carried out on 13 March 1938 and whether they support the list of Adolf Hitler.

The original German text reads:

“Bist Du mit der am 13. März 1938 vollzogenen Wiedervereinigung Österreichs mit dem Deutschen Reich einverstanden und stimmst Du für die Liste unseres Führers Adolf Hitler?”

English translation:

“Do you agree with the reunification of Austria with the German Reich carried out on 13 March 1938, and do you vote for the list of our leader Adolf Hitler?”

The paper displays two voting circles. The “Ja” — “Yes” circle is deliberately much larger and more prominently positioned than the smaller “Nein” — “No” circle.

A blue or violet pencilled cross remains visible inside the large “Yes” circle.

The Anschluss of Austria

The ballot relates to the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany, commonly known by the German term Anschluss.

Following intense German pressure, Austrian Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg resigned on 11 March 1938. German troops crossed into Austria on 12 March, and the annexation was formally declared on 13 March. The plebiscite was therefore held only after Austria had already been occupied and incorporated into the German Reich.

The combined referendum and Reichstag election took place on 10 April 1938. The electorate was asked simultaneously to approve the annexation and support Hitler’s unified candidate list.

This was not a free democratic consultation. The vote took place under dictatorship, after the military occupation of Austria, amid an enormous propaganda campaign, political intimidation and the exclusion of many Jewish citizens, Roma, political opponents and other individuals whom the regime did not consider members of its national community.

Propaganda Through Ballot Design

The design of the original 1938 Anschluss ballot is itself historically important.

The “Yes” circle is significantly larger than the “No” circle. The positive option is also placed centrally beneath Hitler’s name, while the negative option is positioned farther to the right in a smaller space.

This visual arrangement demonstrates how even an official voting document could be transformed into a propaganda instrument. Rather than neutrally presenting two equal choices, the paper visually directed the voter toward the answer desired by the regime.

The officially announced result claimed overwhelming approval. However, institutions studying the Austrian Nazi period emphasise the role of organised propaganda, intimidation, terror and the absence of democratic conditions.

An example of this exact ballot design is preserved by the Deutsches Historisches Museum in Berlin, which identifies it as a ballot concerning the Anschluss of Austria.

German Reich Ballot Variant

The ballot shown here is printed on cream or age-yellowed paper.

The Austrian National Library documents that ballots produced for voters within the existing German Reich were printed on white or yellow paper, while versions distributed to Austrian voters were printed on green paper. The colouring of this example therefore appears consistent with a German Reich variant, although the exact original tone should be confirmed through physical examination under neutral light.

This distinction is relevant to specialist collectors because the referendum was conducted both in annexed Austria and throughout the German Reich.

“Deutschland wählt Hitler!” Election Pencil

Accompanying the ballot is a dark-painted wooden pencil carrying the white inscription:

“Deutschland wählt Hitler!”

English translation:

“Germany votes for Hitler!”

A swastika appears on either side of the slogan.

These pencils are documented as National Socialist electoral propaganda. Surviving groups of unused examples have been found in their original wrappers, demonstrating that they were produced in quantity as inexpensive political campaign objects.

The pencil included with this set has been sharpened and displays minor surface wear. Its printed slogan and symbols remain clearly visible.

The ballot itself has been marked with a blue or violet writing instrument. There is no documentary evidence proving that the accompanying pencil was used to cast the vote shown on this specific ballot. The two pieces are therefore offered as an associated historical collection rather than as a documented personal voting set.

From the Anschluss to the Second World War

The Anschluss represented a major stage in Hitler’s territorial expansion.

The incorporation of Austria increased the territory, population and economic resources controlled by Nazi Germany. It also demonstrated the inability of the international community to prevent Germany from overturning the post-First World War European settlement.

Later in 1938, Hitler intensified his demands against Czechoslovakia, leading to the Munich Agreement and the transfer of the Sudeten territories. Germany occupied the remaining Czech lands in March 1939 and invaded Poland in September, beginning the Second World War in Europe.

The original 1938 Anschluss ballot therefore belongs to a decisive moment between dictatorship, territorial expansion and the outbreak of WWII.

Condition

The ballot displays substantial natural age toning, scattered stains, small marks, surface dirt, light creasing and wear around the margins.

The black printed text remains strong, complete and clearly legible. The blue or violet cross inside the “Ja” circle remains clearly visible. No major paper loss affecting the central question or voting circles can be seen in the supplied photographs.

The pencil has been sharpened and shows surface wear, small scratches and marks associated with handling and storage. The white inscription and political symbols remain clearly readable.

Exact dimensions, reverse condition and any possible reverse markings should be confirmed separately. All supplied photographs form an essential part of the condition description.

Historical WWII Collectable

This original group would be suitable for collections focused on:

• The Anschluss of Austria
• Adolf Hitler political material
• Third Reich propaganda
• Pre-WWII German expansion
• German referendums and elections
• Greater German Reichstag documents
• Original Nazi-era paper ephemera
• European dictatorship and propaganda
• Austrian history under National Socialism
• The origins of the Second World War

The objects are offered exclusively as historical collectables for preservation, research, education and documentation. Their sale does not endorse National Socialist ideology, dictatorship, antisemitism, territorial aggression or political persecution.