Walter Riehl was born November 8, 1881, in Wiener Neustadt (Lower Austria) and died September 6, 1955, in Vienna. He later became a politician and leading personality of the emerging National Socialism in Austria during the 1920s. He founded the Deutschsozialen Verein after a splitting of the Austrian National Socialist Party (DNSAP) in June 1924, and was active in the Front Fighters Association (Frontkämpfervereinigung). In 1930 he joined the Nazi Party (NSDAP).

Riehl, a young lawyer, joined the German Workers Party (DAP) in 1908 and along with Rudolf Jung helped write its charter and party program at Iglau in 1913. Riehl was elected chairman of the Austrian DAP in May 1918 and moved to Vienna that same month. Under his leadership in August 1918, members voted to change the DAP's name to the German National Socialist Worker's Party (DNSAP) at a meeting in Vienna.

Ties with the parent Sudeten Nazis had never been broken, and Riehl soon succeeded in establishing contact with a number of kindred groups in other countries. In September 1919, Riehl sent copies of the Austrian Nazi program to Anton Drexler, chairman of the new German DAP. Riehl suggested that Drexler change the name of his new German organization to coincide with that of Riehl's Austrian Nazi party (DNSAP).

Largely due to Riehl's efforts, in December 1919, the Interstate National Socialist Bureau of the German Language Territory, which was later known as the Federated Nazi Party or the Interstate Bureau, was officially founded at a meeting of international nationalists and socialists in Vienna. Dr. Riehl was named Chairman. Other representatives came from Germany, the Sudetenland and Polish Silesia. The relative strength of the Sudeten Nazis was revealed by the fact that they were accorded four voting representatives at the conference compared to just two for Austria, and one for German-Poles. 1

In February 1920, Dr. Riehl designed a new Austrian DNSAP party flag using a swastika on a white field., and the new Flag was first flown in public on May 1, 1920 in Vienna. As chairman of the DNSAP Riehl was addressed by the title of Führer (leader) as can be seen in the caption of this photo taken at Salzburg in August 1920.

Between August 7 and 9, 1920, at the second conference of the Interstate National Socialist Bureau of the Germany Language Territory (also known as the Interstate Bureau or the Federated Nazi Party) which was held at Salzburg, a postcard was signed by Dr. Riehl and 10 other members of that organization, including Adolf Hitler who attended the meeting along with Anton Drexler. This is believed to be the first meeting of of this group attended by Hitler and Drexler, and Hitler's signature on this postcard proves he was there.

The postcard, which can be seen here, was formerly the property of Anna Herzog, wife of Hugo Herzog gauleiter of Carinthia from 1927-1933, , for whom it was signed. This rare postcard together with other material was apparently donated to the NSDAP Carinthia archives and was found there by a British Intelligence officer in 1945.

There appear to be 11 signatures on the reverse side of the postcard, including Hitler's. Other signatories of the card were Max Sesselmann, Heinrich Kraeger, Hans Knirsch, Rudolf Jung, Ferdinand Burchofsky, Alfred Brunner and Dr. Riehl, along with three others who have not yet been identified. If you have any idea as to who they might have been, please let us know.

The signatures of both Riehl and Hitler on the same postcard must rank as an extraordinary association piece in that they both designed swastika symbols for use in their fascist causes in 1920, the same year they both signed it

Between 1920 and 1923, Hitler spoke at more than a half dozen rallies in Austria sponsored by Reihl's group, and in February 1923, published an article in the Austrian Nazi Party (DNSAP) newspaper.

In August 1923, the fifth and, as it turned out, last Interstate National Socialist convention was again held in Salzburg. During the previous five years, the Germans had contributed almost nothing to the operation of the Interstate Bureau in Vienna, and Hitler did not even bother to answer many of Dr. Riehl's letters. x1 By that time, as Riehl himself later admitted, "The name of the powerful speaker and leader Adolf Hitler had grown far beyond the importance of other party leaders." x2

Having already established his dictatorial control over the German Nazis, Hitler was in no mood to see his policies contradicted by the smaller Austrian and Sudeten Nazi parties. Hitler and Riehl are said to have split over strategy and tactics in 1923 and Riehl was pushed into the background, but continued to play an active role in Austrian Nazi circles.

In the early postwar years the Austrian Nazis, who had assumed that the German Nazi party, though younger, had the same goals as themselves, took pleasure in the Germans' successes. Only years later would the more moderate Austrian Nazis deny that the two groups had anything more in common than their name. x3

In the course of the following years, there were frequently serious acts of violence between the various armed factions and people were regularly killed.

The Murder of Hugo Bettauer

On March 10, 1925, a 25-year old dental technician by the name of Otto Rothstock, a known Nazi sympathizer, turned up at the Vienna offices of Dr. Hugo Bettauer, a well known Jewish writer and journalist, who published "Bettauers Wochenschrift." Rothstock asked to speak to "Herr Doktor" and once in Bettauer's office, the young man locked the door from the inside, pulled out a revolver and fired five shots at the unsuspecting journalist.

As Bettauer lay in a pool of blood on the floor, Rothstock tore up everything he could get his hands on and quietly waited for the police to arrive. The purported motive for the crime: the wish to save young people from the likes of Hugo Bettauer. Bettauer failed to recover from the gunshot wounds and died ten days later in hospital.

In death, a number of Bettauer's literary peers, among them Robert Musil and Karl Kraus, praised his sincerity and commitment, but many people were happy to see him dead. Otto Rothstock was put on trial for murder and was ably defended by one of the leading Austrian National Socialists of the day, the lawyer Dr. Walter Riehl. Riehl offered his services free of charge.

Under Riehl's direction Rothstock convinced the court he had been temporarily insane at the time of the murder, and acquited. The court, feeling that it was not safe for such a "screwball" to be out on the streets, ruled that Rothstock be admitted to a psychiatric clinic. Eighteen months later, he was a free man.

The Trial and Verdict at Schattendorf

On 30 January 1927 in the small city of Schattendorf in Burgenland, members of the Socialist Workers Party (SPÖ) were fired upon in front of a guesthouse where members of the Frontkämpfervereinigung Deutsch-Österreichs (Front Fighters Association of German-Austria) were meeting. Two were killed, including an 8-year-old child, and five injured. Dr. Riehl, head of the Deutschsozialer Verein (German Social Association), defended the perpetrators at their trial in Schattendorf and convinced the jury it was case of self-defense. The judge announced the acquittal on 14 July 1927, describing the perpetrators as "honorable men."

Newspaper reports about the verdict sparked demonstrations in downtown Vienna, where the Palace of Justice was set on fire. The weapons used by the police against the demonstrators ended in a massacre with 89 dead protesters, as well as four dead Security guards and detective officers. Because of the Justice Palace fire the belief in a fair and impartial judiciary in Austria was shaken, it also led to a strengthening of Heimwehr movement.

Still the Austrian National Socialists linked to Hitler (Nazis) got only 779 votes in the 1927 General Election. The strongest grouping besides the Social Democrats was the Unity Coalition led by the Christian Social Party, but includied German Nationalists and the groups of Riehl and Karl Schulz.

Dr. Riehl Joins Hitler's NSDAP

Even though he had split with Adolf Hitler seven years earlier after strong disagreements about tactics and strategy, Dr. Riehl finally decided to joined Hitler's Nationalsozialistche Arbeiterspartei (NSDAP) in 1930. The Austrian NSDAP had been founded in Vienna in 1926 by Richard Suchenwirth, and Riehl clearly saw the handwriting on the wall.

Nevertheless, in the General Election of 1930, the Social Democrats were the largest single party. The Christian Social Party came in second but stayed in office in a coalition with smaller parties. The smaller Austrian National Socialists parties linked to Hitler (Nazis) got only 3.6% of the votes and failed to enter Parliament.

In the following years the Nazis gained votes at the expense of the various German national groups which also wanted unity with Germany. After 1930 Hitler’s party doubled its membership every year because of the economic crisis. One of their slogans was, "500,000 Unemployed – 400,000 Jews – Simple way out; vote National Socialist".

But in Austria 1932 was the year of the Christian Social Party and its belligerent new Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuß. The Social Democrats were no longer their only threat; the previous chancellor and priest Ignaz Seipel had worked towards an authoritarian state. Seipel based this on the Papal Encyclicals, Rerum Novarum (1891) and Quadragesimo Anno (1931), and abolition of the parliamentary system were necessary for this.

Dictatorship, Civil War and Banning the National Socialists

A crisis in the Austrian parliament on the 4 May 4 1933 gave Dollfuß the opportunity he wanted and needed. Later that month the Christian Social Union was converted to the Patriotic Front. The Patriotic Front was a political organization, supposedly above partisan considerations, Roman Catholic and vehemently anti-Marxist. It purported to represent all Austrians who were true to their native land. Within a week the Austrian Communist Party was banned, and before the end of the month the republican paramilitary organisation and Freethinkers Organisations were banned along with numerous other groups.

Nazis failed to get more than 25% of the votes in local elections in most areas. In Zwettl and Innsbruck however they got more than 40%, and they struggled to lever this into a basis for agitation against the ruling Patriotic Front. Nazi supporters generated a wave of terrorism which crested in early June with four deaths and 48 people injured.

In Germany Hitler became Chancellor early in 1933. The Social Democrats deleted any intention to cooperate with Germany from its party program. Nazis had fled to Bavaria after their party was banned in Austria and founded there the Austrian Legion. The Nazis there had military style camps and military training. Nazi terrorism in Austria got financial, logistic and material support from Germany.

The German Government subjected Austria to systematic agitation. After the expulsion of the Bavarian Minister of Justice in May 1933 German citizens were required to pay a thousand marks to the German Government before travelling to Austria. The Austrian Nazi Party was banned in June 1933 after a hand grenade attack in Krems. Nazi terrorism abated after that though five more people were killed and 52 injured by the end of the year.

On 12 February 1934 a violent confrontation in Linz caused serious consequences. Members of a local paramilitary group acting to assist the police wanted to enter a building belonging to the Social Democrats or a party member’s home. They wanted to search any weapons belonging to the Social Democrat paramilitary which had recently been banned. Violence soon spread to the whole country and developed into civil war. The police and their paramilitary supporters together with the army won the confrontation by the 14 February. There were many arrests.

Constitutional courts were quickly abolished, trade unions and the Social Democrat Party were banned, and the death penalty was reintroduced. After political opposition had been suppressed the Austrian Republic was transformed into what was called the Austrofast Ständestaat. The authoritarian Maiverfassung (May Constitution) was proclaimed on the first of May. The 1st of May has always been an important day for Austrians, especially the Viennese and Social Democrats. Choosing this day must have been seen as a deliberate humiliation.

Attempted Nazi Coup and Growing German Influence

From the start of 1934 there was a new wave of Nazi terrorist attacks in Austria. This time government institutions were targeted far more than individuals. In the first half of 1934, 17 people were killed and 171 injured. On July 25 the Nazis attempted a coup under SS (leadership?). About 150 SS personnel forced their way into the Chancellor’s office in Vienna. Dollfuß was shot and died a few hours later from his wounds. Another group occupied the building of the Austrian National Radio and forced a statement that the Government of Dollfuß had fallen and Anton Rintelen was the new head of government. Anton Rintelen belonged to the Christian Social Party but is suspected of Nazi sympathy. This false report was intended to start a Nazi uprising throughout the country but it was only partially successful.

There was considerable fighting in parts of Carinthia, Styria and Upper Austria and limited resistance in Salzburg. In Carinthia and Styria the fighting lasted from the 27th to the 30th of July. Members of the so-called “Austrian legion” tried to push out from Bavaria over the Mühlviertel, a part of Upper Austria, and towards Linz. They were forced back to the frontier at Kollerschlag. On July 26 a German courier was arrested at the Kollerschlag pass in Upper Austria. He had with him documented instructions for the revolt. This so-called Kollerschlag Document demonstrated the connection of the July revolt to Bavaria clearly.

The army, the gendarmery and the police put down revolt with heavy casualties. On the government side there were 107 deaths and 500 injuries. On the rebel side there were 140 deaths and 600 injuries. 13 rebels were executed and 4,000 people were imprisoned without trial. Many thousand supporters of the Nazi party were arrested. Up to 4000 fled over the border to Germany and Yugoslavia. Kurt Schuschnigg became the new Chancellor.

Anschluss and Integration Into the German Reich

After Schussnig left office, the federal president Wilhelm Miklas asked Arthur Seyß-Inquart to form a new government as the Germans demanded. From the 11th to the 13th of March he led the Austrian Government and completed the Anschluss.

On the morning of the March 12 heavily armed German troups and police crossed the Austrian frontier, in total about 65,000. Large sections of the Austrian population were very pleased to see them. In Vienna, Aspern met Heinrich Himmler of the SS accompanied by many police and SS officials to take over the Austrian police. Supporters of the Austrian Nazi Party together with members of the SS and SA occupied public buildings and offices throughout Austria without a previously planned transition period.

The formation of the Greater German Reich was announced from the balcony of the Council House in Linz. On the following day, March 13, 1938, the second session of the Government passed the “Reunification with Germany Law”. Federal President Miklas refused to endorse it and resigned. Seyß-Inquart was now functioning Head of State. He could make his own laws and publish them.

Josef Bürkel, previously Reichskommissar for the reunion of the Saar (protectorate) now became "Reichskommissar for the reunification of Austria within the German Empire."

The World War Two Years, especially the last year or two, were difficult in Vienna. At this time we have no idea what Dr. Riehl was doing or how he spent his time during the war. Please contact us If you can supply any information.

Occupation and Post War

On 6 November 1953, at the second meeting of the Referates of the Österreichischen Akademikerbundes (Austrian Federal of Academics) in the Haus der Kaufmannschaft in Vienna, Dr. Walter Riehl was elected as chairman of the Academy. Dr. Margaret Hubinek was named managing director of the department.

Dr. Walter Riehl died 6 September 1955 in Vienna. Dr. Riehl's death occurred only months after Austia regained its freedom and independence, and at a time when the nation was still recovering the Second World War. He was 73 years old and was survived by his wife and children.

Sources

1. Hitler and the Forgotten Nazis: A History of Austrian National Socialism. Bruce F. Pauley - author. Publisher: University of North Carolina Press. Place of Publication: Chapel Hill, NC. Publication Year: 1981.

2. Botz, Gerhard: Gewalt in der Politik. Attentate, Zusammenstöße, Putschversuche, Unruhen in Österreich 1918 bis 1938. Wilhelm Fink Verlag, Munich 1983.

3. Leser, Norbert, and Sailer-Wlasits, Paul: 1927 - Als die Republik brannte. Von Schattendorf bis Wien. Vienna-Klosterneuburg 2002.

4. Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (Österreich-Ungarn)

5. Österreich in der Zeit des Nationalsozialismus

6. Deutsche Nationalsozialistische Arbeiterpartei

7. Schattendorfer Urteil

8. VIERTELJAHRSHEFTE FÜR ZEITGESCHICHTE

x1. Deutsche Arbeiter-Presse, Vienna, 7 January 1933, p. 3. It should be noted that by 1933 this party newspaer was controlled by people who sought to downplay Dr. Riehl's early role in the party.

x2. Deutsche Arbeiter-Presse, Vienna, 11 August 1923, p. 1

x3. Nationalsozialistische Monatshefte, April-June 1928, p. 25

Note

We are trying to find copies or transcripts of the publications below written by Walter Riehl.

Die Deutsche Gewerkschaft (Wien) vom 1. 1. 1913, S. 1 u. vom 1. 8. 1913, S. 1, vgl.
Alexander Schilling, Walter Riehl, Leipzig 1933, S. 21 ff.; Walter Riehl in: Deutsche Worte
(Karlsbad) vom 28. 1. 1911, S. 3.

Walter Riehl, „Zur Antwort", in: Reichenberger Zeitung vom 28. 8. 1908, S. 3.

Walter Riehl, „Unser End-ziel. Eine Flugschrift für den deutschen Nationalsozialismus", Wien 1918.