Anschluss

A1N1S1C3H4L1U1S1S1
UK/ˈan.ʃlʊs/

noun

Political annexation, specifically that of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938.

OriginGerman Anschluss →
UncommonFirst used 1920sScrabble 14
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Meanings

nounAnschluss (uncountable)
  1. historicaluncountablePolitical annexation, specifically that of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938.First known use 1920s

    ‘Some of us students protested against the Anschluss.’

    1941, W Somerset Maugham, Up at the Villa, Vintage, published 2004, page 44
    3 more examples

    Riane Eisler was born in Vienna in 1931. After the German Anschluss of Austria she fled with her family, first to Cuba and then to the U.S.

    1988 December 11, John Kyper, “The 'Truth' Of Male-Dominated Social Science”, in Gay Community News, volume 16, number 22, page 8

    Anton Kuh […] was one of the Viennese coffee-house wits whose mastery of the brief critical essay reached its apotheosis in the last nervous years before the Anschluss.

    2001, Clive James, Even As We Speak

    Not far from where we are sitting is Heldenplatz, where in March 1938 Adolf Hitler addressed a cheering crowd to proclaim the Anschluss—the annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany, in defiance of the post-first world war treaties of Versailles and Saint-Germain.

    2025 October 25, Mercedes Ruehl, “Lunch with the FT: Sebastian Kurz”, in FT Weekend (Life & Arts section), London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 3

Origin

  1. GermanAnschluss“annexation”
  2. EnglishAnschluss

From German Anschluss (“annexation”) (formerly Anschluß), from anschließen (“to join, unite”).

More words from German

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic آنْشْلُوس
  • آنْشْلُوس (anšlūs)the annexation of Austria into Germany in 1938 or an analogy
Bulgarian а́ншлус
  • а́ншлус (ánšlus)the annexation of Austria into Germany in 1938 or an analogy
Chinese Mandarin 德奧合併 /德奥合并, 合併 /合并
  • 德奧合併 /德奥合并 (Dé-Ào hébìng)the annexation of Austria into Germany in 1938 or an analogy
  • 合併 /合并 (hébìng)the annexation of Austria into Germany in 1938 or an analogy
Czech anšlus
  • anšlusthe annexation of Austria into Germany in 1938 or an analogy
Danish anschluss
  • anschlussthe annexation of Austria into Germany in 1938 or an analogy
Dutch anschluss
  • anschlussthe annexation of Austria into Germany in 1938 or an analogy
French anschluss
  • anschlussthe annexation of Austria into Germany in 1938 or an analogy
German Anschluss, Anschluß
  • Anschlussthe annexation of Austria into Germany in 1938 or an analogy
  • Anschlußthe annexation of Austria into Germany in 1938 or an analogy
Greek Προσάρτηση της Αυστρίας, Άνσλους
  • Προσάρτηση της Αυστρίας (Prosártisi tis Afstrías)the annexation of Austria into Germany in 1938 or an analogy
  • Άνσλους (Ánslous)the annexation of Austria into Germany in 1938 or an analogy
Hebrew אַנְשְׁלוּס
  • אַנְשְׁלוּס (anshlus)the annexation of Austria into Germany in 1938 or an analogy
Hindi आनश्लुस
  • आनश्लुस (ānślus)the annexation of Austria into Germany in 1938 or an analogy
Japanese アンシュルス
  • アンシュルス (anshurusu)the annexation of Austria into Germany in 1938 or an analogy
Norwegian Bokmål anschluss
  • anschlussthe annexation of Austria into Germany in 1938 or an analogy
Polish anszlus, Anschluss
  • anszlusthe annexation of Austria into Germany in 1938 or an analogy
  • Anschlussthe annexation of Austria into Germany in 1938 or an analogy
Portuguese Anschluss
  • Anschlussthe annexation of Austria into Germany in 1938 or an analogy
Russian аншлю́с, а́ншлюс
  • аншлю́с (anšljús)the annexation of Austria into Germany in 1938 or an analogy
  • а́ншлюс (ánšljus)the annexation of Austria into Germany in 1938 or an analogy
Slovak anšlus
  • anšlusthe annexation of Austria into Germany in 1938 or an analogy
Swedish anschluss, anslutning
  • anschlussthe annexation of Austria into Germany in 1938 or an analogy
  • anslutningthe annexation of Austria into Germany in 1938 or an analogy
Turkish Anşlüs
  • Anşlüsthe annexation of Austria into Germany in 1938 or an analogy
Ukrainian аншлю́с, а́ншлюс
  • аншлю́с (anšljús)the annexation of Austria into Germany in 1938 or an analogy
  • а́ншлюс (ánšljus)the annexation of Austria into Germany in 1938 or an analogy
Cite this entry
APA

Anschluss. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Anschluss

MLA

“Anschluss.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Anschluss. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Anschluss,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Anschluss.

Source: Anschluss on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.