03:59

Ruth Deutschmann

Benjamin Epp

Innsbruck

2008-08-20

Sylvia Manning ? Baumgartner

Nicole D´Incecco

1932

The progress was abruptly interrupted by politics. The politics of these times - we have to say - were very dubious. Because although the army was allowed to have 30,000 men that figure was never reached, because there wasn’t enough money. But the Socialist Party as well as the so-called Christian-Social Party or political movement, founded so-called paramilitary defence forces, i.e. private armies. On the one hand there was a direct socialist paramilitary defence force and on the other hand you had the so-called homeland defenders. Both tried to become that which wasn’t popular - tried to force through with violence, that which they couldn’t achieve politically. And then one day this strange incident happened. They realized in parliament that some Member of Parliament had cast his vote twice. To avoid various complications the president of the national assembly resigned. According to the constitution there were one or two or three presidents of the National Assembly. The second president found nothing certain was known so he’d also better step down.The third one, who actually was never really involved anyway, didn’t know how to avoid the whole issue and said he’d also resign. Back then the chancellor or head of government was Dollfuss. And he said: "Right, now we have the opportunity we’ve been waiting for. Because now we’ll do everything to avoid a meeting of the national assembly with the parties." So he banned all parties and so National Socialism became more and more palpable.Then it came to the gradual strengthening of the National Socialists until they finally took over the government.