Speech welcoming Hitler's return to Austria and the union of Austria and Germany

DOCUMENTS OF GERMAN POLITICS
[Dokumente der Deutschen Politik Grossdeutschland]
Vol. 6. part 1, Page 144-145; no. 28a (edited by Paul Meier-Benneckenstein)
Address of Bund Chancellor Dr. Seyss-Inquart from the balcony of the city hall at Linz on 12 March 1938.
My Fuehrer! In a moment important for the German nation and in its far-reaching effects for the shaping of the European history, I welcome you and with me the whole country, my Fuehrer and Reich Chancellor, for the first time again in Austria.
The time has come when in spite of the peace dictation, force envy and want of judgment of a whole world finally German met German.
Today the German nation stands unaminous and united to endure every fight and every suffering as one nation.
The road was difficult, hard and full of sacrifice. It led over the most shocking defeat of the German people, but yet out of it grew the great and brilliant idea of the indivisible common fate, the knowledge of one living nation, the idea of the national socialism ! .
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You, my Fuehrer, have experienced the nation's want and sorrow as a son of this frontier country. Out of this knowledge you conceived the great idea to use everything to deliver the German people from this, their worst defeat. You have done that!
You have delivered it! You are the Fuehrer of the German nation in the fight for honor, freedom and right!
Now we Austrians have recognized this leadership freely and openly, proudly and independently, for all times while we, at the same time, solemnly declare article 88 of the peace treaty as invalid !
The Reich's mighty forces move into our country amidst the jubilation of Austria. Austria's districts welcomes German soldiers, not to spite us, but as a clear and final confirmation that the entire German nation has gathered to secure German right from all the world, and for all times!
The racial Reich of order, peace, and the freedom of the nations is our aim, and we are standing at the threshold of its beginning, and Adolf Hitler is its leader!
My Fuehrer! We Austrians thank you. I can say only plainly and as a simple man, but from the hearts of millions of Austrians: We thank you. We have always fought with you with the determination and attitude which befits us in this frontier country, everlasting with the greatest patience. I believe we fought a good fight till the end. But now we salute you with the jubilation of all German hearts; Heil, my Fuehrer!