In March 1938 Nazi Germany absorbed Austria in the Anschluss, uniting the two German-speaking nations without armed resistance and in violation of the Treaty of Versailles. The event sent shockwaves through European Jewish and intellectual communities, forcing many writers and artists into exile. It marked a decisive step in Hitler's territorial expansion and brought the continent closer to all-out war.

The Anschluss with Austria in 1938 not only expanded fascist ideologies but also catalyzed a wave of exile poetry across Europe. Poets such as Paul Celan and Ingeborg Bachmann responded to the oppressive political climate, weaving themes of resistance, identity, and loss into their works, which became crucial in articulating the experiences of those displaced by totalitarian regimes.