To resolve the political uncertainty in the country and to convince Hitler and the rest of the world that the people of Austria wished to remain Austrian and independent of the Third Reich, Schuschnigg, with the full agreement of the President and other political leaders, decided to proclaim a plebiscite to be held on 13 March.
20. februarja je Hitler govoril pred Reichstagom v Berlinu, govor pa je prvič prenašal tudi avstrijski radio.