The Schönfeld siblings were legitimists: they backed the restoration of the Austria-Hungarian monarchy. joined the Social Democratic Party in 1919 and Marie Schönfeld at some stage became a member of the Christian Trade Union Federation. In 1934 they reportedly joined the "People's Party" ("Volkspartei"), but at their later trial they both described themselves as non-political. (By this time, as the government drew inspiration from events in Germany, Austria was rapidly becoming a one-party state.) Regardless of their political loyalties in 1938, the Schönfelds saw the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany, which took place in March 1938, as a national humiliation.