Why did Adolf Hitler claim to be a Bavarian rather than an Austrian?

[George L Gregory]

I'm aware that Adolf Hitler and many other German-speaking Austrians considered themselves to be Germans in the late 19th century and early 20th century, but why did Hitler refer to himself as a Bavarian rather than just an Austrian?

In Mein Kampf declared his family to be "Bavarian by blood".

On 22 February 1933 Hitler gave a public speech and said:

Und Sie mögen eines zur Kenntnis nehmen: Ich selbst bin meinem Herkommen nach, meiner Geburt und meiner Abstammung nach ein Bajuware. Zum erstenmal seit der Gründung des Reiches ist die Würde Bismarcks in die Hände eines Bayern gelegt worden.

And you may take note of one thing: I myself am a Bavarian according to my origins, my birth and my descent. For the first time since the founding of the empire, Bismarck's dignity has been placed in the hands of a Bavarian.

Was it his way of thinking that Austrians are Bavarians (Germans) due to the history of Austria since Austria was created as a borderland (Margraviate of Austria) of Bavaria in 976?

It's also worth noting that Hitler's birthplace, Braunau am Inn, has swapped between Austrian rule and Bavarian rule quite a few times in history, but since 1816 it has been under Austrian rule.

[GoeringsPetLion]

Hitler refers to the Bajuwaren (Latin: "Baiovarii"), from which both Austrians and Bavarians descend.

Bavarians, also Baiouarii, Baiovarii, Baiuwarii or Baivarii, (German: Baiern, Bajuwaren), Germanic people that arose from various tribes during the 5th and 6th centuries A.D. and settled in the area between the River Danube and the Alps

More: https://austria-forum.org/af/AEIOU/Baie ... rn_english

Furthermore, he surely knew that the Austrian German dialects are classified as Bavarian (Bairisch):


Source: Wikimedia Commons, Brichtig, public domain

Light blue: North Bavarian dialects
Middle blue: Middle Bavarian dialects
Deep blue: South Bavarian dialects

Non-Bavarian dialects spoken in Bavaria:
Red: East Franconian dialects
Light green: Swabian dialects

[George L Gregory]

Hitler refers to the Bajuwaren (Latin: "Baiovarii"), from which both Austrians and Bavarians descend.

Bavarians, also Baiouarii, Baiovarii, Baiuwarii or Baivarii, (German: Baiern, Bajuwaren), Germanic people that arose from various tribes during the 5th and 6th centuries A.D. and settled in the area between the River Danube and the Alps

More: https://austria-forum.org/af/AEIOU/Baie ... rn_english

Furthermore, he surely knew that the Austrian German dialects are classified as Bavarian (Bairisch):


Source: Wikimedia Commons, Brichtig, public domain

Light blue: North Bavarian dialects
Middle blue: Middle Bavarian dialects
Deep blue: South Bavarian dialects

Non-Bavarian dialects spoken in Bavaria:
Red: East Franconian dialects
Light green: Swabian dialects

Indeed.

In Mein Kampf, Hitler wrote:

The German of my youth was the dialect of Lower Bavaria; I could neither forget it nor learn the Viennese jargon.

[George L Gregory]

On 2 February 1933, Hitler said:

I myself come from the south, am a citizen of a Northern German State, but I regard myself as a German and live in German history.

[George L Gregory]

The original German of the text in my last post:

Ich bin selbst aus dem Süden, gehöre als Staatsbürger einem norddeutschen Staat an, fühle mich aber als Deutscher und lebe in der deutschen Geschichte.