The German nationalist movement (Deutschnationale Bewegung) in Austria consisted of a various group of clubs, parties, initiatives and leaders. In the 1880s, it was, roughly speaking, split into two factions: One supported the Austro-Hungarian Empire, but sought to strengthen the German nation/people within its borders, fight for prerogatives and minimize the political weight of other nations, especially the Hungarians and Czechs.

The other was seeking a unification with Germany, and within this group the Alldeutsche Vereinigung (Pan-German Association) was by far the most influential. They were founded in 1891 as the Alldeutsche Bewegung (Pan-German Movement) by Georg von Schönerer, who tried to assemble all German nationalists. In 1895 he proclaimed the party manifesto: splitting up Austro-Hungary, affiliate Austria to Germany, disempower the catholic church. The borders of a new Great Germany should also contain Belgium, Luxemberg, Netherlands and (maybe) Switzerland.

The Association also tried to gain traction as a political party in 1901, winning 21 seats in the Austrian Reichsrat, but soon after, it split up. Schönerer wanted to abolish the Empire at all cost, and most notably, he wanted to establish a "race state" "cleansed" of ethnic minorities – especially Jews. Most members shared his antisemitism, but not his radicalism, and many did not care that much about the catholic church. They wanted to work within the Austro-Hungarian Empire – especially against the Czechs. So, Karl Hermann Wolf founded the Freialldeutsche Partei in 1902 as a slightly more moderate alternative, leaving behind Schönerer and his small group of racist radicals. While Wolf could establish his party, Schönerer fought for political influence unsuccessfully in the following years.

In 1911, both parties as well as many others merged in the Deutscher Nationalverband, that wanted to pursue German interests, but without destroying the Austro-Hungarian Empire. At this point, the idea of Pan-Germanism and unification had lost most of his political influence.

While he could not chalk up political wins, Schönerer's antisemitism, anti-catholicism, anti-capitalism and his idea of the "race state" had an enormous influence on young Adolf Hitler. Also, the personality cult around him impressed Hitler deeply. Some of the similarities are quite obvious: Schönerer's supporters greeted each other with "Heil!" and called him the "Führer". After the war, Hannah Arendt called him Hitler's "spiritual father".