Harrer claiming to be Austrian -- historically wrong!

No, they didn't. Germans considered Austrians part of Germany--very different.

And you are basing this on what, exactly? Of course Austrians considered themselves Germans in the sense that they were German speaking. Until about 70 years before WWII, the German-speaking world was massively splintered into two large countries, Austria-Hungary and Prussia, with Austria the more dominant one, and about 30 other medium size to very small countries. This rivalry was bound to lead to a conflict, and war came in 1866, with Prussia defeating Austria, leading to the eventual unification in 1870 of all German countries (except for Austria and the German part of Switzerland) into the German Reich. Afterwards Germany became allied with Austria-Hungary, and they were allies in WWI. After defeat, Austria-Hungary was broken up into its component parts, mostly Slavic peoples, into part of Poland, all of Czechoslovakia, all of Hungary, part of Rumania, and part of Yugoslavia. All that was left of historical Austria-Hungary was the small piece which is the Republic of Austria as we know it now. That is where the German speakers mostly lived. Austria was small, weak and considered non-viable, so many wished to become part of Germany, although many others did not. In any case, the peace treaties ending WWI forbid it (France wanted to WEAKEN Germany, not increase its size and population). Hitler was originally Austrian, but he emigrated to Germany. After he became Der Fuehrer in 1933, he launched an international relations policy of regaining Germany's strength, which included grabbing Austria. That was done by the Anschluss in 1938. Again, there were many Austrians who wished to join Germany, and many who felt a separate identity as Austrians, so did not wish to join Germany. Hitler held a referendum on the issue, but it was considered a manipulated farce, and he naturally won in a huge landslide. So, to say the least, the issue is not a simple one.

Who cares. It's a movie