The Austrian resistance launched in response to the rise in fascism across Europe and, more specifically, to the Anschluss in 1938 and resulting occupation of Austria by Germany. An estimated 100,000 people were reported to have participated in this resistance with thousands subsequently imprisoned or executed for their anti-Nazi activities. One sign of the Austrian resistance was O5, where the 5 stands for E and OE is the abbreviation of Österreich (in English: Austria) with Ö as OE. This sign may be seen at the Stephansdom in Vienna.