Although the coalition was unambiguously right of center, the government itself was supposed to be nonpartisan – a so-called "cabinet of civil servants" ("Beamtenkabinett") loyal to the country rather than to any particular faction.

[3] On December 16, 1921, Chancellor Schober and President Hainisch signed the Treaty of Lana, an agreement of mutual understanding and friendship between Austria and Czechoslovakia.

In particular, Austria reconfirmed to its neighbor to the north that it would faithfully abide by the Treaty of Saint-Germain and would neither seek unification with Germany nor attempt to restore the Habsburgs to power.

[4][5] The Christian Socials were in favor of the treaty, but their remaining coalition partner, the Greater German People's Party, was vehemently opposed.

Ardently pan-German, the People's Party had been hoping that Austria would, sooner or later, defy the Treaty of Saint-Germain and would seek accession to the German Reich.

[7] As long as Schober himself remained office, however, the People's Party was still bound by the original coalition agreement.

One January 26, hoping to appease the People's Party by releasing it from its contractual obligation, Schober stepped down.

The Greater German People's Party, released from the coalition agreement and thus free to vote against the treaty, did.

Behind the scenes, Christian Social representatives, and possibly politicians of other parties as well, were already lobbying Schober to return; it was widely felt that there simply was no alternative.