Heinrich Andergassen: Gestapo, Persecution, Deportations and Nazi Crimes | Part 1

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Historical Context

Austria, the Gestapo, and National Socialist Persecution in Tyrol

The annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany in March 1938 led to the rapid destruction of Austria’s political and constitutional structures. The police and gendarmerie were incorporated into the National Socialist apparatus of surveillance and persecution. From its regional headquarters in Innsbruck, the Gestapo extended its control across Tyrol and Vorarlberg.
Political opponents, members of the Catholic Church, Jews, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and people suspected of criticising the regime were placed under surveillance. They faced interrogation, imprisonment, abuse, or deportation to a concentration camp.
Heinrich Andergassen’s career illustrates how an Austrian gendarmerie officer became part of this machinery of repression. After the “Anschluss”, he joined the Nazi Party, transferred to the Gestapo, and later became a member of the SS. His detailed knowledge of local circumstances and his personal connections gave him considerable power over people in Hall in Tyrol and the surrounding region.
The surviving documents reveal that Andergassen did not behave in the same way towards every individual. At times, he presented himself as a courteous neighbour or an apparently helpful official; in other cases, contemporary reports describe him as a brutal interrogator and persecutor. Individual acts of leniency must therefore be considered within the broader context of his active participation in the Gestapo’s system of persecution. They do not diminish his responsibility for persecution, torture, and later war crimes.
Following the German occupation of northern Italy in September 1943, Andergassen became head of the SD branch office in Merano. He later served as the official responsible for Jewish affairs within the Security Police and SD command in the “Operational Zone of the Alpine Foothills”. His career thus connected local persecution in Tyrol with the National Socialist policies of deportation and mass murder in northern Italy.

read more: 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operational_Zone_of_the_Alpine_Foothills

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anschluss

Note on the Sources

This article is based on contemporary police and personnel records, affidavits, witness statements, archival material, and later historical research. These documents reflect the perspectives, knowledge, and intentions of their respective authors and must therefore be interpreted critically.
Where Heinrich Andergassen’s direct involvement cannot be established beyond doubt, the article distinguishes between documented facts, contemporary allegations, and historical interpretation.

General introduction

Heinrich, also known as Heinz, Andergassen was born in Hall in Tirol in 1908. After serving in the Austrian Federal Army and Gendarmerie, he joined the Secret State Police following the Anschluss of 1938 and advanced within the Gestapo and SS. In 1943 he became head of the SD outpost in Merano and later served with the Security Police and SD command in Bolzano.
His biography is documented by police files, statements by former detainees, post-war witness testimony, Allied investigations and records of the 1946 Naples trial. These sources offer sharply differing perspectives. Some people described Andergassen as courteous or helpful; other records link him to brutal interrogations, persecution, deportations, torture and murder. Favourable testimonies record individual experiences but do not erase his overall responsibility as a Nazi official.

Heinrich Andergassen (1908–1946)

Heinrich Andergassen during his trial before a U.S. military court in Naples on January 15, 1946. The former Gestapo and SS officer was sentenced to death for his involvement in the torture and murder of Allied prisoners of war. Photo: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration, College Park.

Heinrich Andergassen during his war crimes trial in Naples on January 15, 1946. The defendant is shown listening to his interpreter. Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (accessed August 12, 2026).

The archives of history often preserve shocking insights into the depths of human behavior. One such document is a confidential report from the Civil Police in Innsbruck dated June 1, 1945, just a few weeks after the end of the war. It sheds light on the career and machinations of Heinrich Andergassen, a man who, during the Nazi era, managed to insinuate himself into the trust of everyone – while simultaneously revealing himself to be an "extremely treacherous person." The life journey of this Tyrolean, born in Hall, ended just over a year after this report, at the end of a rope of an American military tribunal in Italy.

PART I – From police service to the Innsbruck Gestapo

Early career and a contradictory service assessment

A personnel assessment preserved in the files describes Andergassen as a public-security officer born in Hall and living in Ritter-Waldauf-Strasse. It states that before 1938 he performed duties against illegal National Socialists without particular zeal or harshness, characterising him as “very honest” and his work as moderately good.
The assessment proves neither political opposition to National Socialism nor a later psychological “transformation”. It records only an administrative evaluation made at a particular time.

The confidential report of 1 June 1945

A confidential Innsbruck civil-police report dated 1 June 1945 states that Andergassen enjoyed the confidence of his superiors and was well regarded by colleagues, while also making grave allegations about his interrogation practices. As a post-war document, it must be assessed in light of the origins of its information, the interests of informants and comparison with other records.

• The report alleges that Andergassen boasted of forcing a lay religious brother from Martinsbühel to lie on the floor with his arms extended in order to obtain a confession.
• It states that he could behave cordially toward detainees and subsequently incriminate them heavily in written reports.
• It alleges that he imposed onerous conditions on Pintar, the Innsbruck bishop’s driver, and attempted to obtain film stock through him.
• The report links him to the arrest of Dr Ernst Verdross and mentions the case of the Jewish citizen Schüller.

Source limitation: Where these allegations lack independent corroboration, they must remain attributed to the report rather than presented as certain psychological facts.

Dr Ernst Verdross

Photograph  Dr. Ernts Verdross. in: Präsidialakt III 1233/46 Heinrich Andergassen. In Historical Archive - Historisches Archiv der Landespolizeidirektion Tirol. Fachzirkel Exekutivgeschichte. 

Dr Ernst Verdross, who had already been persecuted and deported to Dachau concentration camp, lived in the same Hall street as Andergassen. A source connects renewed action against Verdross with his photography and decoration of his home during a Corpus Christi procession, in contrast to his lack of conspicuous flag display during Nazi celebrations.
According to the account preserved in the article, Andergassen appeared helpful toward Mrs Verdross while escorting her husband to interrogations and threatening renewed concentration-camp imprisonment. The contrast between courteous neighbour and Gestapo officer is historically relevant; the claim that Verdross never recognised Andergassen’s role requires a precise supporting testimony.

read more:

(EN) Dr. Ernst Verdross

Blog 87 (EN) Dr. Ernst Verdross (einzeln)

Book Presentation Concentration Camp Dachau

Karl Killinger, Jehovah’s Witness

Karl Killinger (1901–1940), a Jehovah’s Witness, lived at Ritter-Waldauf-Strasse 6. Jehovah’s Witnesses refused the Hitler salute, the oath to Hitler and military service on religious grounds. Killinger was arrested on 16 February 1939, deported to Dachau and later to Gusen, where he died from the conditions of imprisonment on 19 January 1940.
Not documented: Residential proximity and Andergassen’s Gestapo service raise a research question but do not prove his personal involvement in Killinger’s arrest.

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🇬🇧 Killinger-Karl-Memorial-Blog (EN)

🇬🇧 Jehovah's- Witnesses-Blog (EN)

fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Témoins_de_Jéhovah_sous_le_Troisième_Reich

Maria Mair and Dr Josef Mair

Maria Mair, née Ghedina, had known Andergassen since childhood and lived in the same Ghedina house. When her husband, Dr Josef Mair, was arrested by the Gestapo on 22 April 1941, she asked Andergassen for help. According to her reported recollection, he said that he could do nothing and that her husband’s situation was very serious. Descriptions of this response as evidence of inner emotional coldness are interpretations, not verifiable facts.

read more:

Blog (ENI) Dr. Josef Mair

Blog (EN) Maria Mair "Maria Mair, the Brave Woman from Glasnhof"

Johann and Maria Müller

Johann Müller stated that Andergassen behaved calmly and courteously during discussions concerning his detained daughter Maria Müller, a social worker. According to Müller, Andergassen granted her every concession within his power and, following her grandmother’s death on 16 July 1940, escorted her from custody to the cemetery and allowed her to visit home.
The statement documents concrete assistance in one case. It does not establish opposition to the regime or reveal the motives behind the intervention.

Dr Josef Fink’s statement, 12 May 1945

Another remarkable testimony comes from Dr. Fink, who wrote a statement in Volderwildbad on May 12, 1945. In it, Fink described his experiences with Andergassen:

Photo: Statement of Dr. Josef Fink. In: Heinrich Andergassen. Presidential File 1233/46 in the Historical Archive of the Police Directorate of Tyrol, Specialist Circle for Executive History.

Witness Statement:

I was reported in 1939 to the Secret State Police in Innsbruck by Hermann Schölg, an employee of the Bürgerliches Bräuhaus (beer depot in Solbad Hall), for an alleged “derogatory remark” about the regime. Following this, and after a similar report had been filed by a certain Kresentia Schwimmberger, a waitress at Café Kassenbacher in Hall, I was arrested.
My case was handled under the Malicious Practices Act (Heimtückegesetz), but during the interrogation it was deemed harmless, so that the matter was concluded with a fourteen-day detention in the police prison in Innsbruck. I am aware that Criminal Commissioner Andergassen, in whose department my case was processed, handled the matter benevolently and in my favor, thereby contributing significantly to the comparatively favorable outcome.
Volders, May 12, 1945
Dr. phil. Josef Fink
Volderwildbad
Post Volders

Commentary: The Statement of Dr. Josef Fink – A Document of Ambivalence

Dr Josef Fink stated that in 1939 he was denounced by Hermann Schlögl, an employee of the Bürgerliches Bräuhaus, and Kresentia Schwimmberger, a waitress at the Kassenbacher café in Hall, for an allegedly derogatory statement about the regime. Proceedings under the Heimtückegesetz ended with fourteen days’ detention in the Innsbruck police prison.
“I am aware that Criminal Police Commissioner Andergassen, in whose department my case was handled, treated the matter benevolently and in my favour, contributing decisively to the relatively favourable outcome.”
The document establishes Fink’s assessment of Andergassen’s intervention. It does not prove that Andergassen opposed the regime. Personal discretion, genuine selective assistance and tactical conduct are all possible interpretations; the statement alone cannot determine which applies.

read more:

Blog (EN) Dr. Greiter, Dr. Kneussl und Dr. Fink

🇬🇧Blog (EN) Dr. phil. Josef Fink

🇬🇧Blog (EN) Dr. jur. Franz Greiter

🇬🇧Blog (EN) Dr. jur. Erich Kneussl

Summary

The first part of Heinrich Andergassen’s biography traces his development from an apparently unremarkable Austrian gendarmerie officer into an influential member of the Gestapo and SS. Drawing on police records, witness statements, affidavits, and other historical documents, the article examines his activities in Innsbruck, Hall in Tyrol, and the surrounding region.
The cases of Karl Killinger, Paula and Franz Niederwolfsgruber, Dr Nikolaus Pfeifauf, Dr Ernst Verdross, Maria and Dr Josef Mair, Maria Müller, and Dr Josef Fink reveal different aspects of his conduct. Some individuals experienced Andergassen as courteous, helpful, or lenient. Other sources report deception, intimidation, arbitrary arrests, and brutal interrogation methods.
His occasional leniency did not place him outside the National Socialist system of persecution. Rather, the documents demonstrate how selective assistance and unpredictable behaviour could become instruments in the exercise of personal power.
From 1943 onwards, Andergassen continued his career in German-occupied northern Italy. He participated in the persecution of Jewish people and was later involved in the torture and murder of Allied prisoners of war. An American military court sentenced him to death, and he was executed in Livorno on 26 July 1946.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Who was Heinrich Andergassen?

Heinrich “Heinz” Andergassen was an Austrian gendarmerie officer who joined the Gestapo and SS after the “Anschluss” of 1938. Born in Hall in Tyrol in 1908, he later became an SD official in German-occupied northern Italy and was executed as a convicted war criminal in 1946.

What was Heinrich Andergassen’s connection to Hall in Tyrol?

Andergassen was born in Hall in Tyrol and lived in the Ritter-Waldauf-Straße. His local knowledge and personal connections placed him in close proximity to several people who were later persecuted by the Gestapo.

When did Heinrich Andergassen join the Nazi Party?

Andergassen applied for admission to the NSDAP on 30 May 1938 and was admitted retrospectively with effect from 1 May 1938. He joined the SS in November 1939.

What position did Andergassen hold in the Gestapo?

He began working as a criminal assistant at the Gestapo office in Innsbruck in October 1938. He later became a criminal commissioner and conducted investigations and interrogations involving people accused of political, religious or anti-Nazi activities.

How did Andergassen treat prisoners?

Archival records and witness statements present contrasting experiences. Some people described courteous treatment or individual acts of leniency, while others reported deception, intimidation, arbitrary arrest and brutal interrogation methods. These individual acts of leniency do not negate his active participation in the Nazi system of persecution.

Was Andergassen involved in the persecution of his neighbors?

The article documents his actions against or in connection with several people from his immediate social and residential environment, including Dr. Ernst Verdross and Dr. Josef Mair. Whether he was personally involved in every local arrest—such as that of Karl Killinger—cannot always be established conclusively from the available evidence.

Why did Andergassen warn Paula and Franz Niederwolfsgruber?

Andergassen reportedly warned members of their circle about impending Gestapo action. Nevertheless, arrests and punishments followed. The surviving evidence does not conclusively establish his motive. The warning may have been intended to gain trust, cultivate the image of a helper or reflect his knowledge of an operation in which the Gestapo was already involved.

Who was Karl Killinger?

Karl Killinger was a Jehovah’s Witness from Hall in Tyrol who refused the Hitler salute, military service and an oath of allegiance to Adolf Hitler for religious reasons. He was arrested in 1939, deported to Dachau and later to Gusen concentration camp, where he died in January 1940.

What happened to Dr. Ernst Verdross?

Dr. Ernst Verdross, a former Dachau prisoner and neighbor of Andergassen, was subjected to renewed Gestapo persecution. According to the documents discussed in the article, Andergassen presented himself to Verdross’s family as a helpful neighbor while taking part in the interrogations and intimidation directed against him.

What role did Andergassen play in northern Italy?

Following the German occupation of northern Italy in 1943, Andergassen became head of the SD external office in Merano. He commanded the arrest of Jewish residents and later served as the official responsible for Jewish affairs within the Security Police and SD command in the Operational Zone of the Alpine Foothills.

Why was Heinrich Andergassen sentenced to death?

An American military tribunal convicted Andergassen for his involvement in the torture and murder of seven Allied prisoners of war, including OSS officer Roderick Stephen Hall. He was executed in Livorno, Italy, on 26 July 1946.

What do the apparently favorable testimonies about Andergassen mean?

They show that perpetrators did not necessarily behave identically toward every person. Selective leniency could arise from personal preference, calculation or an attempt to create favorable witnesses. Such testimony must be evaluated alongside the broader documentary evidence of Andergassen’s participation in persecution and violence.

What sources are used for this biography?

The article draws on a confidential police report from June 1945, Gestapo personnel records, sworn witness statements, private collections, oral-history material and records held by the Historical Archive of the Tyrol Police Directorate and other regional archives.

Historical Context of the Source

Roderick “Steve” Hall and the OSS Mission at the Brenner Pass

Roderick Stephen “Steve” Hall was an American officer and member of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the United States intelligence agency during the Second World War. In late 1944, he was deployed behind German lines in northern Italy. His mission was to work with local resistance groups to investigate and, if possible, disrupt German transport and supply routes across the Brenner Pass. This route was of great strategic importance because German troops and military supplies moved along it between the German Reich and Italy.
Hall was captured near Cortina d’Ampezzo in January 1945 and subsequently taken to Bolzano. Although he was wearing an American uniform and asserted his status as a soldier, the German security authorities treated him as an enemy agent. Members of the Security Police and the SD interrogated and tortured him. He was murdered on February 20, 1945.
Heinrich Andergassen was one of the Gestapo officers involved in Hall’s interrogation and murder. After the war, the case became a central charge in the proceedings before a U.S. military tribunal in Naples. Andergassen was sentenced to death together with August Schiffer and Albert Storz. All three were executed in Livorno on July 26, 1946.

Source: Anthony Quibble, “Roderick ‘Steve’ Hall: Documentary History of an Alpine Tragedy during the Last Convulsions of World War II,” Studies in Intelligence, Vol. 11, No. 4, 1967. Released in full through the CIA Historical Review Program on September 22, 1993. Available online from the Center for the Study of Intelligence, Central Intelligence Agency.

Commentary on the Source

The document reproduced here, “Roderick ‘Steve’ Hall,” was compiled by Anthony Quibble for the CIA professional journal Studies in Intelligence. It bears the subtitle “Documentary History of an Alpine Tragedy during the Last Convulsions of World War II” and was released in full on September 22, 1993, as part of the CIA Historical Review Program. It is now available through the CIA’s Center for the Study of Intelligence. CIA document “Roderick ‘Steve’ Hall”
The text is not a single contemporary primary source, but a later documentary compilation. Quibble brings together OSS reports, operational messages, German records, Allied investigative reports and witness statements from the immediate postwar period to reconstruct Hall’s mission, capture and murder.
The source is particularly important for the biography of Heinrich Andergassen because it documents his position within the Gestapo in Bolzano and his involvement in the Hall case. It includes, among other records, the statement given by camp physician Dr. Karl Pittschieler on June 1, 1945. Pittschieler reported that Andergassen and Albert Storz brought Hall’s body to the Bolzano transit camp on the evening of February 20, 1945. The documentation also contains statements concerning Andergassen’s work in Section IV of the Gestapo and his close cooperation with Gestapo chief August Schiffer.
The source also demonstrates how the Nazi perpetrators attempted to conceal the crime after Hall’s death. His death was initially presented as suicide during an air raid, while “cardiac paralysis” was entered as the official cause of death. Only the Allied investigation, the discovery of Hall’s grave and the questioning of witnesses made it possible to reconstruct what had happened.
From a source-critical perspective, it must be remembered that some of the statements were recorded only after the war and were partly based on personal recollections or second-hand information. Their date of creation, perspective and the possible interests of those providing testimony must therefore be considered carefully. Nevertheless, when examined together and compared with the military trial records, the collected documents possess considerable historical value. They show how Andergassen’s activities developed from regional Gestapo persecution in Tyrol into his participation in torture and murder in German-occupied northern Italy.