AGFA-AF in Berlin – The Secret Network of the Austrian Resistance and Its Connection to Tyrol

An Austrian Resistance Group at the Heart of the Nazi Regime

Dr. Karl Gruber and AGFA-AF – The Berlin Network of the Tyrolean Resistance

Photograph: Dr. Karl Gruber. Source: [website] https://www.parlament.gv.at/person/530?BIO_251sortrnr=10&BIO_251ascDesc=desc, (Access: July 3, 2026)

In 1943, a little-known yet highly significant Austrian resistance group emerged in the heart of Nazi Germany's capital, Berlin. Operating under the codename "AGFA-AF"—a humorous abbreviation for "Antifaschistische Front" (Anti-Fascist Front)—the organization brought together approximately 80 Austrians who opposed the Nazi regime. Its members included postal officials, engineers, military officers, and industrial employees who had been transferred to Berlin for professional assignments.
The group pursued a common objective: to gather intelligence on the military and political situation within the Third Reich, pass information to other resistance organizations, and prepare the foundations for the restoration of an independent Austria after the collapse of the Nazi regime.
From Berlin, AGFA-AF established an extensive clandestine communications network that reached as far as Tyrol. During the final months of the Second World War, this network played a significant role in coordinating resistance activities and facilitating the transfer of vital information.

📌 AGFA-AF at a Glance

AGFA-AF was the codename of an Austrian resistance group formed in Berlin in 1943. The deliberately humorous name stood for "Antifaschistische Front" (Anti-Fascist Front) and served as a cover for the group's underground activities.
Key Facts

• Founded: 1943, Berlin
• Members: Approximately 80 Austrian postal officials, engineers, military officers, and industrial employees
• Mission: To resist the Nazi regime and prepare for the re-establishment of an independent Austria
• Primary Focus: Building a clandestine intelligence and communications network within the German Reich Postal Service
• Connections: Close cooperation with the "Post Group" and other Austrian resistance organizations in Tyrol
• Key Figure: Dr. Karl Gruber, who served as the crucial liaison between Berlin and Innsbruck
• Historical Significance: The network contributed to the coordination of the Tyrolean resistance and played an important role in the liberation of Innsbruck in May 1945.

Dr. Karl Gruber – The Liaison Between Berlin and Tyrol

One of the key figures of AGFA-AF was Dr. Karl Gruber (1909–1995). Born in Innsbruck, he earned a doctorate in electrical engineering in Vienna in 1938 before joining AEG and later Telefunken in Berlin. There, he established contacts with several resistance circles, including the network surrounding Carl Goerdeler.
Through his professional work, Gruber was able to travel extensively, allowing him to build a network of trusted Austrian civil servants, engineers, and technicians. His goal was to connect the various resistance groups and ensure the secure exchange of intelligence between Berlin, Tyrol, and the occupied territories of Europe.

Dr. Karl Gruber – A Key Figure in the Austrian Resistance

Dr. Karl Gruber (1909–1995) was one of the central figures of the Berlin-based Austrian resistance group AGFA-AF. As an electrical engineer working in Berlin during the Second World War, he established close contacts with both Austrian and German resistance circles. Through his exceptional organizational skills, he developed a clandestine communications and intelligence network linking Berlin, Tyrol, and other occupied regions of Europe.
In the spring of 1945, Gruber returned to Austria, where he worked to strengthen cooperation among the country's various resistance organizations. He supported the Austrian resistance movement O5, promoted the unification of the Tyrolean resistance groups, and thereby made a significant contribution to the preparations for the liberation of Innsbruck.
After the war, Karl Gruber played an important role in Austria's political reconstruction. From 1945 to 1953, he served as Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Second Austrian Republic, helping to shape Austria's post-war foreign policy and its re-establishment as a sovereign democratic state.

read more: 

Blog (EN) Dr. Karl Gruber

gedenkort.at/en/persons/ccdfb424-e581-5217-b4aa-70e70e9ff0d0

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Gruber

The Reich Postal Service Intelligence Network

Together with Karl Hirnschrott, a Telegraph Technical Inspector (TTI) who had also been transferred to Berlin, Dr. Karl Gruber organized a clandestine intelligence network within the German Reich Postal Service (Reichspost). The network was composed of trusted Austrian postal officials committed to resisting the Nazi regime.
As head of the Berlin-Beelitz Telecommunications Fault Control Centre, Karl Hirnschrott deliberately staffed the office with reliable Austrian colleagues, including Herbert Gugelberger (TTI), Telegraph Inspector (TI) Stiegleithner, Neumann, and Appel. Through this network, important intelligence was transmitted to Viktor Haberditzl (TTI) in Innsbruck, who in turn forwarded reports on the military situation in Tyrol and northern Italy back to Berlin.
In this way, a secret channel for the exchange of intelligence was established and maintained despite the extensive surveillance imposed by the Nazi regime.

read more: 

Ing. Carl Hirnschrott - 3. Mai 1945

Walder--Anton--Wderstandsgruppe-post-innsbruck-teil-1

A Europe-Wide Intelligence Network

The Reich Postal Service communications centre formed part of a far-reaching intelligence network that extended across many German-occupied territories in Europe. Connections existed with resistance contacts in Paris, Copenhagen, and Milan, among other locations.
The office in Milan was of particular importance. During official Wehrmacht meetings, Postal Councillor (PR) Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Willy Rutscher obtained militarily significant information. This intelligence was passed through Innsbruck to Berlin, where it became a valuable source for the Austrian resistance.
The network combined the technical infrastructure of the Reich Postal Service with deep mutual trust and personal commitment among its members—an extraordinary achievement under the oppressive conditions of the Nazi dictatorship.

The Return to Innsbruck

On 14 March 1945, Dr. Karl Gruber returned to Innsbruck. Officially, he was on leave from his position in Berlin. In reality, his mission was to re-establish contact with the Tyrolean resistance groups and strengthen cooperation among them during the final weeks of the war.
Among his most important contacts were Viktor Haberditzl (TTI) and Anton Walder (Postal Inspector, PI), who had been active for several years in the "Post Group", an Austrian resistance organization operating within the postal service.
Only a few weeks later, Karl Hirnschrott, Herbert Gugelberger, and Stiegleithner also arrived in Innsbruck. Having left their posts in Berlin on their own initiative, they joined the Tyrolean resistance movement, where their experience and intelligence contacts proved invaluable during the final phase leading to the liberation of Tyrol.

The Decisive Meeting of 9 April 1945

A major milestone in the Tyrolean resistance was the meeting held on 9 April 1945, arranged by Anton Walder at the Sanatorium of the Sisters of the Holy Cross near the Kettenbrücke in Innsbruck.
The meeting took place in the hospital room of Engineer Herbert Gugelberger and brought together representatives of several Tyrolean resistance groups:

• Dr. Karl Gruber
• Anton Walder
• Anton Haller
• Fritz Würthle

The purpose of the meeting was to unite the resistance groups that had previously operated independently. During the discussions, Dr. Karl Gruber presented a common strategy that included:

• Rapid and coordinated action
• Cooperation among all civilian resistance groups, regardless of their political background
• The establishment of a unified military command
• The expansion of the intelligence and communications network
• The arming of resistance fighters

To improve operational security, members adopted code names, and a simple matchstick served as their common recognition signal.
This meeting marked the beginning of the final phase of organized resistance activity in Tyrol.

The Liberation of Innsbruck

In April 1945, the Post Group established a joint command centre in Innsbruck. Karl Hirnschrott reorganized the resistance network and worked closely with Viktor Haberditzl, Hubert Schittelkopf, and Anton Walder.
Their efforts reached their climax on 3 May 1945. Members of the Post Group occupied the former Nazi district headquarters and took control of the Postal Directorate. Senior Postal Councillor (OPR) Dr. Bennat was appointed provisional director.
Shortly afterwards, the Committee of Public Order (Ordnungsausschuss) of the Tyrolean resistance movement broadcast its first radio address from the Tyrolean Provincial Government Building (Landhaus) in Innsbruck. Only a few hours later, American troops entered the city.
With their arrival, Nazi rule in Innsbruck came to an end.

The Historical Significance of AGFA-AF

AGFA-AF was far more than a small resistance group based in Berlin. It served as the strategic centre of an Austrian intelligence network that connected Berlin, Tyrol, and numerous locations throughout German-occupied Europe.
Through the efforts of Dr. Karl Gruber, Karl Hirnschrott, Viktor Haberditzl, Anton Walder, and their fellow resistance members, vital military intelligence was gathered and transmitted, contacts between different resistance organizations were established, and cooperation was significantly strengthened during the final weeks of the war.
The unification of the Tyrolean resistance groups in the spring of 1945 created the conditions for coordinated action during the liberation of Innsbruck. At the same time, the history of AGFA-AF demonstrates that the Austrian resistance was not confined to isolated regions but operated through close cooperation across regional and national boundaries.
It is precisely this unique connection between Berlin and Tyrol that makes AGFA-AF a little-known yet highly significant chapter in the history of the Austrian Resistance.

read more: 

Blog (EN) Dr. Bruno Franz Kaulbach und Dr. Bruno Kaulbach

www.gdw-berlin.de/en/

The _Würthle_ Group

Blog (EN) Dr. Gottfried Uffenheimer

Conclusion

The story of AGFA-AF demonstrates that the Austrian resistance extended far beyond the country's borders. The Berlin-based network led by Dr. Karl Gruber connected Austrian resistance members within the German Reich Postal Servicewith resistance groups in Tyrol, making a significant contribution to the exchange of intelligence during the final months of the Second World War.
The close cooperation between Berlin and Innsbruck helped coordinate the Tyrolean resistance groups and prepared the way for the liberation of Innsbruck in May 1945. Despite its historical importance, AGFA-AF remained largely unknown for many decades and is still regarded as one of the least researched chapters in the history of the Austrian Resistance.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Who was Dr. Karl Gruber?

Dr. Karl Gruber (1909–1995) was an Austrian electrical engineer, diplomat, and resistance fighter from Innsbruck. During the Second World War, he was a leading member of the Berlin-based resistance group AGFA-AF, where he coordinated the exchange of intelligence between Austrian resistance networks in Berlin and Tyrol. After 1945, he played an important role in Austria's political reconstruction and later served as Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Second Austrian Republic.

What was AGFA-AF?

AGFA-AF was an Austrian resistance group established in Berlin in 1943 by approximately 80 Austrians who opposed the Nazi regime. The name was a codename for "Antifaschistische Front" (Anti-Fascist Front). The group organized a clandestine intelligence and communications network and worked closely with resistance organizations in Tyrol.

What was the role of the Post Group?

The Post Group was a resistance organization operating within the German Reich Postal Service in Tyrol. Led by figures such as Viktor Haberditzl, Anton Walder, Hubert Schittelkopf, and later Karl Hirnschrott, it collected and transmitted vital intelligence, supported the resistance communications network, and played a significant role in the liberation of Innsbruck in May 1945.

What was the connection between Berlin and Tyrol?

Through the Reich Postal Service's clandestine communications network, AGFA-AF in Berlin maintained regular contact with the Post Group in Tyrol. Military and political intelligence was exchanged between Berlin, Innsbruck, and other locations across occupied Europe. This network made a major contribution to the coordination of the Austrian resistance movement during the final months of the war.

Why is AGFA-AF still historically significant today?

AGFA-AF demonstrates that the Austrian resistance was not limited to local or regional initiatives but operated through a well-organized network that extended across borders. By linking resistance fighters in Berlin with those in Tyrol, the group made an important contribution to the coordination of the resistance and to the preparations for the transfer of authority during the liberation of Innsbruck in May 1945.

Who were the members of AGFA-AF?

Among the most prominent members and associates of AGFA-AF were Dr. Karl Gruber, Karl Hirnschrott, and Herbert Gugelberger. The network also maintained close operational links with Viktor Haberditzl and Anton Walder, key figures of the Tyrolean Post Group. Together, they formed an extensive intelligence and communications network that connected Berlin with Tyrol and other parts of German-occupied Europe, playing a crucial role in coordinating Austrian resistance activities during the final phase of the Second World War.

Ranks and Titles within the Reich Postal Service

TTI – Telegraph Technical Inspector (Telegraphentechnischer Inspektor)

Telegraph Technical Inspector (TTI) was a professional title within the Austrian, and later the German, Postal and Telegraph Administration. Officers holding this position were responsible for the operation, maintenance, and expansion of telecommunications and communications systems and possessed extensive technical expertise.
During the Second World War, some Telegraph Technical Inspectors used their strategic positions within the German Reich Postal Service (Reichspost) to pass on confidential information and support the Austrian resistance movement.

TI – Telegraph Inspector (Telegrapheninspektor)

Telegraph Inspector (TI) was a rank within the higher technical service of the Postal and Telegraph Administration. Telegraph Inspectors were responsible for the operation, supervision, and organization of the telecommunications and telegraph network.
Because of their technical expertise and their work within the Reich Postal Service, they had access to important communications channels. During the Second World War, some used this privileged position to assist the Austrian resistance by secretly transmitting valuable intelligence.

PR – Postal Councillor (Postrat)

Postal Councillor (PR) was a senior civil service rank within the Postal Administration. Postal Councillors were responsible for the management, administration, and organization of major postal offices or specialized departments, exercising significant administrative and supervisory authority.

OPR – Senior Postal Councillor (Oberpostrat)

Senior Postal Councillor (OPR) was a higher-ranking position within the Postal Administration. Officials holding this title occupied senior leadership roles within postal directorates or central administrative offices and were responsible for major organizational, administrative, and personnel matters.

PI – Postal Inspector (Postinspektor)

Postal Inspector (PI) was a rank within the higher administrative service of the Postal Administration. Postal Inspectors were responsible for managing and organizing postal operations, as well as carrying out administrative and supervisory duties within post offices and other postal institutions.
Their positions often placed them at the center of postal communications and administration, making some of them important contributors to the Austrian resistance through the discreet exchange of information and organizational support during the final years of the Second World War.