Dr. jur. Franz Greiter (1896–1978) – Attorney, Resistance Fighter, Mayor Coat of arms of the Austria academic fraternity. In: Wikipedia. The free Enzyklopädie. Online,: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:WappenAustria.gif (Access: May 17. 2026). This blog is dedicated to the life and work of Dr. jur. Franz Greiter (1896–1978), one of the most remarkable yet largely forgotten figures of recent Tyrolean history. As an attorney, Greiter—together with his father, Dr. Josef Greiter—represented the Servite Order in Innsbruck during the Nazi era, which brought him to the attention of the Gestapo. After the "Anschluss" in 1938, he was arrested and again taken into custody in 1944—this time for two months in the notorious Reichenau Gestapo camp. The blog focuses in particular on the dramatic events surrounding the confiscation of the pilgrimage monastery Maria Waldrast in April 1941, the theft of the miraculous image of the Virgin Mary by two young resistance fighters, and the subsequent protest pilgrimage that led to numerous arrests. A key document is the letter from Dr. Josef Greiter to the Servite provincial superior in Vienna, which forced the Greiter family to give up their legal practice. After the end of Nazi rule, Franz Greiter returned to politics: from 1951 to 1956 he served as Mayor of Innsbruck and from 1953 to 1956 he was a member of the Tyrolean State Parliament. Today, the Franz-Greiter-Promenade in Innsbruck commemorates this courageous lawyer and politician. Based on archival material from the Tyrolean State Police Directorate, the blog paints a vivid picture of persecution, civil courage, and the post-1945 reconstruction. read more:Blog (EN) Dr. jur. Franz Greiter Anton Haller Resistance group Blog (EN) Dr. Gottfried Uffenheimer The Tyrolean Pilgrimage of April 20, 1941 Blog (ENI) Dr. Josef Mair Dr. jur. Erich Kneussl (1884–1968) – Lawyer, Politician, Resistance Fighter against the Nazi RegimeErich Kneussl studied law in Innsbruck, entered the state service, and became District Captain (Bezirkshauptmann) in Lienz after World War I. As a member of the National Council (from 1927) and later a member of the Federal Council (1934–1938), he was particularly committed to Tyrol. After the Nazi takeover, he was suspended from duty and prohibited from practicing any legal profession. Due to his political stance, he was arrested in August 1944 and taken to the Reichenau Gestapo camp. He was released after five weeks for health reasons. Kneussl's biography stands as an example of the persecution of regime-critical lawyers and politicians during the Nazi era. read more:Blog (EN) Dr. jur. Erich Kneussl Anton Haller Resistance group 🇬🇧 (EN) Dr. med. Viktor Schumacher Blog (EN) Ing. Walter Jud Dr. phil. Josef Fink (1894–1973) – Mayor, Member of the Tyrolean Parliament, and Resistance Fighter against National Socialism.  Coat of arms of the Tirolia Innsbruck student fraternity. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Online at: Attribution: presumed Leopold Huter - AKV Tirolia, PD-alt-100, https://de.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3858804 (Accessed: May 17, 2026) Dr. phil. Josef Fink (1894–1973)The qualified historian and geographer took over the inn "Volderwildbad" in Volders in 1919. From 1928 to 1936 he served as mayor of Großvolderberg, and from 1936 to 1938 as a member of the Tyrolean state parliament. After the "Anschluss," he openly declared himself anti-Nazi and was imprisoned by the Gestapo in 1939 – thanks to a friendly doctor, he escaped deportation to the Hartheim killing center. He hid persecuted individuals in his inn. In 1944, he was sent to Reichenau concentration camp, survived, and returned to politics after 1945 as an ÖVP member of the Austrian National Council.  Photo: Volderwildbad. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Available online at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bad_Volderwildbad#:~:text=Das%20Anwesen%20Bad%20Volderwildbad%20liegt,ein%20Ortsteil%20der%20Gemeinde%20Volders. (Accessed: May 17, 2026). Acquisition of the guesthouse and pension Volderwildbad by Josef Fink and his wife. House brochure, 1950s. read more:Blog (EN) Dr. phil. Josef Fink Blog 87 (EN) Dr. Ernst Verdross (einzeln) Heinrich Andergassen was a Gestapo officer who lived in Hall in Tyrol.Heinrich Andergassen (born 1907- 1946) was an Austrian Gestapo officer who lived and operated in Hall in Tyrol during the Nazi era. As a fanatical National Socialist, he used a friendly and helpful facade during interrogations to extract confessions from detainees. After the war, he was sentenced to death by hanging by an American military court in Naples as a war criminal.  The above document illustrates the two sides of Gestapo officer Heinrich Andergassen. The accused believed in his friendly and helpful demeanor and trusted in his assistance, even though he was a fanatical National Socialist who obtained many confessions through his supposed friendliness. The detainees voluntarily told him about all the events because they thought he would help them. Heinrich Andergassen was sentenced to death by hanging by an American military court in Naples as a war criminal."  Heinrich Andergassen. Wikipedia. The free Enzyklopädie. Online ,https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_Andergassen#/media/Datei:Andergassen.jpg, (Access: May 16, .2026) read more:Blog (EN) Heinrich Andergassen (Part I) (EN) Dr. Ernst Verdross
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