Dr. jur. Franz Greiter (1896–1978)

5/16/2026

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Dr. jur. Franz Greiter (1896–1978)

Studentenverbindung Austria Innsbruck. Wikipedia. The Free Encyclopedia. Coat of arms of Austria. Available online at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:WappenAustria.gif (Status: May 16, 2026).

Early Life and Education

Franz Greiter was born on October 29, 1896, in Heiligkreuz near Hall in Tyrol. After graduating from the Jesuit grammar school "Stella Matutina" in Feldkirch in 1914, he studied law at the Leopold-Franzens-University in Innsbruck. On October 22, 1914, he was accepted into the student fraternity "Austria." In March 1915, he was drafted into the First Tyrolean Imperial Regiment. He returned from Italian prisoner-of-war captivity in Sicily in August 1919.

Legal Career and Entry into Politics

In 1920, he completed his law studies in Innsbruck and began working as a lawyer. Subsequently, in 1926, he joined the law practice of his father, Josef Greiter (1866–?). He became active in Innsbruck local politics from 1929 onward. In 1933/34, he served as a city councilor in Innsbruck.

Legal Representation of the Servite Order

Even before the Nazis seized power, Dr. Josef Greiter and Dr. Franz Greiter took over the legal representation of the Servite Order in Innsbruck. The Servites also cared for the Maria Waldrast pilgrimage monastery in Matrei am Brenner.

Confiscation of Maria Waldrast Monastery

During the Nazi era, the monastery was officially confiscated on April 8, 1941. The resident fathers and brothers were forced to leave the monastery within 48 hours.

Blog (EN) Maria Waldrast 1941

The Tyrolean Pilgrimage of April 20, 1941

The Theft of the Miraculous Image

On the night of Thursday to Friday, April 17–18, 1941, two young former students of the Franciscan grammar school in Hall (then a secondary school for boys and girls) broke into the Chapel of Sorrows in the Maria Waldrast monastery church. Hans Madersbacher (1920–1945) and Franz Mair (1921–1944) stole the miraculous image of Mary. They first hid it in a hay barn on the Gleinser fields and later in Matrei.
Subsequently, on the orders of Bishop DDr. Paulus Rusch, the image was brought to safety by Alfons Brand, secretary of the Catholic youth, pastor of Andernach, and Nazi resistance activist. The statue was moved first to Neuwied near Koblenz and later to Andernach. It was transferred to numerous hiding places several more times until it was finally returned to the Maria Waldrast pilgrimage church in a solemn procession on November 11, 1945.
(Sources: Servite brochure – magazine stand in the pilgrimage church, as well as report by Anton Walder, Specialist Circle for Executive History and Tradition Preservation, Tyrolean State Police Directorate, Innsbruck, January 2024, pp. 12, 17)

The Greiter Law Firm Under Gestapo Surveillance

The Greiter law firm was monitored and persecuted by the Gestapo because of its legal representation of the Servite monastery. The theft of the Maria Waldrast miraculous image by unknown persons and the subsequent protest pilgrimage – during which 200 people were photographed and arrested by the Gestapo – led to further arrests and persecution of priests and theologians.

Dr. Josef Greiter's Letter

In response, Dr. Josef Greiter wrote a letter to the Father Provincial in Vienna (the Tyrolean Servites had been forced to leave the Tyrol-Vorarlberg district). The letter read as follows:
"Dearly Beloved Father Provincial! Innsbruck, April 26, 1941
You will likely be aware that the miraculous image has mysteriously disappeared. Max Kolb and Msgr. Weisskopf have been arrested for this.
Last Sunday, a large number of pilgrims went from Matrei to Waldrast. The pastors of the parishes from which the pilgrims came were placed in the 'Sonne' (Gestapo prison Innsbruck). These included the dean of Matrei, the pastor of Steinach, and, in place of the sick pastor of Jodok, his chaplain. Laypeople were also arrested, and it is said that a total of 50 arrests have been made! I do not yet have further details.
With special respect,
Devotedly, Dr. Greiter"
(Letter in: Historical Archive of the Tyrolean State Police Directorate)

Forced Resignation from the Bar

This letter led to Dr. Josef Greiter being forced to resign from the bar. On May 20, 1941, Dr. Josef Greiter submitted an application to the President of the Higher Regional Court for inclusion in the new lawyer list of the Innsbruck Regional Court.

The Gestapo's Letter

On August 2, 1941, the Gestapo wrote the following letter:

Secret State Police – State Police Office Innsbruck, August 2, 1941
IIB-421/41

To the Gauleitung Tyrol-Vorarlberg of the NSDAP
Gaurechtsamt – NS Legal Guardian Association
Attention: Pg. Dr. Ulm, Innsbruck
Re: Dr. Josef Greiter, lawyer, born October 11, 1866, in Schlanders, residing in Innsbruck, Maria-Theresien-Straße 49
Reference: Personal discussion on July 29, 1941, with Criminal Secretary Hantel
After the confiscation and clearance of the Servite establishment 'Maria Waldrast' near Matrei am Brenner, a demonstration of the rural population instigated by the clergy took place in front of Waldrast on Sunday, April 20, 1941. In the course of the investigations carried out from here, 20 people – including six clergy and four theology students – were arrested.
On the occasion of a search carried out in this context by our officers at the Servite monastery in Vienna, the enclosed copy of a letter from Innsbruck lawyer Dr. Josef Greiter was found in a cell of Provincial Krub. In this letter, Greiter states that instead of the sick pastor of Jodok, his chaplain was arrested – he thus intends to express that the arrest of the clergy was purely arbitrary. In reality, the pastor of Jodok had nothing at all to do with the matter, while his chaplain, Geisler, was identified as co-responsible for the demonstration and arrested. Furthermore, Greiter states that 50 arrests had been made in the matter. In fact, only 20 people have been taken into protective custody, as stated above. Greiter, in his capacity as a German legal guardian, has therefore intentionally contributed to the absurd rumors that have been circulating here after the closure of Waldrast. ...
Based on the circumstances described, I request that Dr. Josef Greiter, who during the 'System Period' (pre-Nazi era) belonged to the most fanatical opponents of any national movement, be removed from the lawyer list. The Reich Security Main Office agrees with this measure.
By proxy:
Hilliges"
(Letter in the Historical Archive of the Tyrolean State Police Directorate

Legal Proceedings and Resignation

The head of the Gestapo Innsbruck, Werner Hilliges, demanded that the Gauleitung (Gaurechtsamt/NS Legal Guardian Association) remove Dr. Josef Greiter from the list of Tyrolean lawyers. On August 9, 1941, he met with the President of the Bar Association to initiate the legal steps.
On October 15, 1941, Dr. Josef Greiter received a summons from the President of the Bar Association to appear in person on October 17, 1941. Due to health reasons, Dr. Josef Greiter could not attend the appointment, but a meeting with the President of the Bar Association took place on October 20, 1941.
The President of the Bar Association accused him of having sent a letter to the Servite Provincial in Vienna that had contributed to untenable rumors. Dr. Josef Greiter's application for admission to the bar would not be approved by the Higher Regional Court; on the contrary, he should withdraw his application to prevent disciplinary proceedings against him.
On October 21, Dr. Josef Greiter formally resigned from the bar in writing. Economic survival under Nazi rule posed a particular challenge for him and his family.

Reinstatement After the War

On May 14, 1945, Dr. Josef Greiter, then 78 years old, applied for reinstatement to the lawyer list. The Bar Association accepted this as a revocation of the "voluntarily forced resignation." Dr. Josef Greiter continued to practice as a lawyer until the age of 90.
(Anton Walder, Specialist Circle for Executive History and Tradition Preservation, in Historical Archive of the Tyrolean State Police Directorate)

Dr. Franz Greiter's Arrests and Political Comeback

After the Anschluss (annexation of Austria), Dr. Franz Greiter was immediately arrested and held for 30 days in the Innsbruck police prison. In August 1944, Dr. Franz Greiter was arrested again and held for two months in the Reichenau Gestapo camp.
After the end of Nazi rule, he returned to local politics in Innsbruck. From 1951 to 1956, he was Mayor of Innsbruck. From 1953 to 1956, he was also a member of the Tyrolean Parliament.

Blog (EN) Dr. Gottfried Uffenheimer

www.erinnern.at/bundeslaender/tirol/artikel/broschuere-gendenkort-lager-reichenau

Legacy

In memory of his life, the Franz-Greiter-Promenade in Innsbruck was named after him.