Introduction:

:"The political goals of the various resistance groups in Hall [in Tyrol] differed significantly, yet they all shared one common aim: to overthrow Nazi rule. The monarchists among them believed that a restored monarchy, led by Dr. Otto von Habsburg (1912–2011), represented the best form of government for Austria. Otto von Habsburg-Lothringen, a prominent symbol of opposition to the Nazis, saw his honorary citizenships revoked across Austria after the Anschluss—including in Hall in Tirol. His honorary citizenship, granted on 21 June 1935, was formally annulled (as documented in the municipal council records of 20 November 1936). Habsburg himself later referenced this act of defiance in his correspondence, underscoring the ideological clash between the legitimist monarchists and the Nazi regime."

Catholic-monarchist-legitimist resistance circle in Hall in Tirol (1938 - 1945)

The terms "Adel" (nobility), "Nobilität" (nobility), and "Aristokratie" (aristocracy) in many European languages refer to fundamental elements of the self-conception of this social group. Its members consider themselves noble and refined, in contrast to commoners. They stand out and are notable ("notabilis") through their distinguished and generous conduct; they belong to the elite ("aristoi"). The particular attractiveness of the noble status as a status symbol lies in the fact that possessing it continues to signal an elite status, even when its bearer or the nobility as a whole no longer holds real elite positions. For what distinguishes aristocracy from all other status symbols is that it can practically never be lost. In a certain way, nobles are exempt from the permanent competition for favorable social positions. Being noble meant always already being someone, before one becomessomeone.
The "Adelsaufhebungsgesetz" (Law on the Abolition of the Nobility) regulates the abolition of the nobility that took place after the dissolution of Austria-Hungary during the transition to a republican form of state. It was passed on April 3, 1919, by the parliament of the newly formed state of German-Austria, the Constituent National Assembly. It came into force on April 10, 1919. On the same day, the law concerning the expulsion from the country and the seizure of the assets of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine came into force. Today, both laws are considered constitutional laws in Austria.
"Conspiratorial activity was something new in Tyrolean history [...] Both the stubbornness with which the Tyroleans clung to their traditions and their political and moral convictions proved to be an important foundation for the resistance against the Nazi regime." (Radomir Luza, historian, USA)

"For God, Emperor, and Fatherland: The Monarchist Resistance in Hall against the Nazi Regime"

The political objectives of the various groups within the resistance movements in Hall were very diverse, but they all shared the common goal of eliminating Nazi rule. The monarchists were of the opinion that the monarchy under the leadership of Dr. Otto von Habsburg (1912 – 2011) was the best form of state organization. At the beginning of Nazi rule in Austria, Otto von Habsburg-Lorraine was stripped of numerous honorary citizenships, including the one in Hall in Tirol (honorary citizenship from June 21, 1935 in Hall, letter from Otto von Habsburg, in: appendix to the city council meeting minutes dated November 20, 1936).

"Otto Habsburg a Troublesome Foreigner, Not an Honorary Citizen

A report from Hall: One of the first measures of the newly appointed municipal councils in the rural communities is to revoke the 'honorary citizen appointments' that were previously forced under the pressure of the [Austrofascist] system. The municipal council of Mils near Hall now announces the following resolution:
*'The appointment of Otto Habsburg as an honorary citizen, which was forced through by the previous municipal council with a vote of 8 to 4, is hereby revoked, considering that he has not done the slightest for the welfare of the community and is furthermore regarded by almost everyone as an inexperienced, troublesome foreigner. Likewise, the honorary citizen appointments of [Chancellor] Schuschnigg and [Vice-Chancellor] Starhemberg are declared null and void.'"*

Count Bernhard Stolberg zu Stolberg (1881–1952) ​

Count Bernhard Stolberg zu Stolberg (1881–1952) was a prominent figure in the Austrian resistance against National Socialism. A member of the high German aristocracy, he deliberately renounced his title and acquired Austrian citizenship in 1938 to distance himself from Nazi Germany.
After reading Hitler's "Mein Kampf" in 1933, he famously declared, "Whoever is a Catholic cannot be a National Socialist." Following a month of imprisonment after the Anschluss, he became the leader of a Catholic-monarchist resistance circle that met at his home in Hall in Tirol. The group was dedicated to protecting opponents of the regime, supporting families of the persecuted, and distributing anti-Nazi literature. His leadership was instrumental in organizing local opposition, which ultimately contributed to the city's liberation in 1945.

• Left: Count Bernhard Stolberg. Right: His gravesite in Hall in Tyrol's municipal cemetery.
  

Dr. Paul Freiherr von Kathrein (1878–1962): Mayor and Resistance Fighter

Dr. Paul von Kathrein, the mayor of Hall in Tyrol until 1935, became a symbol of civil courage during Austria's Nazi era. Following the 1938 Anschluss, he joined the monarchist resistance circle around Count Bernhard Stolberg-Stolberg. His defiance included visiting political prisoners the very next day and supporting persecuted families. For this, the regime subjected the approximately 60-year-old former mayor to forced labor, a deliberate act of public humiliation. Kathrein's actions demonstrate the personal cost and moral conviction of Austrian resistance, bridging opposition groups to aid those in need.

Caption for a congratulatory telegram from Archduke Franz Ferdinand to the Provincial Governor of Tyrol, Dr. jur. Theodor Freiherr von Kathrein (father of Dr. Paul Kathrein), on the occasion of his seventieth birthday. (Source: Private archive of Dr. jur. Paul Kathrein's granddaughter, Christy Neidig, USA. Email to Elisabeth Walder, November 2025)

📜 Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Este

Archduke Franz Ferdinand Carl Ludwig Joseph Maria of Austria-Este (born 18 December 1863 in Graz; died 28 June 1914 in Sarajevo) was the heir presumptive to the throne of Austria-Hungaryfrom 1896 until his death. As the eldest son of Archduke Karl Ludwig, brother of Emperor Franz Joseph I, he became the designated successor after the suicide of Crown Prince Rudolf (1889) and the death of his father (1896).
His life was marked by personal and political conflict. Defying immense pressure from the court, he married Sophie Chotek in 1900 in a morganatic marriage, meaning his children were excluded from the line of succession. Politically, Franz Ferdinand was a staunch critic of the existing dualist system with Hungary. He sought profound reforms for the multi-ethnic empire, including the idea of "Trialism", which aimed to grant South Slavs a status equal to Austrians and Hungarians.
His assassination in Sarajevo by the Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip on 28 June 1914 was the direct trigger for the July Crisis and led to Austria-Hungary's declaration of war on Serbia, starting the First World War.

Joseph Freiherr von und zu Franckenstein (1910 – 1963)

An Austrian aristocrat who became a formidable OSS agent, Joseph von Franckenstein's life was defined by his fierce opposition to Nazism. Forced to flee Europe, he joined the US Army and returned in 1944 on the perilous "Operation Deadwood," parachuting into Italy to support the Tyrolean resistance. Betrayed and captured by the SS, he survived a mock execution and brutal interrogation before making a daring escape. After the war, he was appointed the chief judge of the US military court in Innsbruck, a testament to his unwavering courage and commitment to justice. His story is a powerful chapter in the history of Austrian resistance.

Dr. Ernst Verdross  Edler von Drossberg (1892–1963)

The annexation of Austria into the German Reich was a severe blow to democracy and freedom. In Hall in Tirol, the Nazis waged a brutal campaign of terror against their opponents. Dr. Ernst Verdross was a victim of this terror, imprisoned in the Dachau concentration camp from May 31, 1938. He returned on March 30, 1939, severely marked by his ordeal.
After his release, he was placed under house arrest and Gestapo surveillance. He lost his position as a municipal secretary and had to seek new employment to support his family. Despite these difficult circumstances, he retained his courage and joined the resistance. He supported the monarchist resistance circle around Count Bernhard Stolberg zu Stolberg (1881–1952) and the Hall resistance group around Dr. med. Viktor Schumacher (1894–1984) and master shoemaker Anton Haller (1907–1958). In a report, Dr. Verdross singled out Joseph Freiherr von Franckenstein as the resistance fighter from Hall who deserved particular recognition.
​(See blog Dr. Ernst Verdross)

Foto Dr. Ernst Verdross. In: Historisches Archiv Foto Stockhammer Hall in Tirol.

Dr. med. Viktor von Schumacher (1894 – 1981)

Dr. Viktor Schumacher was active in the politics of Hall from 1929. As the municipal and public health doctor, he was well aware of the needs and worries of the population. At the start of Nazi rule, he was taken into "protective custody" in the Hall court prison from March 12 to March 24, 1938.
He joined the resistance circle of Count Bernhard Stolberg zu Stolberg and the resistance group of Anton Haller. Dr. Schumacher drafted the battle plan for an armed uprising against the Nazi regime in Hall. After the end of the war, he served as mayor and assumed the official duties of the city of Hall. (see blog Dr. Viktor Schumacher)

Foto Dr. Viktor Schumacher. Held in: private archive of Andreas Schumacher Hall in Tyrol.

Josef Conte Veith (1878–1959)– From the Hero of Ancona to Resistance Contact

Josef Conte Veith was an exceptional figure whose life was defined by a spectacular commando raid during the First World War. In 1918, he led a daring operation to capture advanced Italian naval boats in the port of Ancona. Although the mission ultimately failed due to betrayal after initial successes, his bravery was later recognized by the exiled Emperor Karl, who awarded him the Golden Bravery Medal.
His later life in Tyrol was marked by modesty and hardship, yet also by an unbroken spirit and unwavering loyalty to the Austrian monarchy. In a historically significant connection, Veith is identified in the reports of resistance fighter Dr. Ernst Verdross as a contact for the anti-Nazi resistance movement in Hall, Tyrol. Thus, his biography uniquely bridges the military tradition of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Austrian resistance against the Nazi regime. (see blog Josef Conte Veith)

Catholic-legitimist resistance from Hall in Tyrol

Adrian Höck (1903- 1973)

Adrian Höck was born on February 12, 1903, in Wörgl. He was the parish priest of Hötting near Innsbruck when he was taken into protective custody from July 4 to July 16, 1938, for a votive mass for Dr. Kurt Schuschnigg.
"The parish priest Adrian Höck posted a notice for a votive mass for the former Federal Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg on the church door the day before Corpus Christi and announced it several times from the pulpit. At my request, the Secret State Police thoroughly investigated this case and has now – as can be seen from the enclosed copy – proceeded to arrest the priest."
In 1938, the Catholic priest Adrian Höck founded a legitimist-Catholic resistance group in Innsbruck. A young man from Hall, Karl Pfötscher (1919–1982), was a member of this youth group, which was organized through the parish youth. This legitimist-Catholic organization was uncovered by the Gestapo after Father Höck / Priest Höck had already left for Brazil. (see blog post Adrian Höck)

Photo Adrian Höck. Held in Wopfner, Helmut: Unsere Sternkorona. Mitgliederverzeichnis, 1898-1988, Thaur 1998.

Karl Pfötscher (1919–1982) – A Tyrolean Student in Early Austrian Resistance

Karl Pfötscher, a young legitimist student from Hall in Tyrol, was a founding member of the clerical-monarchist resistance group "Vergissmeinnicht" and the "Youth Movement Freedom Austria" in Innsbruck in April 1938. The group organized political discussions and, from summer 1938, engaged in leaflet distribution and anti-Nazi graffiti to foster Austrian patriotism. Pfötscher was instrumental in secretly establishing a weapons cache at the Gasthaus Waldhüttl, using arms hidden from pre-Anschluss Austrian youth organizations.
Betrayed to the Gestapo, the group was arrested in October 1938. Without a formal trial, Pfötscher was sentenced to 3 years, 6 months, and 10 days of protective custody. His imprisonment caused severe health damage, and following his release, he was banned from university studies within the German Reich until 1945. Contemporary SD reports and eyewitness accounts confirm his active role in the early resistance against National Socialist rule in Austria. (see blog post Karl Pfötscher)

Photograph Karl Pfötscher. Held in private archive Walder Hall in Tyrol.

Josef Pöschl (1898–1965): A Quiet Resistance Fighter in the Postal Service

Josef Pöschl, a Tyrolean civil servant driven by deep Catholic and monarchist convictions, became a key figure in the Austrian resistance from within the Nazi system. Using his position as a telephone exchange operator in Innsbruck, he joined the clandestine "Resistance Group Post." His meticulous and courageous work involved secretly monitoring Nazi authorities, maintaining covert contact with Allied forces, and crucially preventing the destruction of vital communications infrastructure by retreating German troops. Pöschl's story exemplifies the silent, high-risk resistance of technicians and officials who worked from within to sabotage the regime and ensure a functional handover to the liberators in 1945. (see blog post Josef Pöschl)

Photograph Josef Pöschl. Held in Wopfner, Helmut: Unsere Sternkorona. Mitgliederverzeichnis 1898-1988, Thaur 1988.

Dr. jur. can. Walter Waitz  (1902-1979)

Dr. Walter Waitz, a Catholic priest in Tyrol, embodied moral resistance against the Nazi regime. His courageous sermons, which compared the Church's persecution to that of the ancient catacombs and criticized state youth policies, led to his arrest for "abuse of the pulpit." Although surprisingly acquitted, the regime continued its repression, using arbitrary administrative measures like expulsion from the region to silence him. Waitz's story highlights the systematic Nazi efforts to crush religious influence and the unwavering courage of those who defended their faith and conscience under tyranny. (see blog post Dr. jur. can. Walter Waitz)

Photograph Dr. jur. can. Walter Waitz. Held in Wopfner, Helmut: Unsere Sternkorona. Mitgliederverzeichnis 1888-1998, Thaur 1998, S. 101.

Dr. Gottfried Pfeifauf (1913-1964)

Dr. Gottfried Pfeifauf was born on June 21, 1913, in Görz (now Gorizia, Italy). After attending the Franciscan Gymnasium in Hall in Tirol, where he joined the Sternkorona student association in 1932, he studied Latin and German at the University of Innsbruck. He earned his PhD (Dr. phil.) in 1938.
Following his teaching certification in 1939, he was conscripted into the German Wehrmacht. Severely wounded while serving on the Arctic Front in Northern Norway and Finland, he returned to Hall in Tirol after a lengthy hospital stay. He began his teaching career at the local secondary school for boys and girls in the 1944/45 academic year. In March 1945, he joined the resistance group led by Anton Haller. (see blog post Sternkorona III)

Photograph Dr. Gottfried Pfeifauf. Held in Wopfner, Helmuth: Unsere Sternkorona. Mitgliederverzeichnis 1888-1998, Thaur 1998, S. 145.

Anton Dosch (1914-1979)

Anton Dosch (1914–1979) was an early and courageous resistance fighter against the Nazi regime in Solbad Hall, Tyrol. Expelled from university for his political views, he joined the resistance around Anton Haller and actively opposed Nazi ideology. Dosch played a pivotal role in saving his hometown from destruction by helping to disarm a retreating SS unit in May 1945, ensuring the peaceful handover of Solbad Hall to Allied forces without bloodshed. His bravery and dedication were instrumental in preserving the town and upholding Austrian resistance. (see blog post Anton Dosch)

Photo Anton Dosch. Held in private archive Niederwolfsgruber Innsbruck.

Katharina Strauss (1910-1949)

Convicted of Undermining Military Morale: The Case of Katharina Strauss and Her Anti-Regime Remarks in April 1944

Katharina Strauss, a housewife from Hall in Tirol, was sentenced to two years in prison in 1944 for "undermining military morale." Her crime was voicing anti-Nazi sentiments, monarchist sympathies, and rumors about Hitler's health and Germany's impending defeat during a private conversation at an inn in Styria. Her case starkly illustrates the extreme danger of everyday dissent under the Nazi regime, where even casual remarks could lead to severe persecution by the judiciary. (see blog post Katharina Strauss)

Anna Hutter (1883-1962)

Anna Hutter (1883–1962), a woman from Hall in Tirol, was arrested by the Nazi regime in 1940 for the crime of regularly listening to foreign radio broadcasts from stations like London and Beromünster. For this act of seeking independent news and discussing it critically in her home, she was sentenced to two years of hard labor. Her case exemplifies how the Nazi state criminalized the pursuit of truth and harshly punished even subtle forms of dissent and independent thought. (see blog post Anna Hutter)