Captain Johann Baumgartner (1896-1958)

Photograph of Johann Baumgartner. In: Private Archive of R. Schwaiger, Hall in Tirol.

Johann Baumgartner (1896–1945) – An Officer in the Resistance Against the Nazi Regime

Johann Baumgartner, born on July 21, 1896, in Innsbruck, began his military career as an officer and rose to the rank of captain. Stationed at various posts, he assumed command as the senior garrison officer in the Solbad Hall barracks in 1938. Yet behind the façade of a loyal soldier lay a staunch Austrian patriot who deeply despised the Nazi regime.
During the Nazi occupation (1938–1945), Baumgartner joined the resistance movement in Solbad Hall, supporting the opposition group led by Anton Haller. His position granted him access to classified military intelligence, which he secretly passed on to the resistance—a dangerous act that demanded both courage and conviction.
This page is dedicated to the life and legacy of Johann Baumgartner, a man who risked everything to fight for freedom and justice.

Johann Baumgartner: A Key Figure in the Solbad Hall Resistance.

A Vital Link to the Wehrmacht

Thanks to his connections within the Wehrmacht, Johann Baumgartner became an invaluable asset to the resistance group led by Anton Haller. His position enabled the movement to recruit anti-Nazi officers and soldiers, strengthening their efforts against the regime.

The Gestapo Raid of April 1945

On April 20, 1945, Captain Baumgartner played a crucial role in warning the Haller resistance network of an impending Gestapo crackdown. Over two days, SS units combed through Solbad Hall, Baumkirchen, Gnadenwald, Tulfes, and Volders in search of dissidents. Thanks to Baumgartner’s alert, the resistance members managed to evade capture and escape to safety.

The SS Reinforcement and Defensive Preparations

By late April, Baumgartner reported the arrival of an additional 400-man SS unit from the Lower Inn Valley, along with the SS and SD command staff. In response, Mayor Ing. Jud designated the Weißenbach Graben as a defensive line in case of an armed confrontation. Under Baumgartner’s direction, resistance snipers were stationed at key bridges to prevent their destruction by retreating Nazi forces.

The Night of the Uprising: May 2–3, 1945

During the decisive uprising against Nazi rule in Solbad Hall, Baumgartner once again intervened to save the resistance leaders. On the night of May 2–3, he alerted Anton Haller, Anton Demanega, Heinz Ehrenreich Thöni, Anton Dosch, and Anton Walder of an imminent Gestapo raid, allowing them to flee and evade certain arrest—and likely execution.

A Peaceful Surrender and the Saving of Lives

Captain Johann Baumgartner played a pivotal role in the bloodless surrender of Solbad Hall to U.S. forces on May 3, 1945. His strategic foresight saved hundreds of soldiers’ and civilians’ lives. Working closely with the resistance command, he helped prevent the city’s destruction and a potential panic, ensuring a peaceful transition to liberation.

A Silent Hero – The Legacy of Captain Johann Baumgartner

When the funeral bells tolled in Hall on February 14, 1958, only a select few knew they were bidding farewell to the man who had saved the city from apocalyptic destruction. The poignant obituary in the Haller Lokalanzeiger on February 22, 1958, revealed the full scope of Baumgartner's quiet bravery: working closely with Anton Haller's resistance circle, he shielded the population from impending catastrophe—a debt of gratitude that endures to this day.
As fanatical SS units positioned heavy anti-aircraft guns along the Weißenbach, preparing to turn Hall into a last-ditch "fortress," Baumgartner sprang into action. Together with the resistance leadership—Anton Haller, Dr. Viktor Schumacher, Anton Walder, and Anton Demanega—he orchestrated a covert operation. Leveraging his Wehrmacht connections, he not only warned the resistance of imminent arrests but also protected civilians from the looming threat.
"Many, many former soldiers owe him everything," wrote the Lokalanzeiger—yet it was the townspeople who benefited most, albeit unknowingly. When American forces arrived at the city gates on May 3, 1945, Baumgartner's diplomatic skill secured Hall’s peaceful surrender. What residents experienced as a sudden end to the war was, in truth, the culmination of months of secret preparations.
The obituary highlights a striking contrast: while the city still thrives today, its buildings and families intact, "few know" the role this unassuming officer played. Even more moving are the article’s closing words, honoring Baumgartner as a "true son of his homeland"—a hero who never sought the spotlight but saved countless lives.