Andreas Hofer

Andreas Hofer (November 22nd 1767 - February 20th 1810) was a patriot the Tyrol IEN. Landlord of profession, he was the instigator of the rebellion of the mountain dwellers Tyroleans against the imperialism Bonapartiste and marked nationalism pantyrolien.

Andreas Hofer was born in 1767 with St Leonhard in Passeiertal ( in Italian: San Leonardo in Passiria (BZ) ), in the the Tyrol of the South. His/her father was a landlord with the Sandwirt and the Andreas young person learned his trade there. By negotiating the wine in Italy north, it learned the Italian . Later, he married Anna Ladurner and, in 1791, he was elected with the Landtag Tyrolean.

The guerilla tyrolienne

At the time the war of the Third coalition against the Napoleonean forces, he became captain of a militia. At the time of the annexation of the Tyrol by the Bavaria, with the Treated of Presbourg in 1805, Hofer took the anti-Bavarian head of the resistance movement.

In January 1809, it was in Vienna, when the emperor François II of Austria, offered its moral support to a possible insurrection. As of on April 9th 1809 the rebellion tyrolienne began. The 11, its troops demolished the Bavarian ones with Sterzing. This victory led to the occupation of Innsbruck. Hofer became a chief of militia and especially acquired a notoriety conferring to him the charismatic role of chief of patriotism Tyrolean.

The victory of Napoleon against the Austrians of the Archiduc Charles dissipated the hopes of success of the Tyroleans. The Bavarian ones took again Innsbruck, but upon the departure of the Napoleonean troops, the rebellion began again of more beautiful. On May 25th and 29th, the troops of Hofer vaincquirent the Bavarian ones with the Iselberg. Hofer took Innsbruck the 30.

May 29th, Hofer accepted a letter of the emperor of Austria ensuring to him that it would never sign treaty requiring the transfer of the Tyrol. And an Austrian intendant was dispatched to manage the country. Consequently, Hofer turned over at his place.

The victory of Wagram, on July 6th, cancelled preceding successes. The Armistice of Znaim, the 12, yielded the Tyrol and Bavaria. Napoleon sent 40.000 men to take again Innsbruck.

The guerilla of Hofer started again. Its head was put at price. On August 13rd and 14th, it demolished the marshal Lefebvre with the Bergisel after 12 hours of battle. Once again it took Innsbruck.

A charismatic chief

Hofer became commander-in-chief and directed his troops since Hofburg in the name of the emperor of Austria. September 29th it accepted an imperial medal and a new insurance of the support of Austria for the Tyrol.

The Traité of Schönbrunn renewed the scenario of the armistice of Znaim and still yielded the Tyrol to Bavaria. Hofer and its companions deposited the weapons against the promise of an amnesty.

November 12th, Hofer accepted false informations of Austrian pseudo-victories. What encouraged it to take again the weapons. This time, the mobilization was weak and quickly the free-Bavarian troops reduced the guerilla. Hofer went to hide in the mountains of sound native Passeiertal. Its head was put at price 1500 Florin S. Franz Raffl, her neighbor, betrays it and it was captured by the Italian troops on January 2nd 1810 in a châlet of mountain pasture (the Pfandleralm , a pasture alpine close to the farm of Prantach opposite San Martino in Passiria), and sent to the martial Cour of Mantoue. Raffl was found lynched.

Fall of Hofer

The legend claims that Napoleon gave the order of a “right lawsuit before descending it” (later he entrusted to Metternich that Hofer had been carried out, against his decision). Andreas Hofer was shot with Mantoue on February 20th, 1810.

Hofer became a Martyr in Germany and Austria. Its name was used as point of rallying against the capacity of Napoleon.

A symbol of independence

In 1823, the remainders of Hofer were repatriated of Mantoue with Innsbruck. In 1834, its tomb was decorated of a marble mausoleum. In 1818, its family accepted a Noble letter of the emperor of Austria. In 1893, its statue out of bronze was set up with the Bergisel (Innsbruck). Each year, with Meran, its epopee is rejouée in the open air.

The anthem of Andreas Hofer, became the official anthem of the Tyrol. During the years of linguistic quarrel to the the Tyrol of the South, the memory of Hofer was often used like example of the resistance of the German-speaking population to inclinations of Italianization, in particular under the fascistic mode

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