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Legacy and monuments: added info about coin

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{{short description|Tyrolean innkeeper and patriot}}
{{about|the Tyrolean military hero|other people}}
{{more footnotes needed|date=February 2011}}
{{use dmy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Andreas Hofer
| image = File:Andreas Hofer (Wachter).jpg
| image_size =
| landscape = yes
| caption = Posthumous portrait of Andreas Hofer
| birth_date = {{birth date|1767|11|22}}
| birth_place = [[St. Leonhard in Passeier]], [[County of Tyrol|Tyrol]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|1810|02|20|1767|11|22}}
| death_place = [[Mantua]], [[Kingdom of Italy (Napoleonic)|Kingdom of Italy]]
| death_cause =
| known_for = [[Tyrolean Rebellion]]
| criminal_charges = Insurrection
| criminal_penalty = Execution by a firing squad
}}
'''Andreas Hofer''' (22 November 1767 – 20 February 1810) was a [[County of Tyrol|Tyrolean]] innkeeper and [[Droving|drover]] who became the leader of the 1809 [[Tyrolean Rebellion]] during the [[War of the Fifth Coalition]]. Hofer, besides that, led troops in the [[battles of Bergisel]] during the rebellion. He was subsequently captured and executed.

Hofer is still today venerated as a [[folk hero]], freedom fighter and Austrian [[patriotism|patriot]]. His great-grandson, Andreas Hofer, was a member of the anti-Nazi resistance group centered around [[Heinrich Maier]].<ref>Horst Schreiber, Christopher Grüner: "Den für die Freiheit Österreichs gestorbenen: Das Befreiungsdenkmal in Innsbruck. Prozesse des Erinnerns.", Innsbruck (2016), p 72.</ref>

==Life==
[[File:Andreas Hofer 01.jpg|thumb|left|''Sandhof'' in St. Leonhard where Hofer was born and lived]]
Andreas Hofer was born 1767 in [[St. Leonhard in Passeier]], in the [[Habsburg monarchy|Habsburg]] crown land of Tyrol. His father was an innkeeper of the ''Sandhof'' inn and Andreas followed in his footsteps when he inherited the establishment. He also traded wine and horses in adjacent [[Northern Italy]] and learned the Italian language. He married Anna Ladurner. In 1791 he was elected to the Tyrolean [[Landtag]] assembly. In German he was known as a ''Wirt'' (innkeeper) and thus ever after ''Sandwirt''.

In the [[War of the Third Coalition]] against the French he became a sharpshooter and later a militia captain in the Austrian [[Imperial and Royal Army during the Napoleonic Wars|Imperial and Royal Army]]. After the Austrian defeat, Tyrol was transferred to the Kingdom of Bavaria (France's ally) according to the 1805 [[Peace of Pressburg (1805)|Treaty of Pressburg]]. During the stern measures of Minister [[Maximilian von Montgelas]] and the forced recruitment into the [[Bavarian Army]], Hofer became a leader of the anti-Bavarian movement. In January 1809, he was part of a delegation to [[Vienna]] to ask Emperor [[Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor|Francis I of Austria]] for support for a possible uprising. The Emperor gave his assurances and the delegation returned home.

Hofer begun to secretly organize insurrection, visiting villagers and holding councils of war in local inns. Reputedly he was so much on the move that he signed his messages "Andreas Hofer, from where I am" and letters to him were addressed to "wherever he may be". At the same time other leaders organized their own forces elsewhere in the Alps. Hofer became a leader of a militia contingent in the [[Passeier Valley]].

===Armed rebellion begins===
[[File:Combat du Bergisel.jpg|thumb|On the eve of the Battle of Bergisel, 1900 painting by [[Franz Defregger]]. Andreas Hofer(Right of center), Count Stephan Krismer (Left of center, Bottom)]]
The Tyrolean Rebellion began on 9 April 1809 in [[Innsbruck]]. The previous night, organizers dumped sacks of sawdust into the River [[Inn (river)|Inn]] as a sign to start the rebellion; floating through the town and down the Inn Valley, it alerted the rebels. Church bells summoned men to fight with muskets and farmyard implements. They soon overran smaller Bavarian garrisons and surprised a column of French infantry that was passing through the area.

On 11 April the Tyrolean militia defeated a Bavarian force in [[Sterzing]] which led to the occupation of Innsbruck before noon. Though French forces came across the [[Brenner Pass]] as a relief and a united French-Bavarian contingent counterattacked the next night, the Tyroleans fought them in the First [[Battles of Bergisel|Battle of Bergisel]] until Hofer and his allies won on the morning of the 13th. While Austrian forces under General [[Johann Gabriel Chasteler de Courcelles]] moved into the Tyrolean capital and installed a provisional government led by [[Joseph Hormayr, Baron zu Hortenburg|Joseph Hormayr]], Hofer advanced south, taking [[Bolzano|Bozen]] and [[Trento|Trent]].

Hopes of a successful rebellion waned when Napoleon defeated the Austrian forces of [[Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen|Archduke Charles of Austria]] in a series of battles of [[Battle of Teugen-Hausen|Teugen-Hausen]], [[Battle of Abensberg|Abensberg]], [[Battle of Eckmühl|Eckmühl]], and [[Battle of Ratisbon|Ratisbon]], whereafter the Austrian troops withdrew from Tyrol and Hofer had to pull back to the mountains. The French Marshal [[François Joseph Lefebvre]] took charge of the Tyrolean theatre, and Bavarian and [[Kingdom of Saxony|Saxon]] forces under the command of [[Karl Philipp von Wrede]] on 13 May defeated the Austrians in a bloody skirmish at [[Wörgl]]. The Bavarians re-occupied Innsbruck on 19 May. However, when their French allies left, the rebellion flared up again.

===Hofer takes command===
[[File:Tiroler Landsturm 1809.jpg|thumb|Painting depicting Hofer and his troops liberating his people from foreign occupation]]
Hofer became the effective commander-in-chief of the Tyrolean rebels, with the support of other leaders such as [[Josef Speckbacher]] and Father [[Joachim Haspinger]]. He commanded a force of Tyroleans approximately 20,000 strong, together with a couple of hundred Austrian soldiers who had joined them after the retreat of the Austrian army.

=== Count Krismer ===
Count [[Stephan Krismer]] von Krismerhof (1777–1869) was a Tyrolean priest, patriot, and later monastery founder who became closely associated with [[Andreas Hofer]] during the Tyrolean Rebellion of 1809. Serving as field chaplain of the Upper Inn Valley riflemen, he accompanied Hofer’s forces and acted as one of his principal advisors during the Fourth Battle of Bergisel.
[[File:Count Von Krismerhof c.a 1829.png|thumb|Count Stephan Krismer von Krismerhof]]
Krismer’s prominence as a mediator and confidant of Hofer brought him into direct contact with leading European statesmen. In the aftermath of the uprising, he met with Austrian foreign minister [[Klemens von Metternich]] to discuss the Tyrolean cause and its place in the broader anti-Napoleonic struggle. He also had dealings with officers of Napoleon, attempting to negotiate ceasefires and secure humane treatment for prisoners of war. These encounters reflected both his role in shaping the moral legitimacy of Hofer’s movement and his efforts to secure recognition for Tyrolean autonomy.

After the rebellion, Krismer continued his ecclesiastical work and founded several monasteries in Tyrol. He was ennobled by [[Emperor Francis I]] in 1810, receiving the hereditary title Edler von Krismer, later elevated to count. His memorialization as both a churchman and patriot has paralleled that of Hofer himself, underlining his historical importance in the Tyrolean uprising.

In the second Battle of Bergisel, from 25 to 29 May 1809, Hofer's troops again defeated the Bavarians, driving them out of the country and retaking Innsbruck on 30 May. On 29 May Hofer received a letter from Emperor Francis in which he promised not to sign any peace treaty that would include giving up Tyrol. An Austrian [[intendant]] came to rule Tyrol and Hofer returned to his home. However, Napoleon again defeated Austrian troops in the [[Battle of Wagram]] on 6 July. The [[Armistice of Znaim]] ceded Tyrol to Bavaria again. Napoleon sent 40,000 French and Bavarian troops to take over Tyrol and they re-occupied Innsbruck.

After little hesitation, Hofer joined battle again. The French offered a reward for his head. On 13–14 August, in the third Battle of Bergisel, Hofer's Tyroleans defeated the French troops of Marshal [[François Joseph Lefebvre]] in a 12-hour battle after a downhill charge. The Tyroleans retook Innsbruck.

[[File:Bataille de Sterzing.jpg|thumb|Tyroleans defeated the Bavarian troops at Battle of Sterzing]]
Hofer declared himself Imperial Commandant of the Tyrol in the absence of the ruler and for two months ruled the land from [[Hofburg]] in the name of the Emperor of Austria. He announced new laws and taxes and minted his own coins. He also sent two men to Britain to ask for assistance. On 29 September he received a medal from the emperor and another promise that Austria would not abandon Tyrol.

Hofer's hopes were dashed on 14 October, when the [[Treaty of Schönbrunn]] again ceded Tyrol to Bavaria. French and Bavarian troops advanced and Hofer retreated to the mountains. Promised [[amnesty]], Hofer and his followers laid down their weapons on 8 November. Hofer retired to his home valley.

===Final attempt and capture===
[[File:Leopold Puellacher, Franz Raffl verrät das Versteck des Andreas Hofer, 1820.jpg|thumb|Franz Raffl reveals the hideout of Andreas Hofer]]
On 12 November Hofer received false reports of Austrian victories and tried to summon his troops on 15 November. This time he had little following and French troops defeated his forces. His subordinate commanders surrendered and urged him to escape over the mountains.

Hofer hid in a hut in the mountains in the Passeiertal and the French announced a reward of 1500 [[guilder]]s for his head. His neighbor Franz Raffl betrayed him and revealed his hiding place to the authorities. Hofer was captured by Italian troops on 28 January 1810 and was sent to [[Mantua]] in chains to face a [[court-martial]]. Raffl died impoverished in [[Bavaria]] twenty years later.

[[Image:20 02 1810-die-erschiessung-von-andreas-hofer-in-mantua 1.jpg|thumb|Hofer's execution in Mantua]]

===Court martial and execution===

Officers holding the court-martial disagreed on the exact sentence until they received a message from Milan. It was supposedly from [[Eugène de Beauharnais]], transmitting Napoleon's order to "give him a fair trial and then shoot him". Napoleon later claimed to [[Klemens von Metternich]] that Hofer was executed against his wishes. Hofer was [[Execution by firing squad|executed by a firing squad]] on 20 February 1810. He refused a [[blindfold]] or to kneel, and gave money to a corporal in charge, telling him to "shoot straight". He gave the order to fire himself.<ref>[[Tom Pocock]]. Stopping Napoleon: War and Intrigue in the Mediterranean (Kindle Locations 2357-2359). Thistle Publishing. Kindle Edition.</ref> Hofer became a [[martyr]] in Germany and Austria and a rallying symbol against the power of Napoleon.{{fact|date=November 2024}}

==Legacy and monuments==
[[Image:Bergisel-0001.JPG|thumb|Andreas Hofer monument at Bergisel near Innsbruck]]
In 1809 [[William Wordsworth]] wrote some sonnets to Andreas Hofer which contributed to the romanticisation of his image and the legend surrounding the insurrection.<ref>{{cite web |title=Napoleonic literature Directory / 1st Empire |url=https://www.napoleon.org/en/magazine/napoleonic-pleasures/andreas-hofer-by-william-wordsworth/ |website=Napoleon.Org |publisher=The Foundation Napoleon |access-date=11 November 2022}}</ref>

In 1818, his family was given a [[patent of nobility]] by the [[emperor of Austria]] (he and Anna had 7 children). In 1823, Hofer's remains were moved from Mantua to Innsbruck, and in 1834, his tomb was decorated with a marble statue. In 1893, a [[bronze statue]] of Hofer was erected in Bergisel ([[Innsbruck]]). A large painting depicting his arrest hangs in the Palace of Maria Theresa in Innsbruck, and there is an annual open-air play in [[Meran]] based on his life. In Meran there is also a monumental statue of him opposite the train station at the beginning of the Via Andreas Hofer, which was erected by Tyrolean nationalists in 1915. In [[New Glarus, Wisconsin]] there is a large mural of Hofer inside Puempel's Olde Tavern.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://archive.nytimes.com/query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage-9C05E0D71231F931A35753C1A9679D8B63.html|title = Correction}}</ref> In 1959, a 50 Schilling coin commemorating the Tyrolean Rebellion featuring Hofer's portrait was issued in Austria, with a mintage of 3,000,000.

The song ''[[Zu Mantua in Banden]]'' (today the anthem of the [[State of Tyrol]]) tells the story of his tragic fate and execution.
His most famous quote: ''I will not trade my life for a lie''.

==Literature==
* ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20130323121629/http://www.lexikus.de/Andreas-Hofer Andreas Hofer]'' an historical novel by [[Luise Mühlbach]], 1871

==Films==
* ''[[Andreas Hofer (film)|Andreas Hofer]]'' (1929): actors: [[Fritz Greiner]] as Andreas Hofer, [[Maly Delschaft]] as Anna Hofer, director: [[Hans Prechtl]]
* ''Der Rebell'' (1932): director: [[Luis Trenker]]
* ''{{ill|Andreas Hofer (2002 film)|de|Andreas Hofer – Die Freiheit des Adlers|lt=Andreas Hofer}}'' (2002): actors: [[Tobias Moretti]] as Andreas Hofer, [[Franz Xaver Kroetz]] as Joachim Haspinger, director: [[Xaver Schwarzenberger]]
* ''{{ill|The Holy Land of Tyrol|de|Bergblut}}'' (2010): actors: [[Klaus Gurschler]] as Andreas Hofer, [[Verena Buratti]] as Anna Hofer, director: [[Philipp J. Pamer]]

==Sources==
* Tom Pocock - ''Stopping Napoleon'' (2004)

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Collier's poster|year=1921|Hofer, Andreas}}
{{commons category-inline}}
* {{cite encyclopedia |url= http://www.aeiou.at/aeiou.encyclop.h/h715463.htm;internal&action=_setlanguage.action?LANGUAGE=en|title= Andreas Hofer |access-date= 2018-09-06 |encyclopedia= AEIOU Encyclopedia of Austria|year=2009}}
* url= https://www.sagen.at/doku/Andreas_Hofer/Andreas_Hofer.html |title= Andreas Hofer 1767–1810 |work= documentation with photos concerning Andreas Hofer, mainly in German language, some parts in English at sagen.at |access-date= 2009-04-02
* {{cite web|url= http://www.epoche-napoleon.net/bio/hofer.html|title= Andreas Hofer Biography (German) by|work= EPOCHE NAPOLEON|access-date= 2010-10-11|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101206132009/http://www.epoche-napoleon.net/bio/hofer.html|archive-date= 2010-12-06|url-status=dead}}
* {{cite web |url= http://www.hofer.nl/|title= Family tree Andreas Hofer and other Hofer families|work= Documented with coats of arms, unknown persons, pictures; in Dutch and English|access-date= 2011-01-15}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160816134216/http://www.filmportal.de/en/node/613731/video/1214055 "Tirol in Waffen" (1913/1914)], the first feature film on Andreas Hofer, at [[Filmportal|filmportal.de]]
* [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0447386/?ref_=tt_trv_cnn] Der Rebell
* [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0303586/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_1] 1809 - Die Freiheit des Adlers
* [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1381407/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0] The Holy Land of Tyrol (aka Bergblut)

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hofer, Andreas}}
[[Category:1767 births]]
[[Category:1810 deaths]]
[[Category:People from the Austrian Empire of the Napoleonic Wars]]
[[Category:Executed Austrian people]]
[[Category:Innkeepers]]
[[Category:People executed by the French military by firing squad]]
[[Category:Rebels from Austria-Hungary]]
[[Category:People from St. Leonhard in Passeier]]
[[Category:Andreas Hofer| ]]
[[Category:People from the County of Tyrol]]

Andreas Hofer - Revision history

imported>Skeletonwizard8: /* Legacy and monuments */ added info about coin