Group Free Austria/Group Karl Gruber Gruppe Freies Österreich/Gruppe Karl Gruber

The Gruppe Freies Österreich/Gruppe Karl Gruber (FÖ) was founded in 1942 by Karl Gruber, born in 1888 in Altmünster am Traunsee in Upper Austria. The aim of this non-partisan group, which was more in line with the Christian Social camp, was to liberate Austria from National Socialist occupation and re-establish its independence.

While initially only leaflets were produced, from November 15, 1943, members of the Gruppe Freies Österreich/Gruppe Karl Gruber (FÖ) secretly published the campaign newspaper 'Freies Österreich! Blätter für Friede, Freiheit und Fortschritt' in Vienna. In a total of six issues, it reported on the theaters of war and the defeats of German troops, alongside demands for the re-establishment of a free and independent Austria and the overthrow of the National Socialist terror regime.

The group had its meeting place in premises at Stuckgasse 6 in Vienna's 7th district. In the early fall of 1944, the group was finally uncovered and many members were arrested by the Gestapo. After preliminary investigations, the members were handed over to the People's Court for prosecution for 'preparation for high treason'. Only the defeat of the Third Reich saved the members from a trial.

Members of the Gruppe Freies Österreich/Gruppe Karl Gruber (FÖ) included:

Karl Gruber, Julius Freiherr von Bischoffshausen, Leopold Buchsbaum, Rudolf Damier, Theobald Cieplik, Margarethe Haider, Karl Hoffmann, Eugen Indrak, Alois Jelen, Otto Kessler, August Kösseldorfer, Karl Kupka, Rudolf Omersu, Franz Schotola, Franz Spuller