Austrian Front/Austrian Movement (Tisza Group) Österreichische Front/Österreichische Bewegung (Gruppe Theiß)

In 1938, the well-known Viennese professor of religion Josef Schulenburg, a member of the K.Ö.H.V. Amelungia, the Austrian Movement or Austrian Front (also known as Group Tisza). It was organized around the former Jungvolk functionary Friedrich Theiß, recruited from members of the Katholisches Jungvolk and was very active. Monthly membership fees were collected, excursions and training courses were organized and pro-Austrian publications were produced. A separate women's group was formed and the establishment of a separate military group was considered.

On February 7/8, 1940, the group was exposed, and on December 17, 1941, 16 members were sentenced to prison terms of between two years and four weeks. Some prison sentences were suspended on probation. In terms of personnel, there were overlaps with the Gruppe Eisen.

From the files of the Gestapo:

a) Purpose of the organization

According to the unanimous statements of numerous identified members, the purpose of the organization was to unite all fellow citizens, especially those of Catholic denomination, who did not agree with the National Socialist state leadership, in order to seize power in the event of a revolution expected to be brought about by communist elements in the near future and to create a free authoritarian Austria including the state of Bavaria.

b) Structure of the organization

The organization consisted of male and female members. Of the male members, a part that was suitable for this purpose was to be grouped and trained in an armed military organization in order to be ready at any time to carry out the purpose mentioned in point a). The remaining male members of the organization were initially to support the development of the organization by paying membership fees. The female members were grouped together in a separate girls' group. In addition, a 'student body' group was planned, but attempts to set this up failed because the person (Karl Schlögl) who was considered to set it up refused to cooperate. Further efforts in this direction have apparently been thwarted by the fact that the organization has since been uncovered. The establishment of an economic organization, which is also said to have been planned, also failed to materialize. [...]

c) Activity of the organization

The activity of the organization was limited to recruiting members, paying membership fees and holding training evenings.

Membership recruitment could be observed in the 'Austrian Youth' as well as in the girls' group and in the military organization. Training evenings were mainly held by Friedrich Theiss both in public venues and on the occasion of excursions for the girls' group. These also had the task of recruiting adults as supporting members. Membership was initially denoted by a brass token in the size of 2 marks, stamped with 'Ö.F.XII'. Later, these tokens were replaced by membership cards, which were referred to as collective identity cards and contained the name of the member. The military organization was still in the process of being established at the time of discovery. However, a leader had already been appointed (Alois Döttling). A number of small arms were also already available.

d) Financing

The membership fee for members was 0.70 Pf per month. Due to poor financial circumstances, some members were exempt from paying any fees at all, while others were asked to pay a small amount.

• Friedrich Theiss
• Leo Buliczek
• Josef Windisch, member of the K.Ö.H.V. Pannonia
• Alois Döttling, member of K.Ö.H.V. Franco-Bavaria
• Camillo Heger
• Gertraud Jedliczka (née Döttling)
• Josefa Breuer
• Edith Breuer
• Martha Döttling
• Antonia Wallenta
• Hermine Sniderics
• Franz Vochozka
• Helene Hirschler
• Erika Hirschler
• Paul Alois Horvath
• Otto Wimmer
• Wolfmar Zimmeter
• Franz Karl Roubal
• Edith Schwarz (geb. Wimmer)
• Margarete Jockl
• Marie Schafranek
• Robert Miel
• Franz Miel
• Rudolf Hauer
• Franz Hovad
• Fritz Moser
• Edmund Frumel
• Franz Karl Roubal
• Ernst Matuschek
• Ludwig Cubr
• Hildegard Grabensteiner
• Ida Mairhuber
• Gertrude Kreuzer
• Johann Wachek
• Rosa Leyrer
• Gertrude Kretschmar