Regierungsrat Friedrich Zacke

Shortly after the "Berchtesgaden Agreement" of February 12, 1938, the Nazis also became increasingly unmistakable in Salzburg with marches and wild chants such as "Schuschnigg die". After the speech by Governor Franz Rehrl on February 21, 1938 in the large Kurhaus hall in front of officials of the Patriotic Front on the "new situation", a counter-demonstration to the Nazi action is formed on Residenzplatz under Young People's Leader Friedrich Zacke. In order not to be bludgeoned by the Nazi superiority, this assembly breaks up again shortly before the confrontation. A few days later, the Patriotic Front, with support from all over the country, organized a sympathy rally with a good 20,000 participants; on the cathedral square, they pledged allegiance to Austria in front of a newly created storm flag.

The Almgau secondary school fraternity had previously decided to award Chancellor Schuschnigg the Ribbon of Honour. Friedrich Zacke and Leopold Guggenberger are now to reorganize the Austrian section of the Young People on behalf of Deputy Federal Youth Leader Josef Schifferer. Another demonstration on March 10, 1938 to promote the referendum was broken up on Residenzplatz due to the superior strength of the Nazis - supported by SA and SS men.

In the night of March 12, 1938, Friedrich Zacke was arrested at home together with Leopold Guggenberger and taken to the police headquarters. In the meantime, the police searched Friedrich Zacke's apartment for machine guns to no avail.

"After we had stood for about half an hour with our hands up and our faces to the wall, with guards in SA uniforms with guns at the ready repeatedly asking about the machine guns, they put us in a two-man cell, not without first taking all our belongings." - Friedrich Zacke recalls.

He was released shortly afterwards after signing a lapel stating that he would not complain about his arrest. He then receives a notice of transfer to Taxenbach as a district substitute teacher for the Upper Pinzgau region. Important liaison documents are saved from the house search and subsequent confiscation of the liaison homes. The Almgau flag survived under a pile of coal and the Rheno-Juvavia flag was moved to the Saarland. Inspired by the university student Karl Beran, Friedrich Zacke and his Almgau Salzburg brothers Robert Weidinger, Karl Steiner and Karl Glaser form a resistance group, which is later exposed. After their release, they tried to continue their resistance work, but this time more cautiously. Friedrich Zacke escaped re-arrest as he had to enlist in the Wehrmacht at the end of August 1939.