Josef Speckbacher

Early in the morning of April 12, 1809, he surprised the city of Hall, imprisoned the garrison troops and prevented the French retreat into the safety of the valley of the lower Inn.

Here he gave countless proofs of his personal courage, built artillery emplacements, destroyed mills and boats useful to the enemy, burnt the city, captured the train of provisions, and even made his way as a spy into the castle.

He forced the marshal to quit the battlefield and with Hofer and Haspinger commanded troops at the famous Third Battle of Mount Isel (August 13 and 15, 1809).

After the enemy had been driven from the Mount Isel area, he and his men forced their way into the mountains of Salzburg, organizing and stimulating the defense of the countryside.

Speckbacher spent the entire winter in the Tyrolean Alps, hiding among friends at lonely farms, or in Alpine huts, always hunted by enemies.

Speckbacher's last hiding place was near the top of a high Alp in the Voldertal, where the only one who brought him food was his faithful servant George Zoppel.

It was unsafe to stay, so he was forced to flee amid great dangers through the Pinzgau and Styria to the capitol of Vienna, where he was warmly received by the Emperor Francis I.

On September 12, 1813, the Bavarian government at Innsbruck once more set a price of 1000 florins on his head, and it was not until the summer of 1814 that Speckbacher was able to return home to Rinn unmolested.

He joyfully reunited his son, who was held prisoner but had been well educated during his confinement in Munich, and looked forward to a peaceful old age, but the hardships he had undergone affected his ability to work a farm.

In honor of Josef Speckbacher streets were named after him in Wilten, Innsbruck and Vienna, as well as in Ottakring in Kufstein, Wörgl, St. Johann in Tirol, and Merano.

His character is well expressed in his epitaph: "In war wild but also human, in peace quiet and faithful to the laws he was as soldier, subject, and man worthy of honor and love".