Andreas Hofer was born on 22nd November 1767 at the Sandhof in St. leonhard in Passeier. In the Tyrolean freedom wars of 1809 he led his countrymen to victory three times in the fight against Napoleon's troops, and became commander-in-chief of the Tyrolean army. However, a furhter uprising after the Treaty of Schönbrunn ended in their defeat at Bergisel near Innsbruck. Andreas Hofer fled to the Pfandler Alp above St. Martin in Passeier, but was betrayed, captured and executed by firing squad in Mantua in northern Italy on 20th February 1810.