Gasse and explanatory plaque for Lorenz Poketz

Lorenz Poketz (1893–1943) was secretary of the Free Trade Union from the mid-1920s and from 1930 chairman of the social policy committee of the Workers' Chamber in Graz. After the February fighting in 1934, he took over the leadership of the now illegal Free Trade Union branch for commercial, transport and traffic workers, which supported persecuted and punished workers. He continued this activity also after the "Anschluss" in 1938 and together with others founded the "Red Trade Union" in 1940. On 13 August 1942 he was arrested and on 17 June 1943 was sentenced to death for "preparation for high treason, treasonous aiding of the enemy and weakening of the armed forces" and was executed in Graz on 13 September 1943.