Memorial plaque commemorating the liberation of the city of Salzburg in the Toscaninihof

To the right of the entrance to the old town garage is the commemorative plaque covered with a glass plate, which recalls the liberation of the city of Salzburg by the 3rd Infantry Division (Rock of the Marne) on May 4, 1945. At that time, there were about 80,000 people in Salzburg, in addition to approximately 7,000 wounded. Military units that could have defended the city against the advancing US Army did not in fact exist, which is why Wehrmacht Colonel Hans Lepperdinger, who had command over the city, after consultation with his staff, decided to surrender the city to the Allies without resistance. To this day, Lepperdinger is often still referred to as the "Savior of Salzburg"; however, investigations have shown that the conditions for a surrender without resistance had already been prepared by the Salzburg Party and Wehrmacht leadership. 65 years after the liberation, the commemorative plaque was solemnly unveiled at the Toscaninihof in the presence of many veterans of the 3rd Infantry Division. The location of the plaque is due to the fact that air-raid shelters were located near the Toscaninihof, where the surrender of the city was organized.