Franz Jagerstatter - Against The Stream
"Who dares to assert that only one person among the German people bears the responsibility in this war?"
In the summer of 1940, Franz Jägerstätter was first called up for military service and in Braunau on 17 June he was sworn in. At the instigation of the mayor, however, he was alowed to return to the farm after a few days. From October 1940 to April 1941 he was in the army, though not at the Front. When, after repeated requests from the mayor, he was listed as "indispensable" and returned to St Radegund, he announced that he would not comply with further conscription. To fight so that Hitler might conquer the whole world he saw as a matter of personal guilt and serious sin. Even the war against Russia did not ease Franz Jägerstätter's conscience. He writes: "It is very sad to hear again and again from Catholics that this war, waged by Germany, is perhaps not so unjust because it will wipe out Bolshevism. It is true that at present most of our soldiers are stuck in the worst Bolshevist country, and simply want to make harmless and defenceless the people who live there and defend themselves. But now a question: what are they fighting in this country - Bolshevism or the Russian people? When our Catholic missionaries went to a pagan country to make them Christians did they advance with machine guns and bombs in order to convert and improve them? Most of these noble warriors for Christianity wrote home that if they only had the means to hand things out, everything would go much faster... If we look back a little into history, we note almost the same thing again and again: if a conqueror attacks another country with war, they have not normally invaded the country to improve people or even perhaps give them something, but usually to get something for themselves. If we fight the Russian people, we will get much from that country which is of use to us here. If one were merely fighting Bolshevism, these others things - minerals, oil wells or good farmland - would not be a factor."
After he was called up, Franz Jägerstätter presented himself to the military authorities in Enns on 1 March 1943 and announced that he was refusing to fight. During March and April he was held in custody at Linz. At the beginning of May he was transferred to Berlin-Tegel. The main trial of Franz Jägerstätter took place on 6 July 1943 before the second panel of the national court martial led by Werner Lueven.- He was "condemned to death for sedition and sentenced to loss of civil rights and of eligibility for military service".
On 9 August 1943, at 4 pm, Franz Jägerstätter was beheaded, the first of 16 victims.
Franz Jägerstätter - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In June 2007 Pope Benedict XVI authorised the Congregation for the Causes of Saints to publish a decree that declares Jägerstätter a martyr.With its publication the process of beatification was completed. The beatification ceremony took place on October 26, 2007 in Linz.The ceremony was attended by his 94 year old widow, Franziska, and his four daughters.
Franz Jägerstätter "Against the stream"
