 Photo Franciscan Father Eligius Dastl. Held in: Archive of the Tyrolean Franciscan Province in Hall in Tyrol. A Voice in the Wilderness: Resistance from the Pulpit In the annals of resistance against the National Socialist regime, courage manifested in many forms. For Father Eligius Dastl, a Franciscan missionary with a global perspective, it was a moment of fierce honesty from the pulpit of a small village church that marked him as an enemy of the state and led to his persecution. From Enns to the World: The Missionary Born August Dastl on August 17, 1899, in Enns (Diocese of Linz), his life’s path was set early on when he joined the Franciscan Order in Pupping in 1917, taking the religious name Eligius. His calling was not to a quiet life within Austrian walls but to the vast mission fields of the world. Ordained a priest in Salzburg in 1924, he was soon sent to the foreign missions, first to Hunan, China, in 1928, and then to Bolivia in 1929. For years, he worked among the Guaraní people, facing the immense challenges of language, culture, and disease. His service was cut short in 1937 when severe malaria forced his return to Austria. Back in his homeland, he took up the crucial role of Provincial Mission Procurator, based at the Franciscan monastery in Hall in Tirol. From 1938-1939 and again from 1946, he edited the mission society's annual report, "Die Franziskaner-Missionen," using his words to inspire support for the order's global work. The Fateful Sermon: "Like Bloodhounds" It was this gift with words that led to his confrontation with the Nazi regime. On May 18, 1939, Father Eligius preached a sermon in the church of Gnadenwald near Hall. Reflecting on the Ascension of Christ and the struggles of life on Earth, he spoke from his own experience about the palpable hostility faced by the Church. He stated: "Like bloodhounds they are against us. It is true that we priests are being persecuted; this could still lead to something bad." He later explained to the court that he had been repeatedly called a "Pfaffe" (a derogatory term for a priest) and had even had a dog set on him. His sermon, delivered to a small congregation of about twelve people, was an outburst of frustration and a starkly accurate description of the state's persecution. Arrest, Trial, and Conviction For this single, powerful metaphor, the state struck back. Father Eligius was arrested and held in the police prison in Innsbruck from July 4 to July 10, 1939. His trial was swift. On September 9, 1939, just days after the outbreak of World War II, the Special Court (Sondergericht) in Linz found him guilty of undermining the people's confidence in the political leadership. The court's reasoning highlighted the danger they perceived in his words: statements made in church, especially before several people, claiming that the National Socialists persecuted the Church "like bloodhounds," were deemed a threat to public order. He was sentenced to five months in prison (Case No. 500/LG 733/39). Later Life and Legacy After serving his sentence, Father Eligius eventually returned to his work. He continued his vital role as Mission Procurator in Salzburg, holding the position until 1969. In a testament to his determined character, he even learned to drive a car at the age of 56 to better fulfill his duties.
He passed away on June 6, 1970, in Braunau and was buried in Maria Schmolln. Father Eligius Dastl’s story is a powerful example of clerical resistance. He was not part of a plotted conspiracy but a man who dared to speak the painful truth aloud in a time of overwhelming fear and silence. His punishment for a single sermon exemplifies the regime's extreme sensitivity to any form of public criticism and its ruthless determination to crush even the smallest voice of dissent. His legacy is that of a missionary who faced persecution abroad and brought the same fearless dedication to speaking out against injustice at home.
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