Josef and Theresia Facinelli: A Story of Resistance and Humanity

Photograph: Facinelli family and Larch family. Held in: private archive of Elisabeth und Günther Klaus Fügen.

A contribution for the website "NS-Widerstand" (Nazi Resistance)

The era of National Socialism forced every individual to make decisions of conscience. The story of Josef and Theresia Facinelli is a striking example of personal resistance that began not with grand gestures, but with unwavering loyalty to one's loved one. Their fate stands for the many quiet acts of heroism that often go unmentioned in official history books but formed the backbone of human dignity in inhuman times.

The Facinelli Family: Origins and Background

The Catholic family of Josef Facinelli originated from Cles in Val di Non (Trentino), a region beyond the Mendel Pass. The family emigrated to Bischofshofen in the state of Salzburg and settled there, running a guesthouse and butcher's shop. The Cafe/Restaurant run by the Facinelli family on the main square existed until 1997.
Josef Facinelli was born on May 11, 1891, in Bischofshofen. He came to Innsbruck as a financial official and was later transferred to the Fügen tax office. In Innsbruck, he met his wife, Theresia Grünhut.
Theresia Facinelli was born on May 9, 1895, in St. Johann am Walde in the Innviertel region of Upper Austria and was raised Catholic. They married on April 17, 1923, in Bischofshofen. The couple remained childless.

Civil Courage under National Socialism: The Resistance of Josef Facinelli

The Facinellis' established way of life was shattered by the Nazi rise to power. The regime's persecution machinery affected the family in multiple ways:

• Loyalty over Career: As a financial official, Josef Facinelli was confronted with an inhuman demand: Because his wife Theresia was of one-quarter Jewish descent, he would have had to divorce her to keep his position as a civil servant in the financial administration. Josef Facinelli refused this decisively. This refusal was an active act of resistance against the Nazi racial ideology. The consequence was his dismissal from the civil service.
• The Dispersed Family: The persecution also directly affected Theresia's family. Her sister, Josephine (Pepi) Grünhut, who was employed at the Tiroler Tageszeitung in Innsbruck, left Innsbruck around 1939 – presumably following Hitler's seizure of power – due to her Jewish descent and fled to Australia (Queensland). Theresia's two brothers also emigrated; one went presumably to the USA, to Wilkes-Barre, and the other to São Paulo in Brazil.

Despite this existential threat and the loss of his professional status, Josef Facinelli did not give up. He was not drafted into military service and instead worked as the head of administration (Prokurist) for the Loden Weyerer company in Innsbruck to provide for himself and his wife.

Post-War Life and Legacy

With the end of National Socialism, Josef Facinelli's steadfastness was rehabilitated. After the war, he was reinstated in the financial service and was able to work there until his retirement.
He lived with his wife Theresia in Fügen until after the war, where they became close friends with the family of Josef and Anna Larch. The childless Facinellis became the godparents of Elisabeth Klaus and were like "second parents" to her. During her teacher training college studies, Elisabeth Klaus lived with them in Innsbruck. Even in their old age, the Facinellis were cared for by Elisabeth and Günther Klaus until their deaths in their apartment on Knollerstraße in Innsbruck – a sign of deep gratitude and connection.
In 1959, the couple moved from Fügen back to Innsbruck. In 1973, they were able to celebrate their Golden Wedding Anniversary. Theresia Facinelli died in 1980 in Innsbruck. Josef Facinelli still celebrated his 90th birthday with a large family celebration in Bischofshofen. He died on November 23, 1982, in Hochzirl. As per their own wish, both were buried in Bischofshofen.

Historical Significance

The fate of Theresia Grünhut is also mentioned in the treatise "Das Schicksal der Schwazer Juden"(The Fate of the Jews of Schwaz) in the publication Der Weg einer Stadt (The Path of a City) from 1999 by Horst Schreiber. The story of the Facinelli family is representative of many Austrians who lost their homeland or were threatened in their existence by National Socialism.
Josef Facinelli's decision not to deny his wife was an act of quiet, yet fundamental resistance. In a time when systems aimed to destroy human bonds, he proved that loyalty to a loved one can be the most powerful form of protest.

This contribution was written based on the personal memories and records of Elisabeth and Günther Klaus from Fügen. We thank them for sharing this important family history.