Silent Resistance Within the Parish: The Catholic Clergy in Hall 1938-1945

Even within the parish of Hall in Tyrol, resistance to the National Socialist regime began to stir. Clergymen such as Kooperator Josef Lambichler (1883–1956) and Dean Wilhelm Reinthaler (1876–1941) stood firmly for ecclesiastical independence and pastoral responsibility, despite facing heavy repression.
The local clergy were increasingly subjected to harassment and surveillance by Nazi authorities. Church services, sermons, and youth work were monitored; religious activities were curtailed or banned altogether.
Yet many priests remained faithful to their convictions. They sought to preserve religious freedom and human dignity in a time of ideological conformity and state control. Their conduct exemplifies the often quiet but unwavering Catholic resistance in Tyrol.

Parish and Deanery of Hall in Tirol (1938–1945)
The Rise of National Socialist Influence

Soon after the annexation to the German Reich, numerous NSDAP-affiliated associations began forming in Hall in Tirol. Youth in particular turned to the HJ (Hitler Youth) and NSDM (National Socialist Girls' League). Meetings of these organizations often took place at the same time as religious activities, such as church services, altar service, or youth group gatherings, preventing participation in the latter.
As early as mid-March 1938, the parish chronicle noted that “the godless spirit was being hammered into the youth.” At this time, Dean Reinthaler was already seriously ill, so pastoral care was mainly provided by Kopp. Josef Lambichler, Chaplain Dr. Hermann Blassnig, and Chaplain Dr. med. Hellrigl, who was later replaced by Dr. Nikolaus Pfeifauf in 1939. Even retired pastor Anton Halbeis was reintegrated into pastoral duties.

Religious Resistance and Secret Activities

Thanks to the dedication of these clergy members, church life in Hall in Tirol could continue despite repressive measures. Although all Christian activities were officially prohibited, many residents continued to practice their faith in defiance of the regime. Prayer was common both inside and outside churches—more so than one might assume. Dr. Blassnig secretly held Bible study sessions in the Seegerhaus (owned by the Tertiary School Sisters) and in the church. Prof. Pfeifauf organized a small group of the Congregation of the Daughters of Mary in the "Annenheim" for prayer and spiritual reflection. He also wrote circular letters to maintain contact with other members.
At the same time, clergy in Hall in Tirol were closely monitored by the Nazi authorities. Some were interrogated by the Gestapo multiple times, and their activities were observed in detail. Despite this surveillance and the unannounced interrogations, the local clergy made a significant contribution to preserving opposition among churchgoers to the Nazi regime.

Photo of St. Nicholas Parish Church in Hall in Tirol (2024). In: Private Archive E. Walder, Hall in Tirol.

The Year 1939: A Turning Point for Church and State

The year 1939 brought significant changes for both the Austrian state and the Catholic Church. Pope Pius XI (1857–1939), a vocal critic of both National Socialism and Communism, died. He was succeeded by Pope Pius XII, Eugenio Pacelli (1876–1958), who was well acquainted with the situation in Germany, having served as the papal nuncio there from 1917 to 1929. During that time, he had the challenging task of guiding the institutional Church.
Throughout the German Reich, a complete separation of Church and State was implemented. This meant all financial support from the government and municipalities to the Church was discontinued, including private foundations and public subsidies. Catholics were now responsible for funding churches, rectories, and clergy themselves. To enforce this burden, Adolf Hitler’s regime introduced a Church Tax on May 1, 1939, across the entire Reich. This measure was intended as harassment, aiming to weaken the institutional Church. However, it failed to lead to a mass departure from the faith. On the contrary, continued membership in the Christian community can be interpreted as a form of resistance to the regime.

Introduction of Civil Registry Offices and Civil Marriage

Another restriction on church activity was the introduction of civil registry offices and civil marriage. From this point forward, all births, marriages, and deaths were recorded by civil authorities. On August 1, 1938, civil registry laws came into effect in the “Ostmark” (Nazi term for Austria), declaring that religious marriages were no longer legally valid.
During the transitional period before the official start of the registry offices on January 1, 1939, district commissioners (Ehereferenten) conducted weddings. Mayors also served as civil registrars. Until December 31, 1938, birth and death records had been maintained by religious authorities.

Legal Foundations of Civil Registry Laws

The legal basis for introducing the German Civil Status Act of November 3, 1937 (German RGBI. I 803) into Austria, and the Second Regulation on the Introduction of German Civil Status Law in the Ostmark of December 23, 1938 (German RGBI. I 1919), was established. Starting January 1, 1939, the new civil registry offices took over the registration of births and deaths as well.
From 1939 to August 31, 1943, civil registry offices used a system of numeric and name-based records. The German Civil Status Act, which came into effect in Austria in 1939, remained valid into the Second Republic. On June 26, 1945, it was supplemented by Law StGBI No. 31/1945, concerning marriage, civil status, and hereditary health law. In 1945, registry offices were placed under the newly reorganized departments of the municipal administration.

1939 – A Fateful Year for the Catholics of Hall in Tirol

In 1939, even the limited organization of a Corpus Christi procession, such as the one held in Hall in Tirol, represented a clear sign of Christian unity and resistance against the Nazi regime. While the procession had traditionally moved from the Upper to the Lower Town and back, in 1939 it was only permitted by the authorities to take the shortest route. It passed through the "Langer Graben", via "Salvatorgasse" and "Ritter-Waldauf-Straße" back to the parish church of St. Nicholas. Despite these restrictions, the procession saw strong participation with numerous attendees. It is important to note that participation in such a religious event should be understood as a clear protest against the Nazi government and its repressive measures.

Clerical Leadership in Resistance

Since the Nazi takeover, individuals and groups had already begun working actively to end the Nazi regime. Particularly noteworthy were those who advocated for a free Austria and opposed the annexation into the German Reich.
From autumn 1938/39 onward, local priests and spiritual leaders took on great significance as role models for collective Catholic resistance, especially given the lack of any formal political opposition. The author emphasizes that in Hall in Tirol, there was especially fierce resistance from clergy, religious communities, and devout Catholics.

Ecclesiastical Memorandum of 1940

As early as 2 March 1940, the official Church (the Apostolic Administration of Innsbruck) issued a memorandum concerning restrictions on religious and church life. Among the points noted:
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1. Closure of Churches and Chapels
   Several chapels were shut down, including:
   – The chapel of the Episcopal boys’ seminary Paulinum in Schwaz
   – The chapel in the Leopoldinum in Hall
   – The chapel in the psychiatric and care institution in Solbad Hall (whose chaplaincy was also dissolved)
2. Dissolution of Catholic Associations
   The Gestapo disbanded all Catholic journeymen associations in Tyrol. Within the jurisdiction of the Apostolic Administration, this included the associations in Innsbruck, Hall, and other areas.

Liquidation of Catholic Associations in 1941

On 15 January 1941, the Reich Governor Franz Hofer issued a decree dissolving all Catholic associations in Tyrol. Around 2,151 Catholic communities in Tyrol and Vorarlberg were affected. Their assets were confiscated and transferred to the “Reconstruction Fund Asset Management Vienna GmbH.”
Gauleiter Hofer threatened anyone who maintained Catholic associations, guilds, or congregations with fines between 150 and 15,000 Reichsmark and/or prison sentences of at least one month. This led to severe intimidation and suppression of Catholic activities and organizations in the region.

Ban on Church Attendance by Youth

In early November 1939, Gauleiter Franz Hofer issued the following directive to district authorities, banning certain church activities:
“There have been varying interpretations regarding whether parish youth may continue their activities. It is hereby clarified that, unless the Gestapo has issued local access bans – as for example in Bregenz, Hall, and Breitenwang – parish youth may gather freely in churches for religious activities [...].”
[Tschol, The Catholic Church. General Measures of Persecution, p. 107. DAI, NS Files, Dept. 9, Transcript from the Municipality of Ried.]
This directive shows that, by the end of 1939, the State Police had already issued a ban on church access in Hall. Nevertheless, the parish youth began to show signs of resistance.

Ban on Religious Services in the Asylum Chapel

Religious services in the chapel of the psychiatric institution in Hall were also banned. The Apostolic Administration of Innsbruck reported on 19 October 1942:
“The Very Reverend Dean and City Pastor Msgr. Heinrich Heidegger (1882–1957), Solbad Hall in Tirol, submitted the following report on 19 October 1942:
On Friday, 16 October 1942, the Episcopal Parish Office of Solbad Hall received notification that, effective 17 October, all religious services in the chapel of the State Psychiatric and Care Institution in Solbad Hall were prohibited. [...] The institution has about 700 to 800 patients, of whom at least 90% are Catholic, plus 30 sisters. [...]”
[Tschol, The Catholic Church. General Measures of Persecution, p. 118. Pro Memoria of the Apostolic Administration of Innsbruck concerning the ban on religious services in the asylum chapel in Hall, 19.10.1942. DAI. XIII, 2024.]
This document illustrates the strict approach of the Nazi authorities in attempting to eliminate all religious activity. These repressive measures affected not only the local population but also the Catholic foreign workers from Eastern Europe.

Prohibition of Mass Attendance for Eastern Workers

A report dated 26 February 1943 from the Chancellor of the Apostolic Administration of Innsbruck to priests and church rectors addressed the state ban on the participation of Polish civilian workers and "Ostarbeiter" (Eastern workers) in regular religious services:
“According to regulations issued by the competent authorities, believers – especially Catholic employers – are reminded that Polish civilian workers who are designated as ‘East’ are prohibited from attending general religious services with the German population.”
This directive reveals the extreme measures taken to enforce both social and religious segregation between the German population and foreign laborers. It further demonstrates how deeply the Nazi regime controlled and restricted religious life, down to the level of church attendance.

Repression Against the Parish of Hall Under National Socialism

The extent of the harassment Catholic parishes faced under the Nazi regime is illustrated by a letter from Dean Wilhelm Reinthaler of Hall in Tyrol, addressed to the Apostolic Administration of Innsbruck on October 10, 1939. The incident in question concerned the removal of a crucifix from church-owned land by municipal workers. Reinthaler wrote:
“The park is registered as property of the parish church. It has been leased to the municipality for an annual ground rent—recognition fee—of 25 Schillings. On September 28, municipal workers simply removed the large crucifix that had been placed in the small chapel in the park as the last visible reminder of the former cemetery, and they dropped it off at the presbytery. The undersigned had received no prior notice whatsoever.”
(quoted in Tschol, Die Katholische Kirche. Allgemeine Verfolgungsmaßnahmen, p. 131; DAI, XXV, 4396 (39))
A year later, further repression followed: In December 1940, Reinthaler wrote and distributed a Christmas letter to his parish community. As a result, despite being seriously ill at the time, he was interrogated by the Gestapo—along with his assistant priests, Dr. Hermann Blassnig and Josef Lambichler, as well as three altar servers. The accusation: they had violated National Socialist regulations.
(cf. Parish Chronicle of Hall, December 1940, p. 48)
These incidents reveal how even simple pastoral acts could be interpreted as subversive, reflecting a regime that sought to suppress any form of spiritual independence.

The Case of Vinzenz Pedevilla

Vinzenz Pedevilla (1901–1943), a curate from Thaur, was repeatedly persecuted by the Nazi authorities. On October 15, 1941, he was sentenced to eight months in prison for mocking the Hitler salute. While in custody, he developed appendicitis and died from its complications on January 28, 1943.
Source: Tschol, Die Katholische Kirche. Allgemeine Verfolgungsmaßnahmen, pp. 213–214, 342. LG Innsbruck, KMs 62/41, 97/41. DAI, NS-Akten, Abt. 4.

Priest August Huter – A Fearless Preacher

Priest August Huter, the last senior chaplain of the Ritter-Waldauf Foundation in Hall, died on March 29, 1943. He had lived in Hall since 1917 and served as president of the Catholic Journeymen’s Association until it was dissolved by the Nazis. The parish chronicle describes him as a “fearless, outspoken preacher, a fiery spirit.”
Source: Parish Chronicle Hall, The Year 1943, p. 51.

Religious Education Under Surveillance

A report from catechist and curate Albert Schiemer dated December 4, 1938, provides insight into the everyday life of a religious education teacher who defied Nazi regulations and advocated for every child out of pastoral concern:
“As the case may have consequences, I want to report that I visited parents here in Hall who had deregistered their children from religious education, with the aim of persuading them to reverse their hasty decisions. On November 29, I was summoned by School Inspector Ladstätter and subjected to an interrogation, which ended with the statement: ‘This matter will certainly not go smoothly!’”
Source: Tschol, Die Katholische Kirche. Allgemeine Verfolgungsmaßnahmen, p. 186. DAI, VI, 6902 (38).

Last Rites Only With a Written Declaration

Priests in Tyrol were prohibited from administering the last rites without a written declaration of consent. This is evident from a letter sent by the Gauleiter of Tyrol to Pastor Josef Ammann in Mils near Hall on November 8, 1939:
“On March 21, 1938, you announced from the pulpit that in the hospitals of Innsbruck, Wörgl, Schwaz, Kufstein, and Hall, the administration of the last rites to the sick had become more difficult due to the requirement that patients must first submit a written declaration with their signature stating that they desire the last rites, otherwise they may not be administered. For this reason, you are considered politically compromised, and I hereby order the cessation of the voluntary state subsidy payments to you, effective September 30, 1939.”
Source: Tschol, Die Katholische Kirche. Allgemeine Verfolgungsmaßnahmen, p. 193. DAI, XVIII, 3166/4 (39).

Denunciation of Clergy in Mils near Hall

Blog Headmaster Josef Sieberer

Josef Sieberer, director of the state institute for the deaf in Mils, was denounced by local Nazi sympathizers in 1938 and subsequently lost his position. The denunciation included the statement:
“He says publicly that he will never change his convictions.”
Source: Tschol, Die Katholische Kirche. Allgemeine Verfolgungsmaßnahmen, pp. 224–225. LG Innsbruck, 10 Vr 910/46.

Repeated Arrests of Father Richard Hellrigl

Dr. med. Richard Hellrigl (1889–1973), acting parish priest, was repeatedly imprisoned — once for telling a joke and another time for allegedly interfering with kindergarten operations.
Source: Tschol, Die Katholische Kirche. Allgemeine Verfolgungsmaßnahmen, p. 337.

Further Repressions Against Church Personnel in Hall

• Ivo Zeller-Uchatius (1912–1942) was detained for one night in 1939 for holding a faith lesson with young people.
• Curate Dr. Nikolaus Pfeifauf (1910–1971) was arrested twice in 1941 — for conducting singing sessions in the church and for distributing sermons by Bishop von Galen.
  Source: Tschol, Liste der verhafteten Priester und Ordensleute, pp. 342–350.