Dr. Paskal (Fritz) Plaseller OFM (1909 – 1974)

A Life Marked by Conviction and Sacrifice

Dr. Paskal Plaseller, born Fritz Plaseller on November 21, 1909, in Hall in Tirol, led a life profoundly shaped by his deep convictions, which guided him from the classroom to the resistance and, ultimately, into the Franciscan Order. His story is one of intellectual pursuit, courageous opposition to National Socialism, and a spiritual calling forged in the crucible of persecution.

Photo Held in: Helmut Wopfner, Dr. phil. Plaseller OFM P. Paskal (Fritz), in: Helmut Wopfner (ed.), Unsere Sternkorona Hall in Tirol. Mitgliederverzeichnis 1888 – 1998, Thaur 1998, p. 125.

Early Life and the Seeds of Resistance

Plaseller's formative years were spent at the Franziskanergymnasium in Hall, where he also joined the "Sternkorona" student association in 1925—an early sign of his commitment to community and ideals. He pursued his academic passions, studying History and Geography at the University of Innsbruck, where he earned his doctorate (Dr. phil.) with a thesis on "Die Tirolische Innschifffahrt" (Tirolian Inn River Shipping). After passing his teaching certification, he embarked on his chosen career as an educator in Innsbruck and Kufstein. However, his life was irrevocably altered following the Anschluss in 1938. Due to his leadership role in the "Ostmärkische Sturmscharen"—a Catholic-conservative paramilitary organization opposed to the Nazi regime—he was immediately dismissed from his teaching post.

Persecution, Imprisonment, and a Spiritual Transformation

The Nazi regime's persecution began swiftly. On June 5, 1938, the Gestapo arrested him in Kufstein, and he was subsequently imprisoned in the Innsbruck Landesgericht. This harrowing experience of incarceration left deep psychological scars and became a pivotal moment in his life. The trauma led him to make a profound personal sacrifice: he dissolved his engagement and turned away from his planned future to answer a higher calling. On August 24, 1938, he was received as a novice by the Franciscans in Telfs, taking the religious name "Paskal."

War, Ordination, and a Return to His Roots

His path to the priesthood was brutally interrupted by World War II. Drafted into the Wehrmacht, he spent five long years on the front lines, enduring the horrors of war. After miraculously returning home, he finally completed his theological studies, was ordained a priest, and returned to the very place his journey began: the Franziskanergymnasium in Hall. There, he served as a Gymnasialprofessor, dedicating his life to educating young minds, just as he had intended before the darkness of Nazism had intervened. In recognition of his integrity and life's journey, he was appointed an honorary member of the Catholic student association "Austria" in 1954.

​Father Paskal Plaseller passed away in 1974, leaving behind a legacy of resilience. His life stands as a powerful testament to the strength of faith and principle in the face of overwhelming tyranny, a story that moves from academic halls, through Gestapo cells and battlefields, to finally find peace at the altar and the teacher's desk.