"Josef Sieberer (1888–1961): Quiet Resistance in the Name of Conscience"

Introduction:

"It was precisely his refusal to conform that cost him his position." The case of deaf educator Josef Sieberer reveals a profound truth: In the Nazi tyranny, even insisting on Christian morality became an act of resistance. As Hannah Arendt observed after the Eichmann trial, it was the blind obedience of "cogs in the machine" that kept the Nazi apparatus running. Sieberer's story proves the opposite: Where individuals refused to comply, cracks appeared in the totalitarian structure.
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"He publicly stated he would not change his convictions – and lost his position for it." These words from a 1938 Gestapo report encapsulate the fate of Josef Sieberer: A Catholic priest and educator who refused to bow to National Socialism. Though not a political activist, his Christian values made him a target of the Nazi regime. As director of the State Institute for the Deaf in Mils bei Hall (today called the Educational Center for Hearing and Vision), he dedicated decades to supporting people with disabilities – until denunciation cost him his post. His life stands as an example of quiet but unyielding resistance.

Foto Josef Sieberer. In: "Documentation Center of the Educational Center for Hearing and Vision" 6068 Mils. 

Civil Disobedience as Christian Duty

Sieberer's stance echoes Arendt's realization: "If only everyone had been a little disobedient..." The priest from Mils never became an activist, yet his steadfast commitment to human dignity - especially toward the deaf whom Nazis stigmatized as "unworthy" - became quiet sabotage of the system. While many remained silent, Sieberer proved that even refusing to betray one's morals could constitute everyday resistance. His fate shows how the Nazi state reacted with particular harshness against "apolitical" Christians like him - because their civil disobedience undermined the regime's claim to total control.

Education and Spiritual Formation

Josef Sieberer completed his secondary education at the Vinzentinum in Brixen before entering the seminary. This thorough spiritual and humanistic education shaped his worldview and his later resistance to Nazi ideology.

Josef Sieberer: A Man of Faith and Education

Josef Sieberer was born on July 5, 1888, in Schwaz, devoting his life to the Church and pedagogy. After serving as a curate in See (Paznaun) and Landeck, he took over directorship of the Deaf-Mute Institute in Mils bei Hall (later State Institute for the Deaf) in 1918. Under his leadership, the institution flourished – until the Nazi takeover changed everything.

Fotos: Documentation Center of the Educational Center for Hearing and Vision. 6068 Mils.

Denunciation and Dismissal: A Priest in the Crosshairs of the Nazi Regime

In 1938, Sieberer was denounced by local Nazis. The accusation? His refusal to conform. A Gestapo report recorded: "He states publicly that he will not change his convictions." As a result, he was summarily dismissed via a phone call on December 31, 1938 – a brutal demonstration of political purging. His successor, Josef Jahn, was a loyal Nazi supporter who aligned the institute with regime ideology until 1945.

Return and Legacy

After the war, Sieberer returned as director in 1945, leading the institution (now called the Educational Center for Hearing and Vision) until his retirement in 1956. Despite the injustice he endured, he remained committed to his mission: supporting those with hearing and speech disabilities.
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† On June 24, 1961, Josef Sieberer died in Hall in Tirol – his funeral in Mils became a powerful testament to the community’s enduring respect for this courageous man.

Why His Story Still Matters Today

Sieberer’s life proves that resistance against oppression need not be loud. His steadfast faith and principles cost him his livelihood – yet he never wavered. Today, the Educational Center for Hearing and Vision honors his legacy of humanity in dark times.

"His legacy demands accountability: Would we have stood firm? Are we standing firm against today's discrimination?"

"Documentation Center of the Educational Center for Hearing and Vision"

newspaper article. In: Archive of the Educational Institution for Hearing and Vision, 6068 Mils.