The House of the Good Shepherd in Hall in Tyrol (1938 - 1945

Photo Held in: private collection K. Walder Hall in Tyrol.

The history of the Refuge Convent "Haus zum Guten Hirten" in Hall in Tirol is a profound narrative of Christian charity, education, and mercy, brutally interrupted by the darkest chapter of the 20th century. Founded as a safe haven for society's most vulnerable, this institution became a target of systematic persecution, ideological dismantling, and profound human suffering during the National Socialist era from 1938 to 1945.

A Beacon of Hope: Foundation and Purpose

Built between 1863 and 1865 as the "Refuge House of St. Vincent de Paul," the institution was established on the principles of compassion and second chances. Its original mission was to provide shelter, education, and spiritual guidance to girls and young women who had come into conflict with the law. After serving their sentences, these young individuals found not just accommodation but a comprehensive path to rehabilitation. They received vocational training and pastoral care, aiming for their successful reintegration into society and a meaningful future. The convent stood as a powerful testament to faith in action.
Over the decades, this mission expanded and evolved to meet community needs, transforming the convent into a multifaceted educational and social center:

• A children's home offered safety and care.
• A girls' boarding school with a attached private elementary and secondary school (Volks- und Hauptschule) provided a strong, value-based education.
• An industrial school (domestic science) and a commercial school (Handelsschule) equipped students with practical skills for independent professional lives.

This immense workload was shouldered by the dedicated Sisters of Mercy of Zams (Barmherzige Schwestern von Zams), who were the very heart and soul of the institution.

The Storm Breaks: Nazi Seizure of Power in 1938

The "Anschluss"—the annexation of Austria into the Nazi German Reich in March 1938—marked the beginning of the systematic destruction of this Christian community. The National Socialist ideology, which espoused a godless cult of the leader and utter contempt for religious institutions, immediately targeted the "Haus zum Guten Hirten."
As early as July 1938, a mere few months after the takeover, the convent's schools were stripped of their public status (Öffentlichkeitsrecht). This was not a simple bureaucratic procedure but a deliberate strategic blow intended to isolate the institution, devalue its education, and destroy its financial viability. Without this status, the school-leaving certificates became worthless, making long-term operation impossible.
The true tragedy, however, befell the people who formed the core of the house. Still in 1938, eleven teaching sisters were ruthlessly dismissed from their lifelong vocation:

• Five teaching sisters of the Sisters of Mercy from Zams, who worked at the private secondary school.
• Six teaching sisters from the commercial school.

The Nazis' justification was cynical and revealing: the sisters were accused of being “incapable of educating children in the spirit of National Socialism.” In truth, they were unwilling to do so. Their educational philosophy was rooted in Christian values—love thy neighbour, compassion, and charity—the exact antithesis of the Nazi ideology of racial hatred, brutality, and blind obedience.

Victims of Terror: Disenfranchisement, Forced Labour, and Arrest

The dismissed sisters were not simply pensioned off. They became victims of state oppression and forced labour. To break their spirit and exploit their labour, they were compelled to work in hospitals, nursing homes for the elderly, and military infirmaries (Lazaretten). Their freely chosen vocation in service of education was stripped away and replaced with state-mandated drudgery.
Another victim of the regime was Father Epiphan Redhammer (1889-1950), a Franciscan priest who served as the chaplain (Kaplan) at the refuge convent. He provided courageous spiritual support to the sisters during this terrifying time. His steadfast commitment to his faith and his community made him an enemy of the state. On 4 November 1940, he was arrested and subsequently issued a "Gauverweis"—an order of banishment from the Tyrol region. This punishment, exiling him from his home and his pastoral community, was a severe act of humiliation designed to break the spiritual backbone of the convent.

A Legacy of Silent Resistance

The story of the "Haus zum Guten Hirten" between 1938 and 1945 is not one of dramatic sabotage or political conspiracy. It is a history of quiet, steadfast resistance of conscience. Their resistance was expressed by refusing to relinquish their convictions. It was the act of holding fast to human dignity, in silent prayer, and in the unwavering refusal to bow to the inhuman ideology of National Socialism.
The sisters and their chaplain paid a high price for this moral stand: they lost their professions, their freedom, and their home. The convent itself lost its purpose and was institutionally dismantled.
Today, it is crucial to remember this chapter. It serves as a solemn memorial reminding us how fragile civilized and Christian values can be, and with what brutality they can be crushed by totalitarian regimes. The fate of the dismissed and persecuted sisters and the banished Father Epiphan Redhammer stands for the countless faithful who suffered under Nazi rule. Their legacy obliges us to remain vigilant and to uphold and defend the very values of mercy, education, and charity for which they so bravely stood.

Destruction, Reconstruction, and Personal Fates

The horrors of the Second World War struck the town of Hall with full force. The devastating aerial bombings, particularly the attack on February 16, 1945, claimed the lives of 71 people and laid waste to large parts of the city, especially the area around the train station. The "Haus zum Guten Hirten" (House of the Good Shepherd) was also severely hit. During this attack, 24 residents lost their lives: 22 religious sisters and 2 patients.

Photographs held in: ​Motherhouse Archive of the Sisters of Mercy of St. Vincent de Paul in Zams, Tyrol:

After the war, the convent was painstakingly rebuilt and its purpose redefined. Instead of an educational institution, the "Haus zum Guten Hirten" was reopened as a residential and care home for the elderly, a mission that continues the house's charitable tradition to this day.

Photo (2025) The house of the good shepherd. Held in: private collection K. Walder Hall in Tyrol.

Sister Erharda Hendlmeier (1874-1954) and Sister Ezechiela (Elisabeth) Endrass (1877-1974) ​

The Nazi era also claimed personal victims among the sisters who courageously performed their duties. Two fates stand as exemplary of the resistance and suffering:

• Sister Erharda Hendlmeier, the director of the secondary and commercial school, was arrested by the Gestapo and held for approximately 14 days in the prison at the Hotel Sonne in Innsbruck. (Blog 93)
• Sister Ezechiela Endrass, the mother superior of the convent, was arrested in July 1941. She was sentenced by the Nazi Special Court (Sondergericht) in Innsbruck to six months' imprisonment on the pretext of "violations against the War Economy Regulations" (Verbrauchsregelungsstrafverordnung). She spent over five months in custody. (Blog 94)