May 31, 1938 – A Fateful Day for Tyrol: Deportations to Dachau

On May 31, 1938, numerous men from Hall in Tirol and across the federal state of Tyrol were deported by the Nazis to the Dachau concentration camp. Dr. Ernst Verdross, himself imprisoned, recorded their names and fates in his memoirs. This chapter of our history reminds us of the enduring importance of freedom and civil courage.

Registration – Dachau Entry Book
Available online via the Arolsen Archives – International Center on Nazi Persecution.
You can search the records here: https://arolsen-archives.org/en/search-explore/
In the Arolsen Online Archive, the Dachau entry registers (German: Eingangsbuch Dachau) document the arrival of prisoners at the concentration camp, including personal data such as name, date of birth, place of origin, reason for arrest, and date of admission.
To find the record:

1. Go to the link above.
   
2. Enter the name of the person in the search bar.
   
3. Filter results by “Dachau” or by document type (e.g., “entry records” or “camp records”).
   

These documents are part of the central collection of records on victims of Nazi persecution and are accessible free of charge.

May 31, 1938 – The Names of the Victims from Tyrol

On May 30, 1938, the following "protective custody prisoners" from Tyrol were taken to the Dachau concentration camp.

They were registered in the Dachau camp book either on May 31 or June 23, 1938.[¹]
Abbreviation: German Reich – D
Personal details:
Number, Date of Entry, Name, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Marital Status, Children, Religion, Nationality, Occupation, Place of Residence

14368, 31 May 1938, Buzzetti, Johann, b. 18 Dec 1907, Höflach, single, no children, Catholic, D, unskilled laborer, Innsbruck

14353, 31 May 1938, Corazza, Friedrich, b. 7 Dec 1897, Steinhaus (Tyrol), married, 4 children, Catholic, D, police lieutenant, Absam near Hall in Tyrol (missing since 1944 in Strasbourg)

14362, 31 May 1938, Egger, Josef, b. 14 Mar 1894, Landeck, married, 2 children, Catholic, D, teacher, Landeck

14370, 31 May 1938, Exenberger, Anton, b. 21 Jul 1912, Aurach, married, 1 child, Catholic, D, unskilled laborer, Kössen-Waidach

14355, 31 May 1938, Exenberger, Rudolf, b. 17 Jan 1914, Aurach, single, no children, Catholic, D, miner, Kitzbühel

14345, 31 May 1938, Glier, Richard, b. 22 Jul 1879, Mistelbach, married, 5 children, Catholic, D, prison director, Innsbruck

14351, 31 May 1938, Gostner-Obradowitsch, Erwin, b. 19 Nov 1914, Innsbruck, single, Catholic, D, cook, Hall in Tyrol

14390, 31 May 1938, Groß, Heinrich, b. 16 Nov 1911, Innsbruck, single, Jewish, D, lawyer, Innsbruck

14382, 31 May 1938, Hauswitzka, Josef, b. 20 Oct 1909, Innsbruck, single, no children, Catholic, D, police officer, Innsbruck

14369, 31 May 1938, Heidenberger, Friedrich, b. 30 Sep 1917, Landeck, single, no children, Catholic, D, clerk, Landeck

14386, 31 May 1938, Hörhager, Adolf, b. 11 Feb 1884, Ried/Zillertal, married, 2 children, Catholic, D, lawyer, Innsbruck

14379, 31 May 1938, Janesch, Lorenz, b. 1 Jun 1878, Schiefling, married, no children, Catholic, D, police inspector, Innsbruck

108991, – , Koler, Fritze (Kohler, Friedrich), b. 1 Mar 1897, registered in Buchenwald concentration camp[²]

14361, 31 May 1938, Kothbauer, Alfons, b. 31 Oct 1914, Hohenems (Vorarlberg), single, no children, Catholic, D, baker, Dornbirn (died 1992)

14384, 31 May 1938, Krabacher, Hermann, b. 13 May 1897, Tarrenz, married, 2 children, Catholic, D, employee, Innsbruck

14352, 31 May 1938, Lechner, Alois, b. 2 Aug 1893, Innsbruck, married, 3 children, Catholic, D, police lieutenant, Innsbruck

14347, 31 May 1938, Lettenbichler, Josef, b. 20 Aug 1907, Marling, married, 2 children, Catholic, D, tinsmith, Innsbruck

14378, 31 May 1938, Liebl, Alois, b. 14 Apr 1897, Andorf, married, 2 children, Catholic, D, district police inspector, Innsbruck

14363, 31 May 1938, Lunardon, Hugo, b. 2 Nov 1893, Hard, married, 2 children, Catholic, D, rural police inspector, Dornbirn (died 14 Mar 1940 in Mauthausen)

14374, 31 May 1938, Mauerberger, Johann, b. 10 Nov 1888, Sand in Taufers, married, 1 child, Catholic, D, district police inspector, Innsbruck

14389, 31 May 1938, Mörl, Anton, b. 30 Jul 1883, Brixen, single, no children, Catholic, D, political official / director of security for Tyrol, Innsbruck

14375, 31 May 1938, Mertely, Franz, b. 23 Mar 1882, Pernegg, married, 2 children, Catholic, D, district criminal inspector, Innsbruck[³]

14381, 31 May 1938, Mössmer, Johann, b. 2 Apr 1903, Bregenz, married, 3 children, Catholic, D, toolmaker, Leutasch/Seefeld

14350, 31 May 1938, Mumelter, Manfred, b. 28 Oct 1885, Bolzano, single, Catholic, D, high school principal, Innsbruck

14365, 31 May 1938, Niederkofler, Franz, b. 13 May 1884, Landeck, married, no children, Catholic, D, rural police inspector, Imst

14357, 31 May 1938, Novak, Guido, b. 6 May 1887, Vienna, married, 1 child, Catholic, D, industrial employee, Kramsach

14356, 31 May 1938, Peintner, Josef, b. 15 Sep 1894, Percha, married, 2 children, Catholic, D, teacher, Landeck

14383, 31 May 1938, Pessler, Franz, b. 13 May 1893, Linz, married, no children, Catholic, D, Dr. iur., Innsbruck

14371, 31 May 1938, Pieber, Heinrich, b. 22 Dec 1900, Vienna, married, 1 child, Catholic, D, criminal investigator, Innsbruck

14349, 31 May 1938, Pichler, Herbert, b. 11 Aug 1900, Znaim, single, Catholic, D, engineer, Hall in Tyrol

14380, 31 May 1938, Plankensteiner, Johann, b. 2 Jan 1892, Sand in Taufers, married, 2 children, Catholic, D, police inspector, Innsbruck

14387, 31 May 1938, Plitzner, Otto, b. 24 Oct 1910, Volders, single, no children, Catholic, D, druggist, Innsbruck

14367, 31 May 1938, Praxmarer, Peter-Paul, b. 22 Apr 1892, Hatting, married, 2 children, Catholic, D, retired policeman, Innsbruck

14358, 31 May 1938, Prechtl, Georg, b. 13 Mar 1895, Innsbruck, divorced, 1 child, Catholic, D, lumberjack, Kufstein

14364, 31 May 1938, Rainer, Franz, b. 10 Oct 1880, Strasbourg, married, 5 children, Catholic, D, pensioner, Innsbruck

14376, 31 May 1938, Rieger, Josef, b. 11 Aug 1879, Schladming, married, 2 children, Catholic, D, retired police inspector, Innsbruck

14372, 31 May 1938, Ringer, Johann, b. 6 Nov 1887, St. Willibald, 7 children, Catholic, D, district police inspector, Innsbruck

14373, 31 May 1938, Salchner, Raimund, b. 31 Jan 1903, Mieders, married, 2 children, Catholic, D, senior police captain, Innsbruck

14360, 31 May 1938, Sappl, Thomas, b. 12 Dec 1894, Kufstein, married, 2 children, Catholic, D, senior teacher, Kufstein

14366, 31 May 1938, Schaffel, Otto, b. 18 Nov 1898, Innsbruck, single, Catholic, D, Tyrolean civil servant, Kitzbühel

14359, 31 May 1938, Schelling, Georg, b. 26 Sep 1906, Buch near Bregenz, single, no children, Catholic, D, priest/chaplain, Bregenz

14346, 31 May 1938, Stratman, Ludwig, b. 31 Oct 1903, Verl, single, Catholic, D, student and journalist, Innsbruck

14388, 31 May 1938, Strele, Otto, b. 15 Feb 1909, Innsbruck, divorced, 2 children, Catholic, D, unskilled laborer, Innsbruck

14354, 31 May 1938, Verdross, Ernst, b. 3 Feb 1892, Innsbruck, married, 3 children, Catholic, D, municipal official, Hall in Tyrol

14348, 31 May 1938, Weixler, Alois, b. 23 Jan 1892, Maribor, married, 2 children, Protestant, D, senior railway auditor, Innsbruck

14385, 31 May 1938, Wendl, Franz, b. 2 Apr 1884, Innsbruck, married, 2 children, Catholic, D, railway official, Innsbruck

Confirmed deceased:
Richard Glier
Adolf Hörhager
Alois Lechner
Hugo Lunardon
Franz Mertely


Sources:
¹ Arolsen Archives. Dachau Concentration Camp Inmate Register. Online: Link (accessed 1 March 2025)
² Arolsen Archives. Buchenwald Inmate Register. Online: Link (accessed 1 March 2025)
³ Arolsen Archives. Dachau Concentration Camp Entry. DocID: 10707544 (Franz MERTELY) (accessed 1 March 2025). Interned from 31 May 1938 to 13 March 1939 in Dachau.

Foto: KZ-Dachau (3. Mai 1945). Die freie Enzyklopädie Wikipedia. Online unter, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Prisoner%27s_barracks_dachau.jpg, (Stand: 28.5.2025)

Analysis of the Transport to Dachau Concentration Camp on 31 May 1938

Occupational Backgrounds:
The deportees came from a wide range of professional fields. Particularly striking is the high number of police officers (13), along with administrative employees and legal professionals (6), teachers (3), and skilled or unskilled workers and craftsmen (10). Among the victims were also clergy members, a student, a druggist, and a journalist. This diversity reflects how the National Socialist regime targeted not only political opponents but also individuals from various social and professional strata.
Age Distribution:
The age of the deportees ranged from 21 (Friedrich Heidenberger) to 60 years (Franz Rieger and Franz Rainer). Most of the prisoners were between 40 and 50 years old – considered the prime working age – and many had family responsibilities. This suggests a deliberate attempt by the regime to weaken established social structures and intimidate the broader population.
Religious Affiliation:
The majority of those deported were Roman Catholic (45). One was of Protestant faith, and one was Jewish. This distribution not only reflects the denominational makeup of the region but also highlights the ideological breadth of Nazi persecution.

Memorial Statement

On 31 May 1938, 44 men from Tyrol were deported to the Dachau concentration camp. They came from various social backgrounds and professions: police officers, legal professionals, teachers, craftsmen, laborers, and members of the clergy. What united them was political persecution by the Nazi regime, which had begun only shortly after the so-called "Anschluss"—Austria's annexation into the German Reich.

Among those deported were Richard Glier, Adolf Hörhager, Alois Lechner, Hugo Lunardon, and Franz Mertely. They did not survive their imprisonment. They perished as a result of the inhumane conditions in the camp or fell victim to systematic terror. Their fates stand as symbols for the thousands who were murdered in concentration camps—whether for their resistance or simply under suspicion of dissent.

We remember this transport as one of the earliest examples of the targeted persecution of political opponents and free thinkers in Tyrol. Many of these men had served in public office or law enforcement and were removed from their positions because they did not align with the new regime. Their suffering and deaths remind us not to tolerate injustice and to stand up for a society rooted in justice and human dignity.
To remember means to learn from history—and to ensure that such crimes never happen again.