Resistance of St. Georgs Scouts (Hall in Tyrol)

A Family in the Resistance: The St. George Scouts — Leader Johann Schuster (1885–1954), His Wife Maria Schuster (1877–1942), and Their Daughter Waltraud/Traudl Schuster (b. 1920)

Maria and Traudl Schuster – Two Women with Civil Courage

The story of Maria and Traudl Schuster is an impressive example of civil courage in resistance against the Nazi regime. Despite the forced dissolution of Catholic associations in Hall and the transformation of the scout hall into a Hitler Youth home, both women continued to work for the scout movement and resistance. Their courageous actions, such as Traudl Schuster’s firm refusal to join the BDM and the secret meetings of the scouts, are a powerful testament to their commitment to values like freedom and faith, even during the darkest times of National Socialism.

Catholic Scout Resistance in Hall during the Nazi Regime

When the Nazis came to power, all existing Catholic associations in Hall were dissolved. In March 1938, the St. George’s Scout Association in Hall, led by Hans and Maria Schuster, was also affected by the ban. The Scout home at Schmiedgasse 24 was subsequently repurposed as a Hitler Youth (HJ) center for the Nazi organization.
Nevertheless, the Scout groups continued to meet in secret even after their official dissolution, forming a quiet opposition to the ruling Nazi regime. In the summer of 1938, Maria Schuster took her Cub Scouts—boys aged seven to eleven—on a summer camp. Hans, Maria, and Traudl Schuster continued their work with the Scout youth. Surviving photographs from a tent camp in 1940 provide evidence of their continued activities.

​🇬🇧 Civil Courage of a Young Woman: Traudl Schuster and the St. George Scouts

According to town chronicler Prof. Dr. Franz Egger, Traudl Schuster bravely stood up to local Nazi Party leader Kreisleiter Primbs during a youth assembly on May 5, 1939, at the Milserheide. Young people who were not part of the Nazi organizations were separated and pressured by Primbs to join the Hitler Youth (HJ) or the League of German Girls (BDM).
That day, Traudl wore a large cross around her neck — a visible sign of her Christian faith. Kreisleiter Primbs demanded she remove it. She refused immediately. He then urged her to join the BDM, but she stood her ground and declined.
To protect their daughter from further reprisals, her parents Johann and Maria Schuster arranged for her to attend a music school in Regensburg, allowing her to leave Solbad Hall.
Maria Schuster passed away in 1942. After the end of the war, Johann Schuster resumed youth work with the St. George Scouts in Hall — a sign of new beginnings and the continued commitment of this courageous family.
After the war, Traudl Schuster chose a religious path and entered a missionary order. She spent many years working as a missionary sister in South America.

Photografs: St. Georgs Scout in Hall in Tirol. In: private archives St. Georg`s Scout Hall in Tirol.