Introduction: The Courageous Youth Resistance in Hall, Tyrol

In 1938, the upper sacristy of St. Nicholas Parish Church in Hall, Tyrol, became the secret meeting place of one of the first Catholic resistance groups against the Nazis. Led by brave young men like Dr. Walter Krajnc, the Zwetkoff brothers (Peter and Michael), Martin Berger, and Dr. Matthias Pahle, this circle stood firm against oppression under the defiant motto: "Trotz Verbot nicht tot!" ("Despite the ban, not dead!").
Betrayed in March 1939, they were arrested by the Gestapo, interrogated, and brutalized—yet their resolve only grew. Even as older members were conscripted into the Wehrmacht, younger recruits like Otto Grünmandl and Franz Niederwolfsgruber carried on the fight.
This is the story of faith, resistance, and unbroken spirit in the face of tyranny. Join us as we honor their legacy.
(Read more about the Zwetkoff brothers and their comrades in the full article.)

The upper sacristy of St. Nicholas Parish Church in Hall in Tyrol. Photograph in: private archive K. Walder Hall in Tyrol.

The Upper Sacristy of St. Nicholas Parish Church in Hall in Tyrol as a Resistance Hub (1938)

In 1938, the upper sacristy of St. Nicholas Parish Church in Hall in Tyrol served as the meeting point for the first resistance group against the Nazis, led by young Catholics including Dr. Walter Krajnc (1916–1944), Peter (1925–2012) and Michael Zwetkoff (1923–2002), Martin Berger (1885–1953), and Dr. Matthias Pahle (1905–1953).
On the night of March 23–24, 1939, the group was denounced, arrested by the Gestapo, interrogated, and mistreated. The young people, who gathered in the upper sacristy of the parish church, had a clear motto: "Despite the ban, not dead!" Among them was catechist Ivo Zeller-Uchatius (1912–1942), who supported the group and stood with them in their convictions.
The arrests and restrictions only strengthened the youths' resolve to fight the Nazi regime. More young people joined the group, including Otto Vogth (geb. 1923/24- ?), Otto Grünmandl (1924–2000), Ernst Corazza, and Franz Niederwolfsgruber (1928–2012).
In 1939, the older members of the resistance circle—such as Dr. Walter Krajnc and Dr. Matthias Pahle—were conscripted into the Wehrmacht and could no longer actively participate in the resistance in Solbad Hall. However, the younger members, including Michael and Peter Zwetkoff, continued the resistance group and worked tirelessly to oppose National Socialism.

Franz Niederwolfsgruber (1928-2012)

Foto Franz Niederwolfsgruber. In: Privatarchiv Monika Niederwolfsgruber Innsbruck.

The Arrest of Franz Niederwolfsgruber: A 13-Year-Old’s Defiance Against the Nazis (1941)

In 1941, 13-year-old Franz Niederwolfsgruber was taken out of school by a Gestapo officer in an SS uniform and interrogated for several hours. He was known as the "Black One" ("Schwarzer") because he was the only student in his class who refused to wear the Hitler Youth (HJ) uniform and did not participate in its activities. Every morning before school, he served as an altar boy at 6:00 AM in the parish church.

After Mass, the cooperators Dr. Hermann Blassnig (1911–1985)  and Dr. Nikolaus Pfeifauf (1910 –1971) warned him that a Gestapo officer would come to pick him up from school that morning. The reason for his interrogation was his alleged involvement in distributing anti-Nazi pamphlets by Bishop Clemens August Graf von Galen, which denounced the regime’s euthanasia program. The Gestapo had identified Franz after a resident of Heiligkreuz reported seeing the young boy delivering these forbidden leaflets.
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As a result of his arrest, Franz was expelled from his secondary school and later conscripted into the Heimatflak (home defense anti-aircraft unit) in Innsbruck. By February 1945, at just 17 years old, he joined the resistance movement led by Anton Haller in Solbad Hall, continuing his fight against Nazi oppression.

Bishop Clemens August Graf von Galen (1878–1946) and His Connection to the Tyrolean Resistance

1. Distribution of Galen’s Sermons in Tyrol

• Galen’s three famous sermons (July–August 1941) against Nazi euthanasia were secretly distributed across Nazi Germany—including within Austrian Catholic resistance circles, likely even in Tyrol.
• The case of Franz Niederwolfsgruber (1941) confirms that such texts circulated in Hall. Possible distribution routes:
  • Through contacts with oppositional priests (e.g., from the Diocese of Münster or Innsbruck).
  • Via networks like the "Sternkorona" (a Catholic youth group in Hall in Tyrol, which aligned with Galen’s ideals).

2. Church Resistance in Tyrol

• Tyrolean clergy such as Curate Dr. Hermann Blassnig (who warned Niederwolfsgruber) and Ivo Zeller-Uchatius (died in 1942) were linked to anti-regime circles. However, no direct contact with Galen has been documented.
• The Bishops of Innsbruck (e.g., Paulus Rusch) avoided public confrontation with the Nazis but quietly supported resistance efforts.

3. Current Research Status

• The Documentation Centre of Austrian Resistance (DÖW) sources (e.g., Tscholl 1984) cite no direct correspondence between Galen and the Hall group.

Conclusion:

While Galen operated primarily in Northern Germany, his writings reached Tyrol through Catholic networks. The mention of his texts in Niederwolfsgruber’s case proves their underground circulation.