B FRANZ JAEGERSTAETTER (1907-1943)

 Born in St. Radegund in Upper Austria, Franz lost his father during World War I. As a young man, he loved to ride his motorcycle and was the natural leader of a gang whose members 

    were arrested in 1934 for brawling. For three years, he worked in the mines in another city and then returned toSt. Radegund, where he became a farmer, married Franziska and lived 

    his faith with intense conviction. In 1938, he publicly opposed the German Anschluss, annexation, of Austria. The next year, he was drafted into the Austrian army, 

    trained for seven months and then received a deferment. In 1940, Franz was called up again but allowed to return home at the request of the town’s mayor. He was in active service 

    between October 1940 and April 1941, but was again deferred. His pastor, other priests, and the bishop of Linz urged him not to refuse to serve if drafted. 

    In February 1943, Franz was called up again and reported to army officials in Enns, Austria. When he refused to take the oath of loyalty to Hitler, 

    he was imprisoned in Linz. Later he volunteered to serve in the medical corps but was not assigned there. On August 8, 1943, 

    Franz wrote to his wife and was beheaded and cremated the following day. He was beatified in Linz in 2007.





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