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Pax Christi bring students together to reflect on life of Franz Jaegerstaetter


Franz refused to serve in Hitler's army

Franz refused to serve in Hitler's army

Sixty students from Trinity School, Leamington Spa, Sacred Heart School Hammersmith and Douay Martyrs School, Ickenham came together on 18 October for a study morning on the remarkable life and witness of Blessed Franz Jaegerstaetter. This year marks the 70 anniversary of Franz's execution in Berlin in 1943 for refusing to serve in Hitler's army. The day was led by the Pax Christi team and guest speaker from Austria, Severin Renoldner a theologian, former Vice-President of Pax Christi Austria and expert on the life of Franz and of Austria during the time of national socialism.

Students participated in an activity that helped them explore how a variety of factors might have influenced Franz's decision of non-coperation with an unjust system and heard Severin speak of the pressures that would have been on ordinary Austrian people in the 1930/40s to conform and support the Nazis regime and occupation. Franz, a devout Catholic who received little support from the Catholic Church at that time, came to a clear decision of conscience based on his readings of the Gospel - that he could not conform and that he would sacrifice his life for his choice.

Severin invited the young people to reflect on issues for today where we too may have to 'take sides' , choose good over evil. He sited the issue of refugees and migrants and their treatment in Europe today which is resulting in hundreds of deaths every month. Or the willingness of countries like the UK to go to war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Our life today, he said, is based on serious questions and we need to be prepared to take decisons and make hard choices.

Asked what they would take away from the day students wrote: "Whatever happens, stand up for what you believe". "If you think something is wrong and your friend's don't, you should not change." "The incredible bravery of Franz to stay firm to his convictions."

A second gathering took place that evening for a further time of reflection and celebration where Severin was able to go more deeply into the political and social context of Austria at the time and the implications of this for Franz's decision. They were joined by Bishop Kevin Dowling, co-president of Pax Christi International who was in London at the invitation of Missio.

Franz was beatified in October 2007 in the Cathedral of Linz, Austria.

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