Memorial Plaque for Jakob Gapp

The 1897-born Jakob Gapp, who was born in Wattens, Tyrol, was appointed to the Marianist Institute in Graz in 1925 as part of his work with the Marianists – a Catholic religious community. Early on, he became engaged with the emerging National Socialism and came to the firm conviction that the principles of this ideology were incompatible with the teachings of the Catholic Church. Gapp returned to Tyrol after the Nazi seizure of power, where he worked as a chaplain and taught religion. Due to his public criticism of National Socialism in his sermons, he was forced to leave the country. His flight led him through Italy and France to Spain, where he continued to engage against National Socialism. In November 1942, German agents abducted Jakob Gapp through deceit into occupied France. He was arrested there and brought to Berlin. In 1943, Jakob Gapp was sentenced to death for "high treason" and "aiding the enemy" and executed in Berlin-Plötzensee.