Anton Burger

Anton Burger is born in Großrust in Lower Austria as the illegitimate son of the farmer Franz Burger and the maid Cäcilia Prischink. Franz Burger recognizes his son at birth, which is why he bears his surname from birth. Two years later, his parents marry. After attending school in Obritzberg, he transferred to the Stiftsgymnasium in Melk at the age of 13, where he graduated in 1921. He then entered the seminary in St. Pölten.

A staunch opponent of National Socialism, he joined the Patriotic Front in 1934. He was finally ordained a priest on June 29, 1936 and became a cooperator (chaplain) in Emmersdort and Weitra.

In Weitra, he witnessed the downfall of a free and independent Austria when the German Wehrmacht invaded on March 12, 1938. In July and August 1938, he briefly worked as a provisional minister in Altenmarkt before taking up a chaplaincy in Steinakirchen am Forst on September 1, 1938.

On April 25, 1939, Anton Burger is arrested and sentenced to 10 months in prison by a special court on February 15, 1940 for 'homophobia'.

In a second trial before the special court, Anton Burger was sentenced to a further eight months in prison on April 25, 1940.

After completing his prison sentence, however, Anton Burger was not released but deported to the Dachau concentration camp on February 7, 1941. He remained there throughout the war and was liberated by soldiers of the 7th US Army on April 29, 1945.

After the war, he became chaplain in Raabs and Stein before becoming parish priest of Weissenkirchen in der Wachau in 1952. He held this position until he retired. He joins the newly founded Austrian People's Party (ÖVP). He was also involved in the ÖVP-Kameradschaft der politisch Verfolgten und Bekenner für Österreich.

Anton Burger died at the age of 70 in St. Plöten.