Heinrich Fritz

Heinrich Fritz was born in Wald im Pitztal as the son of the teacher of the same name, Heinrich Fritz, and his wife Maria, née Schwarz. After elementary school, he attended the Franciscan grammar school in Hall in Tyrol and joined the secondary school fraternity Sternkorona Hall in 1921. After graduating from high school, he entered the seminary, completed his theological studies in Innsbruck and was ordained a priest on June 29, 1928.

He then worked as a cooperator (chaplain) in Fliess, Mieming, Zams and Silz. In Silz, he also witnessed the invasion of Austria by the German Wehrmacht in March 1938. On May 1, 1938, he finally became parish vicar in Bichlbach.

In Bichlbach, he attracted attention due to sermons critical of the Nazis and was monitored by the Gestapo. In 1942 or 1943, he was imprisoned in Reutte for about a week.

On September 15, 1943, he became a pastor in Götzens. It is likely that the one-week detention took place in 1943 and that he was subsequently transferred to another parish. As parish priest of Götzens, he witnessed the liberation of Austria in May 1945.

In 1950, he became parish priest of Gschnitz, in 1956 provisional parish priest of Ranggen, in 1957 of Grinzens and finally in 1960 parish priest of Mötz.

He died there on November 5, 1968 and was buried in the home cemetery in Wald/Pitztal.