Georg (Michael) Mayr OSB

Michael Mayr graduated from Seitenstetten Abbey Grammar School in 1922 and initially studied at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna, where he joined the Pflug student fraternity in 1923. He then entered Seitenstetten Abbey, was given the religious name Georg, made his temporary profession in 1924 and was ordained a priest in 1928 after completing his theological studies in Salzburg. After various positions as a cooperator, he was assigned the parish of St. Michael am Bruckbach in May 1938.

He was arrested for criticizing the war on the grounds of denunciation and imprisoned in Stein an der Donau prison. At his trial on April 15, 1944, he was charged with subversion of military power.

From the verdict of the Vienna Higher Regional Court: "[...] a lengthy political argument then ensued between the accused and Mrs. Rankewitz [his denouncer - an evacuee from the (old) Reich], in the course of which the accused stated, among other things, that the Austrian population was 100% against Hitler, that only some Nazis were in favour of the Anschluss. The German troops had not been called in 1938 by the Austrian people, but by 'Shit Inquart' [Seyß-Inquart], who had betrayed Chancellor Schuschnigg [...]. The defendant also made a 'joke' by asking what that was, that it was running around naked and eating grass, and then explained that we were in the fourth year of the war. Finally, the accused said that we could not win the war. [

Georg Mayr narrowly escaped the gruesome mass shooting by the SS on May 15, 1945.

After the liberation of Austria, he returned to his parish. His early death can probably be attributed to his failing health as a result of his imprisonment.

The professorial book says of him: "Fr. Georg Mayr was an ambivalent character: on the one hand, he was a deeply religious man whose sermons went straight to the heart of his parishioners and were gladly followed [...] on the other hand, he had a temperament that was difficult to control [...]"