Honorius (Heinrich) Hohlbrugger OFM

Heinrich Hohlbrugger was born on November 1, 1904 in the then still independent village of Hötting near Innsbruck. He joined the Franciscan order in 1922 and was given the religious name Honorius. After studying theology, he was ordained a priest in 1929 and subsequently took on pastoral duties in the monasteries of Telfs, Pupping and Hall/Tyrol.

In his sermon on December 10, 1939 in Hippach, he spoke of the upbringing of today's youth into Satan's children and of the attempt to tear religion from the hearts of children. In ten years' time, this would lead to churches being closed and Satanic signs being put up instead of crosses. He was then arrested and sentenced to six months in prison for "pulpit abuse" under the "Heimtückegesetz". The Innsbruck Regional Court's verdict states, among other things, that it remains to be seen whether the expression of the Satanic sign is to be understood as the symbols of the Nazi movement (swastikas!). He spent 1939/40 in Gnadenwald/Tyrol.