Dr. Leopold Kollmann

Leopold Kollmann began studying classical philology at the Karl-Franzens University after graduating with distinction from the Akademisches Gymnasium in Graz. Just twelve days after graduating from high school, he was accepted into the Babenberg Graz student fraternity in 1934. In addition to his studies, he was secretary of the Styrian Trade Association until 1938.

After the Anschluss, he was dismissed for political reasons and prevented from studying. He becomes a farm worker on his mother's property in Stainz. On February 29, 1940, he is arrested and sentenced to five years in prison for "insidious attacks on the state and the party", in particular for repeatedly saying that "he (Hitler) will bring us war, and we will lose this war". Leopold Kollmann is sent to the Karlau prison to serve his sentence. On June 29, 1943, after serving two-thirds of his sentence, he is released to serve probation at the front in a penal company in Sigmaringen. He was then deployed to the Balkans, where he was taken prisoner on April 20, 1945, from which he only escaped in May 1946.