Hans Spitzer

Hans Spitzer graduated from the High School and the Knaben Seminar in Hollabrunn and began studying theology in Vienna after the Matura. On 11 August 1920 he is the founder of the middle school association Herulia Wolkersdorf. At the beginning of the winter semester 1920/21 he becomes a member of the student association Kurnberg Vienna. In 1924 he is consecrated to the priest and then acts as a co-operator in Groß-Engersdorf, Unteraspang and Ernstbrunn, then as a Kaplan in Vienna-Lainz from March 1929. Here he is at the side of the ever-growing pastor Anton Schrefel (1882–1945) and then has to gradually take over the management of the parish. From September 1930, Hans Spitzer also teaches religion at the primary school Steinlechnergasse. In the meantime, he helps his parents in Hautzendorf in agriculture.

Here, after the occupation of Austria by the Third Reich, Hans Spitzer experiences the fate of the expulsion of the Jewish family Edelhofer, with whom he is personally known. The massive persecution of Jews does not leave him inactive. His open rejection of National Socialism will be to him by the NS local group in Hautzendorf with the assessment of the 23rd December 1941 certified in the Gauakt.

The mayor threatens to make Hans Spitzer “a head shorter” because of his Jewish friendliness. Hans Spitzer is said to have answered this by holding him a vineyard knife: “Yes, start with it!”

At the beginning of the mass deportations hidden in the extermination camp in the East of 1941, Hans Spitzer provides Jewish fellow citizens in the parish of Lainz with the support of his relationship at home as well as inaugurated Lainz traders, some parish priests and his federal brothers.in a room hidden behind a box“ according to his aunt and housekeeper Theresia Gotthard († 1970). There is certainly another hiding place, and the number of cigarettes is "around twenty“, according to Mrs Gotthard, to be regarded as too small. In addition to various consecrated parishioners who, among other things, obtain fake travel documents, but also enough food, his most important helper in these actions is his federal brother Dr. med. Friedrich Schweitzer, who lost his position as a doctor at the Lainzer Hospital after the follow-up. Although Hans Spitzer's juvenile-friendly attitude is well known and he is supervised by the Gestapo, it cannot be demonstrated by stressing what had happened to his conviction. Thus, the Jews hidden by him also remain in custody of the deception and deportation into the concentration camp. Most rescue operations probably took place between 1942 and 1944. Because there is silence and no records have been made for safety reasons, reliable data is missing.

On January 14, 1945, a sudden heart attack put an abrupt end to his restless and helpful work. The requiem in the Lainz parish church was also attended by Theodor Cardinal Innitzer. The fact that Hans Spitzer's courageous actions have not been completely forgotten is demonstrated by the memorial plaque that was unveiled at the old Lainzer vicarage in Vienna-Hietzing in May 2008.