Dr. Franz Kolb

After graduating from the Vinzentinum Episcopal Grammar School in Brixen in 1905, Franz Kolb entered the local seminary and began studying theology. After his ordination to the priesthood in 1909, he initially worked as a co-operator in various parishes before taking up his studies in history, geography and natural sciences in Innsbruck in 1913, where he was accepted into the student fraternity Tirolia. He interrupted his studies due to the war because he was deployed as a field curate and divisional pastor in the Pustertal section until 1919. From 1921 to 1923, he worked as a grammar school professor at the Vinzentinum in Brixen until he was expelled from South Tyrol by the fascist authorities due to his strong "Tyrolean" sentiments. He then worked as the rector of Sieber'sche Waisenhaus in Innsbruck and was active as a religion teacher and president of the Tyrolean Catholic workers' associations.

In 1927-1934, he was elected as a member of the National Council, where he was responsible for social policy, and was a member of the Federal Cultural Council from 1934-1938. From November 1926, Franz Kolb was chairman of the Tyrolean Labor Federation and temporarily also chairman of the Tyrolean People's Party. He is always a tireless campaigner for the unity of Tyrol. In 1936, he became director of the teacher training college [LBA] in Innsbruck.

He was dismissed from the teaching profession after the Anschluss due to his rejection of National Socialism. In connection with the Bürgerbräukeller assassination attempt on Hitler, he was imprisoned in Innsbruck from November 10, 1939 to December 9, 1939. After the dissolution of the monastery, he tried to save the "Maria Waldraster" picture of grace from being confiscated by the National Socialists and hid it in his parish. He was arrested and imprisoned again from April 19, 1941 to May 1, 1941 for allegedly stealing the picture of grace. From 1939-1941, he taught as a professor of church history at the seminary in Volders and in St. Michael in Matrei, before becoming a parish priest in Obernberg south of Innsbruck until 1945.

After the war, he worked again as a religion teacher in Innsbruck and as a provincial curate of the Tyrolean Rifle Association until 1950.