Georg (Kierwein) Kierein

Georg Kierein [also known as Kierwein] was born in Pamhagen in Burgenland. After finishing school, he becomes a farmer and marries Katharina Klein, also from Pamhagen, in 1921. They had six children together. The Kierein farming family was neither politically active nor otherwise conspicuous during the interwar period.

After the occupation of Austria by the Third Reich in March 1938, Georg Kierein was arrested by the Gestapo on the morning of June 15, 1938 without giving any reason. He was deported to Dachau concentration camp on June 25, 1938 without any further preliminary investigation or court ruling. We can only speculate about the reasons for his arrest and deportation to the concentration camp. According to the Dachau concentration camp documents, he was cathegorized as 'Assozialer - AZR (Arbeitszwang-Reich)'. The reason for this categorization is incomprehensible, especially since he ran an intact farm. It can be assumed that Georg Kierein fell into the clutches of Nazi persecution due to intrigue or a coincidence.

On February 23, 1939, Katharina Kierein was informed by the gendarmerie post command that her husband had died of a cerebral haemorrhage in Dachau concentration camp on the same day. In reality, he had committed suicide in prison.

Katharina Kiering received no support whatsoever and was forced to become a single parent with her six children. Her eldest son was killed in Russia in 1943 and one daughter died of diphtheria during this time. The second son was also drafted into the Wehrmacht, survived the war and later emigrated to Canada.

With her underage children, the widow Katharina Kierein experienced the liberation of Austria in May 1945. Afterwards, she became involved in the newly founded Österreichische Volkspartei (ÖVP) and the ÖVP-Kameradschaft der politisch Verfolgten und Bekenner für Österreich