Josefa (Pepa) Sumper

Josefa Sumper, known as Pepa, is the second of four children born to Slovenian-speaking farmers Simon and Aloisia Sumper in Latschach near St. Egyden an der Drau/Št. Ilj ob Dravi. After elementary school, she became a parish housekeeper in the parish of St. Egyden. There she witnessed the occupation of Austria by Hitler's Germany in 1938 and the invasion of Yugoslavia in 1941. The extermination of Austria in 1938 marked the beginning of the suppression of the Slovenian Austrians' language and culture.

In May 1938, the Rhineland-born priest Jakob Vianden arrived in the parish of St. Egyden. He had previously been the parish priest of Gmünd in Upper Carinthia, but came into conflict with the Gestapo and was transferred to St. Egyden by Bishop Andreas Rohracher for his protection. Although he did not speak Slovenian, he sided with the Slovenian Austrians. He also maintained contact with the Slovenian partisans who were forming. The parish chronicle mentions that Jakob Vianden was able to rely on a number of loyal and faithful members of his parish for his stance. Among them, the parsonage cook Josefa Sumper is explicitly mentioned. This also brought Josefa Sumper into contact with the Slovenian partisans. They give her the code name "Veronika" to protect her.

When Jakob Vianden learns of the impending storming of a partisan bunker by an SS unit, he is able to warn the partisans in advance. Through carelessness, however, the Gestapo learns that he was the bearer of the news. Jakob Vianden is warned in time and escapes at 4:10 a.m. on April 6, 1944. Josefa Sumper, who stayed behind, told a priest what had happened, who inadvertently told a Gestapo informer. As a result, Josefa Super was arrested by the Gestapo, probably around April 4 or 5, 1944, along with another resident, Maria Oberlecher. When they pass Josefa Sumper's home farm, she wants to give her brother the keys to the vicarage, but the Gestapo won't let her. She then throws them to him and is beaten in the back with rifle butts by Gestapo men.

Josefa Sumper's plan works. Maria Oberlacher is released.