80th anniversary of death

The story of the courageous martyr Brother Gereon

A mass was held for Brother Gereon (left) on the 80th anniversary of his death.(Bild: Stift Wilten/Sigl, Riederer)

Josef Außerlechner is one of many Tyroleans who were deported to concentration camps. June marked the 80th anniversary of his death. The "Krone" recounts his life from the beginning of his religious activities in Wilten Abbey to his tragic death in Dachau concentration camp in 1944.

He was a simple but courageous man. We are talking about Josef Außerlechner, born in East Tyrol and a Premonstratensian monk at Wilten Abbey - also known as Brother Gereon. In June 1944, he was tortured to death by the Nazis in Dachau and this year symbolizes a number of Tyrolean martyrs who lost their lives as a result of the terrible actions of the Nazis. This is his story.