Alois Estermann
Alois Estermann (born October 29, 1954 in Gunzwil , Canton of Lucerne ; † May 4, 1998 in the Vatican ) was the 31st commander of the Swiss Guard .
Estermann came from a farming family who had settled near Beromünster and attended the Hohenrain and Sursee agricultural training centers . In 1975 he obtained a commercial diploma from Frei's commercial school in Lucerne . From 1975 to 1976 he attended the officers' school in Thun . In the summer of 1977 he spent three months in the Vatican to serve as an auxiliary guard in the Swiss Guard. Between 1977 and 1979 Estermann attended several language courses and stayed several times in Argentina . In the Swiss Army he held the rank of first lieutenant .
On July 1, 1980, Estermann joined the Swiss Guard as a captain . He became known for his heroic commitment during the attack on Pope John Paul II on May 13, 1981. On May 1, 1983, Estermann was promoted to major and on September 1, 1987 to lieutenant colonel of the Swiss Guard. He married Gladys Meza Romero from Venezuela on March 7, 1984 .
On May 4, 1998, a few hours after being appointed 31st Commander of the Swiss Guard, he and his wife were killed by Sergeant Cédric Tornay . Alois Estermann is buried in Beromünster (Canton Lucerne).
literature
- Jacques Vergès, Luc Brossollet: Assassinati in Vaticano. Kaos, 2002.
- Discepoli di Verità: Bugie di sangue in Vaticano. Kaos, 2002.
- I. Millenari: We are indicting. (Via col vento in Vaticano). Structure, Berlin 2002, ISBN 3-74667030-6 .
- Hanspeter Oschwald : Vatican, God's company. Piper, 1998, ISBN 3-49203997-9 .
- Thomas J. Reese: Inside the Vatican. Politics and Organization of the Catholic Church. Fischer, 2000, ISBN 3-59614752-2 .
- Valeska von Rogues: Murder in the Vatican. Investigations against the Catholic Church. DTV, 2005, ISBN 3-423-34266-8 .
Web links
- Investigation report by the Swiss Guard on the attack on Colonel Estermann (PDF, German translation of the original Italian text; 76 kB)
| predecessor | Office | successor |
|---|---|---|
| Roland Buchs |
Commander of the Swiss Guard 1998 |
Pius Segmüller |
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Estermann, Alois |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | 31. Commander of the Swiss Guard in the Vatican |
| DATE OF BIRTH | October 29, 1954 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Gunzwil , Canton of Lucerne |
| DATE OF DEATH | May 4, 1998 |
| Place of death | Rome |