Franz Kolb (politician)

Franz Kolb (born January 12, 1886 in Navis , Tyrol ; † September 4, 1959 in Innsbruck ) was an Austrian Catholic clergyman and politician ( CSP ).

Life

Franz Kolb graduated with honors from the Vinzentinum grammar school in Brixen in 1905 and then studied theology. In 1909 he was ordained a priest. In 1913 he began to study history and geography at the University of Innsbruck and became an active member of the Catholic student association AKV Tirolia in the ÖKV . He finished his studies in 1921 - interrupted by military service as a field curate - and was then a professor at the Brixen grammar school. Expelled from Italy by the Italian-Fascist authorities for being too "Tyrolean", he became a religious teacher in Innsbruck in 1923 and director of the teacher training institute in Innsbruck in 1936.

After Austria's annexation to Germany, he received political imprisonment in 1939 and 1941 for his open statements against National Socialism. During the war from 1939 to 1941 Kolb was professor of church history at the seminary in Volders and worked in pastoral care.

Kolb published numerous articles in magazines about the Tyrolean struggles for freedom and religious issues. For the 30th foundation festival of his association Tirolia in 1924, he published a commemorative publication.

politics

From 1927 to 1934 Kolb was a member of the National Council ( 3rd and 4th legislative period ) in Vienna . On February 23, 1928, he gave a widely acclaimed speech in front of parliament, in which he pointed out the great injustice that was inflicted on the South Tyroleans by fascist Italy. Josef Noldin , also a member of the Tirolia, was convicted during those days in Italy for supporting the German language and banished to an island.

After 1945 Kolb participated in the reconstruction of Austria and fought for the German ethnic group in South Tyrol. While preparing and organizing the celebrations for the 150th anniversary of the Tyrolean uprising under Andreas Hofer, Kolb suffered a heart attack that he did not survive.

Recognitions

Kolb, who was awarded the title of Monsignor, received numerous other honors: honorary member of the ring of gold medals for bravery (as the only priest), honorary citizen of Matrei am Brenner , honorary member of the University of Innsbruck, honorary ring holder of the state of Tyrol. In 1961 a bronze bust by Kolbs created by Hans Buchgschwenter was attached to the southern cemetery wall of the Matreier parish church .

literature

• Christian Geltner in Siegfried Koß, Wolfgang Löhr (Hrsg.): Biographisches Lexikon des KV. 3rd part (= Revocatio historiae. Volume 4). SH-Verlag, Schernfeld 1994, ISBN 3-89498-014-1 , page 67 f. (with further evidence).
• Ekkart Sauser :  Kolb, Franz. In: Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL). Volume 18, Bautz, Herzberg 2001, ISBN 3-88309-086-7 , Sp. 812-813.

Web links

• Franz Kolb on the website of the Austrian Parliament