Franz Ruschmann

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Franz Ruschmann (born on May 27, 1910 in Achern ; died on October 17, 1942 in Brandenburg ad Havel prison ) was a German Jehovah's Witness and resistance fighter against National Socialism .

Life

Franz Ruschmann attended elementary school for eight years and began an apprenticeship as a butcher in Rastatt , which he completed in Offenburg . He then worked as a butcher in Haslach im Kinzigtal . Christian and educated as a Catholic, he joined the Jehovah's Witnesses in 1934. He was taken into protective custody for the first time on October 1, 1936 and interrogated by the Gestapo . He was accused of distributing scriptures as well as providing financial support to his fellow believers who had become unemployed. During the interrogations he was noticed as a strict Jehovah's Witness. The Mannheim Special Court sentenced him to six months in prison. He was housed in the Gestapo prison in Offenburg and in the Kislau concentration camp . He was released on March 31, 1937.

On August 27, 1939, he was drafted into the 4th Construction Battalion. At first he could do his service according to his beliefs without weapons, since the battalion was only used for construction activities. From 1940 he continuously refused to serve in the arms and was placed under arrest several times. On July 7, 1942, he finally refused military service and justified this with his belief. The 3rd Senate of the Reich Court Martial sentenced him to death for decomposing his military strength . The sentence was carried out with the guillotine on October 17, 1942 .

On September 19, 2010 a stumbling stone was dedicated to Franz Ruschmann in Haslach.

literature

Adalbert Metzinger : People in Resistance - Central Baden 1933–1943 (=  special publication of the Rastatt district archive, volume 13 ). regional culture publishing house, Rastatt 2017, ISBN 978-3-89735-978-9 , p. 85-86 .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Black Forest Bote, Oberndorf, Germany: Haslach i. S .: Haslach's Jehovah's Witnesses persecuted - Haslach im Kinzigtal - Black Forest Bote. Retrieved February 9, 2018 .
  2. ^ "Stumbling blocks" as a warning . In: News of the Ortenau - Offenburger Tageblatt . ( bo.de [accessed on February 9, 2018]).
personal data
SURNAME Ruschmann, Franz
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German Jehovah's Witness and resistance fighters against National Socialism
DATE OF BIRTH May 27, 1910
PLACE OF BIRTH Achern
DATE OF DEATH October 17, 1942
Place of death Brandenburg ad Havel prison