Karl Punzer

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Karl Punzer (born October 18, 1912 in Steyr , † December 5, 1944 in Munich ) was an Austrian resistance fighter against National Socialism .

Life

Punzer was a carpenter by trade and worked in the Steyr works as a gun erector. From the age of 14 he was active in the socialist youth, in 1932 he switched to the communist youth. In 1934 he took part in the armed uprising of the Republican Schutzbund in Steyr , he fought in the positions of the Schutzbund on the Ennsleite. After the " Anschluss of Austria " to the German Reich , he was active as chairman of the illegal KPÖ and in the anti-fascist resistance in the Steyr district. He led a resistance cell in the Steyr works and recruited and trained workers for the resistance. Punzer and numerous other resistance fighters from the Steyr district were arrested in September 1942. Punzer was taken into Gestapo custody in Linz , where he was subjected to abuse for several weeks. In February 1943 he was taken to the Munich-Stadelheim prison. Due to a lack of evidence (or due to forced confessions) the first hearing of the People's Court against him and other Steyr resistance fighters was postponed in August 1943. During the second hearing, Punzer, Josef Bloderer , Franz Draber , Hans Palme , Hans Riepl and Josef Ulram were sentenced to death by the People's Court on May 24, 1944, because they “founded and participated in a Marxist support campaign like the Red Aid “Prepared the treason. Another defendant, Max Petek , was sentenced to five years in prison. On November 30, 1944, Punzer was able to flee Stadelheim together with Josef Bloderer and Franz Draber. However, because he was weak from months of torture and malnutrition, he collapsed and was captured again. Punzer was executed on December 5, 1944 at the age of 32. On the day of his execution he wrote in a last letter to his partner: “(...) Now I beg you, forgive me that I brought you so much worry and suffering that you never deserved. My only justification is that I acted with awareness that I was not doing anything bad. (...) “In the Münichholz district of Steyr, the central Karl-Punzer-Strasse and the secondary school are named after him.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ KPÖ Upper Austria, documentation on the anti-fascist resistance of the KPÖ in the Steyr district 1938-1945, Linz 2008, p. 4, p. 15, homepage of the KPÖ Upper Austria
  2. ↑ Concentration Camp Association / VdA Upper Austria: High distinction for resistance fighters from Steyr , May 17, 2010
  3. ↑ KPÖ Upper Austria, documentation on the anti-fascist resistance of the KPÖ in the Steyr district 1938-1945, Linz 2008, p. 4, homepage of the KPÖ Upper Austria
  4. ^ Otto Treml, copy of Punzer's last letter before the execution
personal data
SURNAME Punzer, Karl
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Austrian resistance fighter against National Socialism
DATE OF BIRTH October 18, 1912
PLACE OF BIRTH Steyr
DATE OF DEATH December 5, 1944
Place of death Munich