Learn more about Fr. Viktor’s early life, and the “story behind the story”—how the Koch family discovered this nearly-forgotten episode in our family history. On May 28th, my father Gary and I were invited to conduct a Zoom presentation for …
You might think that the Koch family passed this story down through the generations like a gilded heirloom. On the contrary, we never knew it happened. When Joe Koch visited Fr. Viktor in June 1945, he sensed a pall falling …
How do we know that Fr. Viktor’s story is true? It’s literally etched in stone. In 1947, two years after Fr. Viktor defended Schwarzenfeld from U.S. forces, newly elected mayor Norbert Gindele signed documents that declared the American Passionist an …
In the midst of oppression and hardship, the people of Schwarzenfeld had a pastime that served as a welcome distraction. They loved speculating about what the Nazis were doing in Fr. Viktor’s monastery. The first years were limited to disgruntled …
She’s easy to spot in the snapshots that American Signal Corps photographers took during the funeral. And, she has an interesting story to tell. Her name is Zita Mueller. I mentioned her once in a previous post, and had the …
There is an obscure, yet intriguing detail behind the funeral ceremony that occurred on April 25, 1945. It honored both Christian and Jewish traditions. Among the photos that Signal Corps photographers captured in Schwarzenfeld during the harrowing 48-hour ordeal, there …
