The Collection Franz and Franziska Jägerstätter
History in images and letters
For the first time, the project is dedicated to cataloging the private collection of Franziska Jägerstätter (1913-2013), Franz Jägerstätter's wife. This collection contains important documents and photographs that provide a unique insight into Jägerstätter's influence in art, church, politics, and society over decades. The collection spans the period from 1945 until she died in 2013.
Heritage and memory
In 2019, the heiresses transferred the collection, including extensive copyright, to the Diocese of Linz through a donation agreement, which entrusted the Franz and Franziska Jägerstätter Institute with the task of researching the collection.
The aim of the project is to honour the central role of the wife of conscientious objector Franz Jägerstätter in preserving his legacy.
The cultural significance of the collection is threefold.
Reconstruction of Franziska Jägerstätter's life story
The letters and photographs fill a gap in Jägerstätter research by documenting the life of Franziska Jägerstätter. Photographs provide valuable insights into her everyday life, her social and family relationships, and her active role in the community. The pictures also witness her relationships with leaders of the International Peace Movement and her extensive pilgrimage and travel activities.
Testimonies of the history of Franz Jägerstätter's reception
The collection offers important insights into the debate on National Socialism and conscientious objection in Austria and abroad. Using the letters included in the collection, the milestones in the history of reception can be outlined. These include reactions to the movie version of the Jägerstätter case by the Austrian director Axel Corti in 1971.
Documentation and transformation of central memorial sites
The collection shows the establishment and transformation of important memorial sites that today have a central place in the (Upper) Austrian cultural landscape. These sites are key elements of the Austrian culture of remembrance and important points of reference for historical education and religious life.
Especially noteworthy is Franz Jägerstätter's tomb, which was erected on the outer wall of the parish church after the urn was transferred in 1946 and has been subject to numerous changes over time. For decades, it was the main photo motif for pilgrims and visitors and thus a place of commemorative performances.
The same applies to Jägerstätter's former home. By exploring the collection, the transformation of the building from a dilapidated farmhouse to an international memorial and meeting place becomes tangible. On the 50th anniversary of Franz Jägerstätter's death in 1993, the “Jägerstätter House” was opened accompanied by great media interest.
ku-linz.at
collections.jaegerstaetter.at
edition.jaegerstaetter.at/