Josef Kaltenbacher (26.2.1902 St.Blasien/Waldshut – 12.3.1940 Mauthausen Concentration Camp)

A married mechanic, he had been a member of the Bible Students since 1927, which were renamed the Jehovah's Witness in 1931. Despite their being banned, he continued his missionary work. On May 27, 1936, Josef Kaltenbacher was denounced and arrested. He told the Gestapo: “I knew that my method of recruitment [was] forbidden [...] but I did it anyway because I had to obey God's commandment. [...] I also do not give with the “German greeting” because I believe that salvation comes only from Christ.“ The court stated: “Aggravating the punishment was the fact that he stubbornly continued the offense for a very long time, despite knowing full well that the Bible Students were banned and despite knowing the quite substantial penalties.” (StAM, StAnW 8256). On July 23, 1936, Josef Kaltenbacher was sentenced to one year in prison. On August 7, 1937, he was committed to the Dachau Concentration Camp. On September 27, 1939, he was transferred to the Mauthausen Concentration Camp, where he died on March 12, 1940.

In 1949, charges were brought against Josef Hitzler, who had denounced Kaltenbacher in 1936. He was given a suspended sentence of six months and ordered to pay a fine of 100 German marks. His appeal was rejected. The Munich Court of Appeal emphasized that he must have been aware that Kaltenbacher would face a severe punishment. The denunciation led to imprisonment and concentration camp detention and ultimately to Kaltenbacher's death, “so it must be said that the punishment imposed on the accused person can hardly be regarded as appropriate” (StAM, StAnW 8256). Hitzler did not say a single word of regret.