What do you think?
Rate this book
Franz Jägerstätter: The Farmer Who Defied Hitler
Franz Jägerstä The Farmer Who Defied Hitler
In an era of silence and conformity, one man dared to say no.
Franz Jägerstätter was an ordinary Austrian farmer, a devoted husband, and a father of three. But when the Nazi regime demanded his allegiance, he made an extraordinary choice—one that would cost him everything. Refusing to swear loyalty to Hitler, he stood alone against the darkness, guided only by his unshakable Catholic faith and moral conviction.
Imprisoned, pressured by priests, and abandoned by his village, Franz faced his fate with unwavering courage. His letters from prison reveal a soul at peace, a man who chose conscience over fear, truth over compromise. Executed in 1943, his story was nearly forgotten—until the world rediscovered his powerful witness.
Now recognized as a martyr and beatified by the Catholic Church, Franz Jägerstätter’s legacy continues to inspire. His life speaks directly to the challenges of our How do we stand for truth in an age of moral compromise? What does it mean to follow one’s conscience, no matter the cost?
This gripping biography brings to light the incredible journey of a man who proved that even the smallest voice can stand against the greatest evil. His story is not just history—it’s a call to courage for us all.
A must-read for those seeking faith, integrity, and the strength to stand firm in the face of injustice.
In an era of silence and conformity, one man dared to say no.
Franz Jägerstätter was an ordinary Austrian farmer, a devoted husband, and a father of three. But when the Nazi regime demanded his allegiance, he made an extraordinary choice—one that would cost him everything. Refusing to swear loyalty to Hitler, he stood alone against the darkness, guided only by his unshakable Catholic faith and moral conviction.
Imprisoned, pressured by priests, and abandoned by his village, Franz faced his fate with unwavering courage. His letters from prison reveal a soul at peace, a man who chose conscience over fear, truth over compromise. Executed in 1943, his story was nearly forgotten—until the world rediscovered his powerful witness.
Now recognized as a martyr and beatified by the Catholic Church, Franz Jägerstätter’s legacy continues to inspire. His life speaks directly to the challenges of our How do we stand for truth in an age of moral compromise? What does it mean to follow one’s conscience, no matter the cost?
This gripping biography brings to light the incredible journey of a man who proved that even the smallest voice can stand against the greatest evil. His story is not just history—it’s a call to courage for us all.
A must-read for those seeking faith, integrity, and the strength to stand firm in the face of injustice.
52 pages, Paperback
Published March 7, 2025
1 person want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 7, 2025
At our Carmelite community’s recent retreat we watched the movie, A Hidden Life based on Blessed Franz Jägerstätter’s life. This short book, really booklet, basically confirms everything in the movie, not really adding much detail. Therefore, it is an excellent introduction to this brave and largely unknown Austrian farmer who stood up to the Nazi’s and paid for it with his life. His was a choice based on conscience. He could not in good conscience, knowing full well the consequences, fight in a war on the side he believed to be wrong. He knew his stand wouldn’t change anything on the larger scale and it also caused his family much grief both before and after his death. Jägerstätter did not make his decision lightly, but in the end, had to do what he believed was right, even when his own Catholic priests and bishops told him it was okay to fight.
He was executed by guillotine on August 9, 1943*, after suffering much abuse in prison as Nazi prison officials tried unsuccessfully to change his mind.
His story remained largely unknown until Gordon Zahn published In Solitary Witness in 1964. After that more people began to see him as a model of Christian conscience and sacrifice. The official cause for Jägerstätter’s beatification was opened in 1997 by the Diocese of Linz, Austria. On June 1, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI issued a decree recognizing him as a martyr which meant that he could be beatified without the requirement of a verified miracle. The beatification ceremony took place on October 26, 2007, in Linz, Austria, in the presence of thousands of faithful, including his widow, Franziska Jägerstätter, who had waited decades to see her husband's sacrifice recognized by the Church.
She had stood by him in his decision and afterwords ran their farm and raised their three daughters on her own.
I would give the movie, A Hidden Life 5 stars especially for the cinematography. The mountain scenes were breathtaking and took me back to when my husband and I volksmarched there in the 1980’s. The beauty helped offset the intensity of what he suffered. There is no gratuitous violence, but viewers cannot but help knowing of his via dolorosa.
Compared to the movie, however, this book, is probably not the best one out there. It was short and covers the basics if you are short on time and/or money. Eventually I hope to get the longer book, Franz Jagerstatter: Letters and Writings from Prison which includes his and his wife’s letters. Zahn’s book, mentioned above, would be nice to read as well except that it is out of print and used copies start at $40. Hopefully, a reprint will be issued.
Blessed Franz Jägerstätter, pray for us!
*St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein) also died on August 9th at the hands of the Nazis, but she died in 1942, a year before Blessed Franz.
He was executed by guillotine on August 9, 1943*, after suffering much abuse in prison as Nazi prison officials tried unsuccessfully to change his mind.
His story remained largely unknown until Gordon Zahn published In Solitary Witness in 1964. After that more people began to see him as a model of Christian conscience and sacrifice. The official cause for Jägerstätter’s beatification was opened in 1997 by the Diocese of Linz, Austria. On June 1, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI issued a decree recognizing him as a martyr which meant that he could be beatified without the requirement of a verified miracle. The beatification ceremony took place on October 26, 2007, in Linz, Austria, in the presence of thousands of faithful, including his widow, Franziska Jägerstätter, who had waited decades to see her husband's sacrifice recognized by the Church.
She had stood by him in his decision and afterwords ran their farm and raised their three daughters on her own.
I would give the movie, A Hidden Life 5 stars especially for the cinematography. The mountain scenes were breathtaking and took me back to when my husband and I volksmarched there in the 1980’s. The beauty helped offset the intensity of what he suffered. There is no gratuitous violence, but viewers cannot but help knowing of his via dolorosa.
Compared to the movie, however, this book, is probably not the best one out there. It was short and covers the basics if you are short on time and/or money. Eventually I hope to get the longer book, Franz Jagerstatter: Letters and Writings from Prison which includes his and his wife’s letters. Zahn’s book, mentioned above, would be nice to read as well except that it is out of print and used copies start at $40. Hopefully, a reprint will be issued.
Blessed Franz Jägerstätter, pray for us!
*St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein) also died on August 9th at the hands of the Nazis, but she died in 1942, a year before Blessed Franz.
August 31, 2025
A book that challenges us to look at our own faith. Franz Jagerstatter stood for his faith. Short but well written.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews