Child, I'm opting to forego sleep tonight.
In the turbulent times of World War II, a tale of intrigue unfolds in the Austrian town of Feldkirch. At the heart of this story is Johann König, a tailor who, according to available records, played a crucial role in helping a deserting soldier, Josef Hagen, escape the clutches of the German or Austrian army and cross the border to Switzerland.
Josef Hagen, a textile worker and soldier, received home leave in early May 1944. Seizing this opportunity, he planned to desert, a decision that would have severe consequences had he been caught. Fearing for Josef's safety, his mother Regina tried to keep him home. However, her efforts were in vain, as Hagen managed to slip away.
The Hagen family, who ran a farm, had seven children, three of whom had been conscripted into the Wehrmacht. The family's eldest son, Robert, was reported missing at the Eastern Front before Josef's leave ended, adding to the family's distress.
Hermann Hofer, Josef's uncle and a veteran of the First World War, discussed with Regina what to do. Hofer, who knew Johann König, a tailor who had lost two sons in the war but had successfully fled to Switzerland, proposed that König might be able to help.
On May 30, 1944, Johann König agreed to guide Josef Hagen to Switzerland. They made their way to a pipe canal near the old Rhine baths, a secret passage that would hopefully lead them to safety. However, their journey was not unnoticed. The assistant customs officer Willibald Hofer, who was on duty, discovered and observed them. In a desperate attempt to apprehend the fugitives, he fired shots into the canal, wounding Josef Hagen.
Despite the attempt on Hagen's life, he and König managed to escape. However, their actions did not go unpunished. Regina Hagen, Hermann Hofer, and Johann König were charged by the Feldkirch Regional Court for facilitating Josef Hagen's desertion. The Gendarmerie identified the fugitive in the culvert, and the court found them guilty according to § 220 StG, sentencing them to prison terms.
However, the story does not end there. Regina Hagen was not fit to serve her sentence due to health reasons, and her sentence was not carried out. The sentences for Regina Hagen and Johann König were increased by the Innsbruck Higher Regional Court, but the whereabouts of Johann König after this point remain unknown.
Despite extensive research, detailed documented information about this event or Johann König's biography is scarce in major historical records or widely accessible sources. If you seek more specific information, it may require consulting specialized WWII resistance or refugee archives or memoirs.
This tale of courage, desperation, and the lengths some would go to protect their loved ones serves as a poignant reminder of the human spirit during a time of unparalleled turmoil. The mystery of Johann König, the desertion guide, remains a testament to the resilience and resourcefulness of those who sought to evade the horrors of war.
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