Child, I'm opting to forgo slumber tonight
In the quiet town of Lustenau, Austria, a remarkable story from the heart of World War II has come to light. Josef Hagen, a textile worker and soldier, embarked on a daring escape in May 1944, with the help of his family and a local resident, that would ultimately lead to legal consequences for all involved.
Josef Hagen, a member of the Artillery Regiment 349, received home leave during the war. However, the search for historical records of his desertion from the German Army in 1944 and subsequent trials of his family and local helper have yielded no results. It appears that this specific event, while not absent from the annals of history, remains an obscure or less-documented case.
Josef Hagen's decision to desert was a desperate move, driven by the bleak prospects of survival on the battlefield. With his unit, the 344th Infantry Division, completely wiped out in North Ukraine in July 1944, the chances of survival seemed slim. Johann König, a tailor who had lost two sons in the war but had a third son who successfully fled to Switzerland, offered his assistance. He guided Josef Hagen through a pipe canal under the old Rhine, leading him towards the Swiss border.
The escape attempt was not without incident. Josef Hagen was wounded during the escape, but he managed to reach Switzerland and was admitted to the Altstätten hospital. Meanwhile, back in Austria, his family faced the consequences of their actions. Regina Hagen, Josef's mother, Hermann Hofer, and Johann König were charged by the Feldkirch Regional Court on October 10, 1944, for aiding a soldier in evading military service.
The trials that followed were a significant event in the town's history. Regina Hagen was sentenced to four months in prison, Hermann Hofer to six, and Johann König to ten months. However, Hermann Hofer's verdict was later quashed due to the lack of an expert opinion on his ability to form a judgment, and there was no further trial against him. The senior public prosecutor appealed against the sentences, leading to increased penalties. The Innsbruck Higher Regional Court increased Regina Hagen's sentence to six months and Johann König's to fifteen months in prison on November 15, 1944.
The Hagen family, who ran a farm and had seven children, three of whom were conscripted into the Wehrmacht, faced a difficult time. The loss of one son in the war was too much for Regina Hagen, and she decided to keep Josef at home instead of reporting his desertion. This decision led to the discovery of Josef's military equipment during a search of their house.
The story of Josef Hagen and his family's aid in his escape serves as a poignant reminder of the extraordinary measures people took during the war to protect their loved ones. Despite the legal consequences they faced, their actions highlight the human spirit's resilience and the lengths to which families would go to keep their loved ones safe.
This story, while not widely documented, is an important part of Lustenau's history, shedding light on a lesser-known aspect of World War II. As more details and context come to light, the tale of Josef Hagen and his family's bravery continues to captivate those who hear it.
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