Venerable Jakob Gapp

Jakob Gapp (26 July 1897 – 13 August 1943) was an Austrian Roman Catholic priest and a professed member from the Marianists. Gapp first served as a soldier on the Italian front during World War I at a point in his life where his religious convictions were not of high importance, though his return home from a prisoner of war camp saw him develop socialist views that soon brought him into contact with the Marianists whom he later joined. After studies and ordination, he was assigned in Austria as a teacher, where he became noted for his vehement opposition to the Nazi regime; he deemed Nazism as being some warped political tool to create division which was also incompatible with the faith. His bold activism against the Nazi regime saw him flee when it was clear his life was endangered, along with his colleagues, and he settled in both France and Spain before returning to France after being duped into accepting two Jewish people who fled from Berlin. These two men were instead the Gestapo who arrested him and transferred him to Berlin where he was imprisoned and sentenced to death. His interrogation transcripts reveal how he deemed Nazism and Roman Catholicism to be incompatible, and his strong adherence to his faith prompted Heinrich Himmler and others to refuse the return of his remains for it would result in veneration and silent rebellion. The beatification process for the late priest culminated after Pope John Paul II beatified him on 24 November 1996 in Saint Peter's Square. Jakob Gapp was born on 26 July 1897 in Wattens as the seventh child to Martin Gapp and Antonia Wach; he received his baptism on 27 July in the local parish church of Saint Lawrence. His niece was Marianne Oberauer. He received a basic education in his hometown and in 1910 entered the high school that the Order of Friars Minor ran at Hall.