Fr. Viktor Koch, C.P.: An American Priest in Nazi Germany

Viktor: An American Priest in Nazi Germany

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A Town in Crisis
Signal Corps Photos, April 1945

The Mass Grave
On April 23, 1945, American soldiers discovered a shallow grave on Schwarzelfeld's outskirts. The grave contained the remains of 133 Jews, many of whom died during the train station attack just a few days earlier. More info »
Disintering Bodies
Per the American commander's ultimatum, Schwarzenfeld's men extract bodies from the mass grave and prepare them for reburial. More info »
Victim
A body is disinterred from the shallow mass grave. More info »
Tranporting Coffins from the Carpentries to the Grave Trench
Schwarzenfeld's women and children were charged with the task of constructing coffins for each victim. Once made, the coffins were transported by wagon to the funeral site. More info »
Grave Trench Site
While half of Schwarzenfeld's male population extracts bodies from the mass grave, the other half works feverishly to dig a grave trench in the town cemetery, where the victims will be laid to rest. More info »
Delivering Coffins
Caskets are hoisted over the barbed wire fencing that encloses the grave trench site. More info »
From Stars and Stripes
The photo above appeared in the U.S. military publication Stars and Stripes on Friday, May 11, 1945. More info »
To the Grave Trench Site
Citizens of Schwarzenfeld hoist a coffin upon a litter and carry it toward the site where a grave trench is being dug for the funeral. More info »
Bodies at the Grave Trench Site
Bodies exhumed from the mass grave site were transported upon litters to the grave trench site near the town cemetery. From that point, they were placed into coffins. More info »
Awaiting Reburial
Bodies are laid at the grave trench site, where they awiat coffins. More info »
Survivors
These three Polish Jews escaped the Flossenbürg Death March by hiding in the barn of a local farmer. They remained in hiding until the arrival of Third Army Troops. More info »
The Funeral
The funeral took place on April 25, 1945. Approximately 500 townspeople attended the ceremony. More info »
The Funeral Ceremony
Dean Josef Spangler (toward the right, in the black embroidered robe) delivers the funeral homily, while Fr Viktor (far right) translates the service into English for the benefit of the Americans. More info »
Close-up of the Funeral Ceremony Photo
Fr. Viktor is visible on the far right, holding his hat and a paper. More info »

The Mass Grave

Signal Corps caption: "The citizens of Schwarzenfeld exhume bodies of 140 Hungarian, Russian, and Polish Jews buried in shallow graves." Photograph #79001 - United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington D.C.
Disintering Bodies

Per the American commander's ultimatum, Schwarzenfeld's men extract bodies from the mass grave and prepare them for reburial. Photograph #79003 - United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington D.C.
Victim

Signal Corps caption: "This is the body of one of the 133 Allied prisoners of war and slave laborers killed by German SS troopers, before the arrival of the US Third Army Troops in Schwarzenfeld, Germany. The bodies were dug up and given a decent burial by the German civilians of the town. The German pastor [Fr. Viktor Koch] who spoke at the funeral service said the civilians were [not responsible for] the occurence." Source: NARA Signal Corps Photos, 111-SC-205213.
Transporting Coffins From the Carpentries to the Grave Trench

Schwarzenfeld's women and children were charged with the task of constructing coffins for each victim. Once made, the coffins were transported by wagon to the site where the funeral would later take place. Source: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington D.C., Photograph #37292
Grave Trench Site

While half of Schwarzenfeld's male population extracts bodies from the mass grave, the other half works feverishly to dig a grave trench in the town cemetery, where the victims will be laid to rest. This photo shows the grave trench site. Source: NARA Signal Corps Photos
Delivering Coffins

Signal Corps caption: "When units of the 26th Infantry Division, US Third Army, took the town of Schwarzenfeld, Germany, they found that the bodies of hundreds of Polish Jews, murdered by SS troops, had been dumped into one common grave. The Army made the civilian populace exhume the bodies, make coffins, and give the bodies a decent burial. Here, caskets containing the bodies are being unloaded to await burial." Source: Signal Corps photograph SC-111-265454
From Stars and Stripes, May 11, 1945

This photo appeared in the military publication Stars and Stripes on Friday, May 11, 1945. Caption: "Four civilians of Schwarzenfeld carry a coffin containing the body of an atrocity victim past the bodies of others awaiting burial. When 3rd Army troops entered Schwarzenfeld near the Czech border, they discovered a mass grave of 200 [sic] Polish Jews who had been murdered by the SS a few days earlier. Military government officers ordered townmen to make coffins, dig up the bodies, and rebury them decenty." Photograph #78844 - United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington D.C.
To the Grave Trench Site

Citizens of Schwarzenfeld hoist a coffin upon a litter and carry it toward the site where a grave trench is being dug for the funeral. Photograph #78844 - United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington D.C.
Bodies at the Grave Trench Site

Bodies exhumed from the mass grave site were transported upon litters to the grave trench site across town. From that point, they were placed into coffins. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington D.C., Photograph #78852
Awaiting Reburial

Signal Corps caption: "The bodies of 140 Hungarian, Russian, and Polish Jews exhumed from a mass grave near the town of Schwarzenfeld are laid out on the ground." Source: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington D.C., Photograph #78851
Survivors

These three Polish Jews escaped the Flossenbürg Death March by hiding in the barn of a local farmer. They remained in hiding until the arrival of Third Army Troops. U.S. Signal Corps Photo ETO-HQ-45-34027
The Funeral

The funeral took place on April 25, 1945. Approximately 500 townspeople attended the ceremony. Among them was Zita Mueller, who was 13 years old at the time. She is the young girl visible in the lower right-hand side group, wearing a plaid skirt and pigtails. Zita recalls helping construct the caskets, and decorating them with greenery. Source: NARA Signal Corps Photos, 111-SC-265456.
The Funeral Ceremony

Dean Josef Spangler (toward the right, in the black embroidered robe) delivers the funeral homily, while Fr Viktor (far right) translates the service into English for the benefit of the Americans. Two survivors of the Flossenbürg Death March are visible in the center. They said Kaddish for their fallen brethren. U.S. Signal Corps Photo #205212
Close-up of the Funeral Ceremony Photo

Close-up of Signal Corps photo #205212. Fr. Viktor is visible on the far right, holding his hat and a paper. U.S. Signal Corps Photo #205212

About the Town of Schwarzenfeld, Germany

It is a riverside town in northeast Bavaria, home to a population that is mostly devout Catholic. It celebrates its 1000-year anniversary in 2015.

The Passionists: Fr. Viktor's Religious Order

They are spiritual contemplatives with a powerful message: the Crucified Christ is present in all who endure suffering.

Coming Soon: The Novel

Katherine's historical fiction novel, The Sower of Black Field, carries readers from the monastery confiscation in April 1941 to the climactic 48-hour ultimatum. The book will be published and available for sale on April 15, 2024.