Deposition concerning a violent demonstration at the archbishop's palace at Vienna on 8 October 1938, including physical attacks on the staff and destruction of chapel and office property

Examination of Witnesses Provincial Court for Criminal of Vienna VIII Landesgerichtstrasse
II.
On the 7th of June 1946
Judge present: [illegible] .
Court Reporter [illegible].
Criminal Proceedings
The witness is warned to speak the pure truth to the best of his knowledge and conscience in answer to the question put to him, to hide nothing and to give his testimony in such a way that he can, if necessary, confirm it on oath.
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He states regarding his personal data:
1. Christian and Surname: Dr. Jakob Weisbacher.
2. Age: 45 years born 20.12.1901.
3. Place of birth: Vienna.
4. Religion: Roman Catholic.
5. Married or single.
6. Occupation: Cathedral chapter, Archbishop's secretary.
. 7. Address: 2 Rotenturmstrasse, Vienna I.
8. Relation to the accused or to other persons concerned in this examination.
On the 8th of October 1938 a serious attack by young demonstrators took place on the Archbishop's Palace in Vienna. I was. present during it and can therefore describe it from my own experience. At about 20.15 hours I was sitting with my colleague Zeremoniar Dr. Franz Jaclyn in my room which has windows overlooking the courtyard. Suddenly we heard through the windows excited cries and slogans shouted in unison coming down from the Stefansplatz, and in the very- next moment already the smashing of window panes. Immediately afterwards his Eminence rang me on the telephone': A crowd of young people are assembled in the Stefansplatz, they are breaking our window panes. Call the police! I used the police emergency call A-i-22 and received the answer we are coming. I then went to his Eminence's room. On my way across the courtyard I heard shouting simultaneously, I heard heavy blows on the Stefansplatz. I found the Cardinal in his study together with the nuns who were employed in the household. The blows on the gate which were being made with a ladder and iron bars resounded heavily. I made another emergency call from his Eminence's room and received the answer: The commissariat have been informed. The answer could not satisfy me, as on an emergency call being received the special police force turned out immediately. I telephoned once again and said: The gate is being stormed, we do not know how long it will withstand. Once again the same reply. I listened out of the window and heard shouts of heave ho, then smashing and splintering cries of triumph; they had got in. After approximately a quarter of an hour the gate gave way. The demonstrators stormed into the courtyard shouting and smashing everything they came across. We conducted the nuns to the attic and instructed them to hide there. We took the Cardinal to safety in the personalia archive and locked the iron door behind him, then we two priests who saw ourselves opposed to a crowd of invaders took up post at the door of the Cardinal's house chapel, in order to prevent any destruction there at least. Shortly after we had reached the chapel, the first
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invaders stormed into the Cardinal's rooms which the chapel adjoins. Right at the door we warded them off; pieces of wood were flung into the chapel. I received a push that caused me to fall but we managed to prevent any entry into the chapel. The demonstrators were youths aged from 14-25 about a 100 of them. After we had warded off the first troop we opened up the tabernacle and * * * the consecrated wafers so as to protect the most holy
from being desecrated. But new invaders stormed up already, whom we warded off. In the meantime in the remaining rooms an orgy of destruction that cannot be described took place against all the fittings. With the brass rods that held the carpet in place on the staircase the youths destroyed tables and chairs, cande-labras and valuable paintings, particularly all crucifixes. The chapel's slate glass doors, the large decorative mirrors, the glass panes of the book case—everything was smashed to pieces.
While we were still engaged in hand to hand fighting, my colleague thought he heard the shout: Cardinal discovered. He attempted to battle through;- but did not get through the rooms; he received a blow on the head with a bronze candlestick and could only with difficulty escape to a room where he again used the emergency call. I was dragged from the chapel by about 6 people and dragged across the ante-room to the window which overlooks the Rotenturmstrasse. "We'll throw the dog out of the window !n However, applying my utmost strength I was able to prevent myself being thrown out. I managed to free myself and rushed back to the chapel where I ejected one youth who' was just getting ready to busy himself around the altar. Then suddenly the shout went up "Back, the police are coming." The invaders rushed away. One policeman arrived, then another, but the demonstrators were able to leave the Palace unhindered. From the time of the first emergency call to the arrival of the police, at least 40 minutes had gone by.
We then fetched his Eminence out of his hiding place and brought him to his destroyed quarters which presented a picture of dreadful devastation. Then there came a police Lt. Colonel and apologized; then there appeared a representative of the Gestapo and expressed his regret, stating, however, that the police had not had much desire to intervene.
In the meantime, other demonstrators had attacked the cathedral rector's house in 3, Stefansplatz, and there threw the cathedral curate Krawatik out of the window into the yard; this priest lay in hospital till February with a fracture of both thighs. From there too the police and other officials had been repeatedly telephoned but with no success.
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At 11.30 the destroyed quarters were sealed by the State Police. On the following morning—it was Sunday—all the residents had to remain indoors until the police examination was over. The cardinal protested against this kind of treatment, and it was then permitted to go to the Cathedral for Holy Mass. A written undertaking was demanded from all the other residents that they would not say anything about the events. During the course of the forenoon his Eminence then betook himself to a meeting of the Cathedral chapter, where means were discussed of informing the Holy Father as soon as possible of the events. During the course of the day all the people in the house were interrogated by the police. In the afternoon the Cardinal visited the Nuncio who happened to have come to Vienna. Following this, the Nuncio paid a visit to the Palace but was not admitted into the destroyed quarters in spite of his diplomatic passport, with the explanation that the damage was such that a commission must come from Berlin. Actually however, the quarters were thrown open in the evening already. The Gestapo had in the meantime put things roughly in order so as to eliminate the worst signs.
On the 9th of October the Cardinal sent a message to the Fuehrer's chancellery through the Nuncio, but no reply to it was ever received. Neither did the State or Urban authorities ever give compensation in any way. The damage amounted to about
20,000 marks. Over 1,000 window panes were broken on all sides of the house and inside it. The Cardinal's wardrobe was plundered, a valuable cross and two rings were stolen. Although Gauleiter Globocnik stated in a speech on the 12th October that he had had the Cardinal's windows replaced at his own expense, this does not correspond to the facts.
That the demonstration was not the result of youthful wantonness or the embitterment, but a well thought-out plan known to official quarters is obvious from the speech of Gauleiter Buerckel who, on the 13th October in the Heldenplatz, represented the Cardinal as the guilty one in the nearest possible manner.
I enclose the copy of the record of an examination taken down on the 10th October 1938 with his Eminence.
Vienna, 7th June 1946. .
[Signed] Dr. J. Weinbacher. [counter signed by the Judge and court reporter]
Record
Taken down on October 10th 1938 at 18.00 hours in the building of the Archbishop's palace in Vienna with his Eminence the Cardinal-Archbishop of Vienna, Dr. Theodor Innitzer who, on being informed of the subject of the examination states:
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At about 20.10 hours on Saturday the 8th October, I heard about a mass of people who had gathered in front of the Archbishop's Palace in the Stefansplatz. I confirmed this fact for myself and heard how the crowd assembled in front of the Archbishop's Palace were singing the Deutschland and Horst Wessel songs and uttering threats against my person. I thereupon went away from the window and immediately gave orders that the Emergency Detachment of the regular police (Ai22) should be phoned, and this actually took place. In the meantime, or shortly afterwards stones and other articles were thrown at my windows, breaking window panes. In addition, people from the crowd assembled before the Palace attempted to force the Palace gates, which they succeeded in doing after about a quarter of an hour. The crowd, which consisted mainly of youths between 15 and 20 years of age, then stormed into the house through the courtyard towards the main steps, whereupon I vacated my official rooms. I then heard how the persons who had penetrated into my official rooms smashed the windows; I heard clashing and rumbling as well as whistles and cat-calls. In my opinion, the persons who had forced their way into my official rooms, remained there for at least 20 minutes. Suddenly I heard a whistle, and then all was quiet. I then returned to my official rooms with police officials who had arrived in the meantime and had been looking for me together with my secretary, and found the rooms in a dreadful state of destruction. I was able to ascertain immediately that the following articles were missing from my property:
1 One Prelate's gown
2 Two morning coats
3 Two great coats
4 One ulster
5 One pair of red buckled shoes
6 One bishop's hat
7 One stiff hat
8 Three red Birettas
9 Three red skull-caps
10 One violet stole
11 One Pectoral with gold chain
12 Two bishop's rings, one of them being one presented by His Holiness to the Cardinal upon his promotion; the Pope's coat of arms was on this one.
13 One gold fountain pen
14 Two horse-shoe purses with total contents of about 10 marks
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15 A few boxes of cigars and cigarettes
16 One key ring with four keys
For the rest, the damage and devastation which has been established by the police commission was caused to my rooms. Particularly the damage to religious paintings and crosses, and here I point out specially that the ivory crosses, which are besides of great artistic value, were almost all smashed. In addition a chalice consecrated by me on the 8th October 1988 which had been packed up was torn out of its packing, damaged and thrown into the courtyard.
I wish further to add to my statements that a new green table cover valued at 260 marks has also vanished from the Council Chamber. _
I am unable at the moment to give the amount of the damage caused by the mob which broke into the Archbishop's palace.
As at the time of the mob's incursion into my palace I was not in my official rooms, I did not notice any particular person and in case of a confrontation would not be able to recognize anyone either.
Perused, sealed and completed.