Johann Nobis

Johann Nobis (* April 16, 1899 in St. Georgen bei Salzburg; † January 6, 1940 Plötzensee Prison) was an Austrian conscientious objector.

Life

Johann Nobis was born to a farmer in Holzhausen (municipality Sankt Georgen bei Salzburg). As a Jehova's Witness he refused to take the oath on Adolf Hitler. He was arrested and sentenced to death due to decrease of defence power by the Reich Court Martial on November 23, 1939. He was imprisoned at Plötzensee Prison on December 20, 1939 where he was executed on January 6, 1940.

His farewell letter to his mother was delivered to the DÖW by Gertrud Feichtinger-Nobis. At the day of his execution five more Jehova's Witnesses from Salzburg were executed .

Stolpersteine

On July 19, 1997 the artist Gunter Demnig installed two Stolpersteine for Johann Nobis and his brother Matthias Nobis in front of their birth house in Sankt Georgen bei Salzburg at the invitation of Andreas Maislinger. Gunter Demnig was a guest of the Arts Initative KNIE in Oberndorf bei Salzburg. Up to now he set up over 20000 Stolpersteine for victims of the National Socialist regime. In the nearby Sankt Radegund a Stolperstein for the beatiefied Franz Jägerstätter was set up in 2006.

Further reading

• Zuchthauskataster Berlin-Plötzensee (DÖW 3133).
• Letter from Gertraud Nobis to Dr. Anreas Maislinger, November 11, 1986.
• 'Widerstand und Verfolgung in Salzburg 1934-1945', page 325, pages 339-341, DÖW (ed.)
• 'Denn es steht geschrieben: "Du sollst nicht töten!"', page 406; Marcus Herrberger, Verlag Österreich

References

Austrian conscientious objectors