Franz Josef Messner Plaque

Hidden in plain sight, the Franz Josef Messner Plaque tells a story of courage and tragedy. The Franz Josef Messner Plaque marks the former home of a man who dared to defy the Nazi regime. Franz Josef Messner, born in 1896, led a life that intertwined with the tumultuous history of the 20th century. He was a businessman, a Brazilian consul, and the general director of Semperit AG. But behind this facade of normalcy, Messner was a key figure in the Austrian resistance against National Socialism. He used his international connections to gather intelligence on German armaments and pass it on to the US Office of Strategic Services (OSS). This plaque, located at Hasenauerstraße 61, stands as a testament to his bravery. The inscription reads: “In diesem Hause wohnte der Widerstandskämpfer Franz Josef Messner, ermordet am 23. April 1945 im KZ Mauthausen. F.J. Messner war Generaldirektor der Semperit Gummiwerke.” These words translate to: “In this house lived the resistance fighter Franz Josef Messner, murdered on April 23, 1945, in the Mauthausen concentration camp. F.J. Messner was the general director of the Semperit rubber works.” Franz Josef Messner’s story is one of contrasts. He was a successful businessman who risked everything to fight for freedom. He held dual Austrian and Brazilian citizenship. Tragically, even Brazil’s attempts to secure his release failed. He was arrested in 1944, sentenced to death, and ultimately transported to Mauthausen. Just days before the camp’s liberation, Messner was murdered using Zyklon B gas, a chilling reminder of the brutality of the Nazi regime. The Franz Josef Messner Plaque serves not only as a memorial to a fallen hero but as a reminder of the importance of resistance in the face of tyranny.