In Memory: Josefstal Pastor Father Aloysius Kappes (1885 – 1937)
Volga-German Catholic priest, arrested in 1930 along with 19 other Catholic clerics; on April 20, 1931, he was initially sentenced to death by shooting, but then received a “reprieve” in the form of ten years in a penal camp. In 1937 he was arrested again on Solovki Island and, following a brief trial, was shot to death on November 1, 1937.
Father Kappes was a well-known and deeply loved priest in Josefstal/Marienfeld. Stories abound but my grandmother told me that the people loved him and appreciated his kind and servant heart.
He escaped Russia in the 1920′s, working both in Germany and Argentina, to collect aid for his people, the Volga-Germans, back home in Russia. He returned to Russia and subesquently returned to his pastoral work, until his arrest. The following information comes from the book by Roman Dzwonkowski: “Losy duchowienstwa katolockiego w ZSSR 1917-1939. MARTYROLOGIUM”. Lublin 1998. Towarzystwo Naukowe Katolickiego Uniwersitetu Lubelskiego. TNKUL/(Poland) (Excerpt translation courtesy of Rick Rye)
KAPPES, ALOIS, secular name Nicolas (1886 – 1910 -1937. Belonged to the Tiraspol diocese and was a graduate of the seminary in Saratov. In 1910-1914 was priest of the parish of Marienberg on the Volga in the Samara province; deanery in Rovnoye [Seelman], and later (1914-1922) priest of the parish of Marienfeld (Novaya Avilova). At the beginning of 1924 assumed the post of administrator of the parish in Josephstal on the Volga, and chief priest (1928) in Kamyshin, Saratov deanery. Arrested on 14.07.1930, was taken to Butyrki in Moscow, and was tried with various other German priests from the Volga in connection with events there in 1917 by the KZN. Was accused [convicted] of the following crimes:
a. was in a counter-revolutionary cell organized for activity in the USSR which maintained special contacts with the papacy and nationalistic-religious German organizations “Caritas” and “Fuersorge. In that connection went twice to Rome and Germany, where he received special directives from the Pope and directions for those organizations; received money for the conduct of counter-revolutionary activity in the USSR. b. Directed, together with Baumtrog, and created counter-revolutionary organizations of priests, given them practical information on the conduct of counter-revolutionary and espionage activities; participated illegally in consultations of priests, convoked together with Baumtrog.
c. Conducted special spy activity collecting information of economic, political, and military significance and passed on this information through contacts of Metzger, the German ambassador.
d. Took special part in the activity of political bands operating in the Volga region in 1917 – 1920, took active part in preparatory activities and preparations for counter- revolutionary massive uprisings of the German colonists on the Volga at the end of 1929 and the beginning of 1930.
e. Hid from the Soviet authorities with the goal of flight abroad, with forged documents with another name. Convicted of the crimes listed above on the basis of articles 58-2, 58-4, 58-6 and 72 of the Legal Codes of the RSFSR. Under severe interrogation, Kappes confessed to these crimes [262 CAFSBRFNP]. Was twice investigated, in 1922 and 1924, for passage abroad and illegal visits to Germans in America, wherehe collected money for starving German people in Russia, and visited the Vatican. Was also convicted of intent of illegal crossing the border to Poland. on 20.04.1931, on the basis of articles 58-2, 58-4, 58-6,and article 72 of the Complete Codes of the RSFSR, was sentenced to death, and to ten years in the camps, based on the date of 14.07.1930. Arrested at the camp in Solovki on 10.10.1937, and executed by firing squad on 1.11.1937. Ref: [7:syg. 2ER]; [15:1917-1919]; [67]; [88:1931, nr. 24, s. 303]: [262 CAFSBRFNP].
Volga German Researcher Anton Bosch has also published a work on the life and ministry of Father Kappes, which I hope will eventually be translated into English: “Aloisius Kappes – Biographie eines Zeitzeugen von der Wolga”
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