Edmund Molnar (7 March 1923 in Hallein - 26 May 1944 in Berlin-Tegel) was an Austrian locksmith who was sentenced to death and executed by the Nazi regime for so-called ‘Wehrkraftzersetzung’.

Life
Molnar came from a Christian and socially-minded family and completed an apprenticeship as a locksmith as well as labour service. He eventually received his call-up order to join the German Wehrmacht. He served as a private in Panzerjäger-Ersatzabteilung 48 in Cilli in Lower Styria, had a political argument with some of his comrades in August 1943 and got carried away with two reckless statements about Adolf Hitler. He was denounced, arrested, transferred to the Wehrmacht detention centre in Graz and sent to the Wehrmacht prison in Berlin-Tegel the following month. On 16 November 1943, after a half-hour trial, he was sentenced to death for subversion of military power, although he was blameless and had always conducted himself impeccably. The statements that led to the death sentence: ‘The Führer's mother was Jewish and if he found a picture of the Führer in a hotel room, it would be taken away from him.’

Molnar's parents did not learn of their son's arrest from the authorities, but from a comrade of Edmund's, who wrote to them on 25 August 1943: ‘Dear Mr Molnar! Your son will not be able to write to you for some time. Please don't worry about that. He is under arrest for something stupid. I will write to you as soon as I know more.’ Molnar's parents immediately applied for clemency and instructed a lawyer.

Edmund Molnar began writing a diary on death row, which has been preserved. He was terrified not only by the imminent execution, but also by the frequent air raids on Berlin. According to the diary entries, he did not know two days before the execution whether he would be pardoned or executed. Shortly before his execution at 8.20 a.m., he was allowed to write a few lines to his family. The execution took place unexpectedly on 26 May 1944. His parents received the death notice by post:

‘The death sentence issued on 16 November against your son, Private Edmund Molnar, was carried out on the firing range in Berlin-Tegel after confirmation on 26 May 1944. Death notices or obituaries in newspapers, magazines and the like are forbidden. A final farewell letter from her son is enclosed.’

- Letter from the Central Court of the Army dated 31 May 1944

Background to the death sentence
The Hallein Stumbling Stones project summarises Molnar's fate, saying that it ‘vividly demonstrates the ruthlessness and relentlessness with which the National Socialist tyranny was able to destroy the individual.’ Molnar's father, a master carpenter, was an outspoken opponent of National Socialism and was one of the few Hallein residents to vote against the so-called ‘Anschluss’ of Austria to Hitler's Germany on 10 April 1938. Molnar's parents asked the district leader Rudolf von Kurz and Mayor Alexander Gruber to pardon their son, but the Hallein NSDAP officials turned a deaf ear. The honorary chairwoman of the Salzburg Concentration Camp Association, Agnes Primocic, and the historians investigating the case suspect that this could also be linked to the father's voting behaviour on 10 April 1938. According to Primocic's assessment, Molnar was ‘only sentenced to death because the whole family were outspoken opponents of the Nazis and very strongly Christian.’

Commemoration

Stumbling stone for Edmund Molnar
In his memory, Carolinenplatz in the historic centre of Hallein was renamed Eduard-Molnar-Platz after 1945. The square was subsequently divided into Florianiplatz and Molnarplatz.

A Stumbling Stone was laid by Gunter Demnig on 20 April 2013 at Edmund Molnar's former home address, now Molnarplatz 14. Its inscription reads: HERE LIVED EDMUND MOLNAR, born 1923, ARRESTED 14 August 1943, ‘WEHRKRAFTZERSETZUNG’, BERLIN-TEGEL, EXECUTED 26 May 1944.

Diary entries
Edmund Molnar began writing a diary on death row, which has been preserved.

29 January 1944: ‘And today began just as yesterday ended. It was a great night, phosphorus rushed past the window like rain. But I got away safely ... The attack was in the morning hours from 3 to 4.30 a.m.’
30 January 1944: ‘Today I can record two air raids, the first was harmless between 12 and 1 pm. But the second one at 8 to 9 pm. One floor above us was on fire, the night was as bright as day. That was enough for me.’
2 March 1944: ‘Today they took off my shackles, which I'd had since 16 November. It's a very rare feeling to sleep without shackles.’
12 March 1944: ‘Today is Sunday again, I hope it passes well. Well, the night passed well, which of course doesn't mean without a fright. Because on the night from Sunday to Monday, people are usually picked up for execution.’

13 April 1944: ‘A parcel has arrived, in addition to biscuits it also contained 20 cigarettes and a piece of cheese. Air raids on Berlin during the night, bombs also fell in Spandau.’
14 April 1944: ‘After a long time, I was able to put my body in the laundry again...’
21 April 1944: ‘Today we had to be photographed. Hopefully I'll see a picture like this one day.’
25 April 1944: ‘A parcel arrived from my dear mother with a biscuit and 20 cigarettes. Now the time has come again when nature turns into one big miracle and I've now been locked up for 260 days.’
24 May 1944: ‘Air raid alarm at night from 12.45 am to 1.45 am and from 11 am to 12 am. One could be seen crashing from the cell. But the third followed at 12.30 a.m., but only for a quarter of an hour. I had just received two letters, one from Heidi and one from Mum; the latter contained ten flints and cigarette papers. It's always a nice day when you receive mail from your loved ones.’

Farewell letter
‘My dear, dear parents and siblings! My dear, dear parents, it is difficult for me to write these lines to you, who have done everything for me. But God will give you the strength to overcome this blow, just as he will give me the strength to leave this world calmly and with firm faith in him... I have expressed the wish that the body be handed over to you, my loved ones. Dear parents and siblings, pray for me, I will do so with our father. Dearest, I am going home with a clear conscience ... So, my dears, the priest has just been with me and I must close and commend you to God. Your Mundi.’