The Franziskus-Marterl is a chapel-shrine in the southeast of the unfinished Wackersdorf reprocessing plant (WAA) "Im Blaubeerwald" in Altenschwand (Bodenwöhr, Schwandorf (district), Bavaria). The WAA resistance marterl is dedicated to Francis of Assisi and is surrounded by several other protest monuments. The "Franziskus-Marterl" is a stone reminder of the fight against the reprocessing plant.Gedenken an den WAA- Baustopp - (de:Onetz, 31 May 2014)
History The chapel was built in 1984 on Michael Meier's property. A building permit was not required for the small structure. On September 30, 1984, the wayside shrine chapel was consecrated by Catholic priest Richard Salzl together with Protestant pastor Matthias Kietz.Trauer um WAA-Pfarrer Richard Salzl – 30 Jahre wirkte er in Penting und Seebarn. (Mourning for WAA pastor Richard Salzl – he served in Penting and Seebarn for 30 years.), Mittelbayerische Zeitung, 14 September 2023
At the shrine in the mid-1980s, WAA opponents met every Sunday at 14:00 for an ecumenical prayer and then moved into the area or to the hoarding. This is the same place where today the "Marterlgemeinde" meet four times a year to a prayer: at the Chernobyl disasterGedenken an die Atom-Katastrophe – Für die Mitglieder der Marterlgemeinde ist der Widerstand gegen Kernenergie heute so aktuell wie vor 25 Jahren. archive – (Mittelbayerische Zeitung vom 25. April 2011) and Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in memory of the shrine's saint Francis of Assisi on 3 October and on Christmas Eve.
Monument ensemble The Franziskus-Marterl includes several monuments: St. Francis Chapel, 1984; artist Stolen Cross of Wackersdorf, 1985; Cross of WackersdorfDas Kreuz von Wackersdorf (The corss of Wackersdorf), Chrismon-magazine, August 2011 1986; artist Stefan Preisl The torn Man (Der zerrissene Mensch); 1987, artist Stations of the Cross Memorial Cross Wackersdorf-Gorleben 1988 God's bow to protect the earth 1989; artist Valerie Schwandner (Schwarzenfeld) further memorial plaques and resistance trees
Films, podcasts, and eyewitness accounts 1996: Wackersdorf – Ein Mythos (Wackersdorf – a myth?) What became of the WAA fighters of yesteryear?Wackersdorf – Ein Mythos (Wackersdorf – a myth?), Medienwerkstatt Franken 1996, 24 min
2006: Schreckgespenst WAA – Widerstand in Wackersdorf (The WAA Reprocessing Plant Swarm Response – Resistance in Wackersdorf)Schreckgespenst WAA – Widerstand in Wackersdorf, Medienwerkstatt Franken 2006, vimeo 25 min
2014: (Catholic priest) reports on the Sunday walks as a form of protest against the WAA in Wackersdorf and the associated clashes with the police.Andreas Schlagenhaufer: Sonntagsspaziergänge als Protestform und Auseinandersetzungen mit der Polizei, contemporary witness report, HdBG 2014, 4 min
2015: Stolen Cross of Wackersdorf: (wood sculptor) reports on the erection of the wooden cross with the Christ figure he carved in the Wackersdorf hut village and its removal by the police during the eviction.Stefan Preisl über die Errichtung des ersten Holzkreuzes, contemporary witness report, HdBG 2015, 4 min
2015: Cross of Wackersdorf: Stefan Preisl reports on the creation and erection of the second wooden Christ figure, which can still be seen at the wayside cross in Wackersdorf today.Stefan Preisl über die Errichtung des zweiten Holzkreuzes, contemporary witness report, HdBG 2015, 4 min
2015: Claus Bößenecker (legal officer) reports on the erection of the wayside cross near the construction fence and the importance of religion in the resistance against the WAA Wackersdorf.Claus Bößenecker: Errichtung des Marterls und Bedeutung der Religion im WAA-Widerstand, contemporary witness report, HdBG 2015, 4 min
2018: Students in the 12th grade and their teacher, Leonhard Riedmeier, from the Oskar-von-Miller Vocational School Center in Schwandorf, Neunburg vorm Wald branch, restored the Franziskus-Marterl and other objects in its vicinity.Schüler haben Franziskus-Marterl restauriert. (Students have restored the Franzsikus-Marterl), Oberpfalz TV, 18 April 2018, 3 min
2024: Franziskus-Marterl digitalMein Landkreis Schwandorf: Franziskusmarterl digital., Oberpfalz TV (OTV), 27 October 2024, 12 Min
2024: Franziskus-Marterl in Wackersdorf: Christian Resistance against Nuclear Power with , Hans Schuierer, Andreas Schlagenhaufer, Franziskus-Marterl in Wackersdorf: Christlicher Widerstand gegen Atomkraft., Deutschlandfunk (DLF), 30 September 2024, 10 min
2026: Interview with Wolfgang NowakOberpfälzer Heimat: Widerstand gegen die WAA Wackersdorf am Franziskusmarterl (also at YouTube), interview with , Oberpfalz TV, 24 October 2026, 7 min
2026: 40 years ago: Environmental protests in Wackersdorf - The role of churches in the Wackersdorf protestsVor 40 Jahren: Umweltproteste in Wackersdorf (40 years ago: Environmental protests in Wackersdorf with and ), BR24, 1 April 2026, YouTube, 3 min
2026: 40 years after the Easter Monday demonstration: Hans Schuierer at the Franziskus-Marterl from BUND Naturschutz honored40 Jahre nach Ostermontags-Demonstration: Hans Schuierer vom BUND Naturschutz am ausgezeichnet, Oberpfalz TV, 31 March 2026, YouTube, 3 Min
See also List of memorials related to the Wackersdorf reprocessing plant
References
External links
Christian resistance - The Franziskus-Marterl is being built, Uli Otto: Kultur gegen die WAA, 2023) Atom-Aus: Andenken und Party bis zum Abschalten, Oberpfalz TV, 17 April 2023