The History of The Passionists
The following links will direct you to informational Passionist websites throughout the Internet. The links are arranged by general topics.
The Passionist Historical Archives
Fr. Viktor Koch, C.P.
The Very Reverend Fr. Viktor Koch (1873-1955) was a Passionist missionary who left Pittsburgh in 1922 to co-found a new province of the Order in Germany and Austria. While struggling to lead the new German-Austrian Foundation through the chaos of Nazi rule, Fr. Koch became the revered spiritual leader to citizens of the devout Catholic town of Schwarzenfeld. His influence and presence in the Bavarian town proved especially vital in the final days of World War II, when American forces discovered a mass grave on Schwarzenfeld’s border and threatened reprisals against the townspeople. Fr. Viktor’s story is being researched by his great nephew Gary Koch and his great grandneice Katherine Koch. A historical fiction novel about Fr. Viktor’s travails in Nazi Germany is in progress. Learn more about the book and research project at the website here.
See and hear Katherine Koch present Fr. Victor Koch’s story in Germany
