Choosing to perish in this manner.

In the heart of South Tyrol, a memorial stands as a poignant reminder of a tragic event that took place during World War II. This memorial commemorates the execution of Markus Dapunt, a shepherd from a Ladin-speaking Remainer family, born in April 1923 in the municipality of Abtei, Gadertal.

Markus Dapunt's story is not an isolated incident. Hundreds of South Tyroleans faced similar fates during the war. Dapunt was sentenced to death by the SS and Police Court XXXI in 1944, presided over by Johannes Kramer, a high-ranking official during the war era in South Tyrol.

The memorial does not directly mention Kramer, but his role in the event is significant. Kramer served as the presiding judge in the court that sentenced Dapunt to death. Furthermore, his involvement in the judicial proceedings that led to Dapunt's execution raises questions about his potential involvement in other war crimes.

The execution of Markus Dapunt took place on August 29, 1944, at the military shooting range in Kortsch, Schlanders. Josef Gufler, a soldier in Schlanders at the time, recalled in an interview that soldiers were woken "in the wee hours of the morning" to form a square at the execution site. Dapunt, bound like a calf, was reportedly shot as a deterrent example for deserters.

Before his execution, Dapunt is said to have uttered, "Better to die this way. I do not want to go into the afterlife with hatred towards my executioners."

The "Option" of 1939 aimed at resettling German and Ladin-speaking minorities in South Tyrol to the German Reich, dividing South Tyrolean society into "Optants" and "Remainers." Hundreds of South Tyroleans refused service and hid in their homeland or risked dangerous routes to neighboring regions or neutral Switzerland. Family members of deserters faced a higher risk than in Tyrol and Vorarlberg, as they were deported to the transit camp Bozen-Sigmundskron and their farms were confiscated.

A comprehensive overview of war memorials and monuments in South Tyrol can be found on the website of the South Tyrol Regional Archives. The overview does not specifically mention Johannes Kramer, but it serves as a testament to the region's efforts to remember and honour its wartime victims.

As we reflect on the execution of Markus Dapunt and the role of Johannes Kramer in this event, we are reminded of the darker chapters in South Tyrol's history during World War II. Further research is needed to understand the full extent of Kramer's involvement in war crimes during his tenure.