By Olivia Miwil - March 15, 2025 @ 6:41pm
KOTA KINABALU: After 15 years of meticulous research, the truth about the fate of nine Catholic missionaries who perished toward the end of World War II has finally come to light.
In October 1946, the War Crimes Section of the Allied Land Forces in South East Asia (ALFSEA) urged the Church to accept a Japanese report stating that the missionaries had been killed in an Allied air attack on the Japanese General Headquarters in Sapong on July 3, 1945.
However, the Church rejected this account, maintaining that the missionaries were executed by the Japanese.
For decades, debates raged over the cause of their deaths, lacking concrete evidence—until now.
Determined to uncover the truth, Cosmas Lee published a 209-page book, Ultimate Sacrifice: The Tragic and Unaccounted Death of Catholic Missionaries, presenting compelling evidence that the missionaries were, in fact, executed.
"I grew up hearing that they were slaughtered by the Japanese, but then I came across the Japanese report claiming they died in a bombing.
"It was confusing. Such a tragic event deserved resolution, and understanding what truly happened could bring closure," he said, speaking to reporters after the book launch at St Simon Church in Likas, near here.
Lee, a local-born priest of 48 years, has always held German-speaking missionaries in high regard, describing them as exceptional priests who integrated with the local community rather than behaving like colonists.
The nine missionaries were identified as Monsignor August Wachter, Johann Unterberger, Anton Raich, Josef Bohm, Agidius Leiter, Markus Obertegger, Franz Flur, Josef Theurl, and Anton Paulmichl.
Meanwhile, Universiti Malaya history professor Datuk Dr Danny Wong Tze Ken likened Lee's book to an investigative detective story.
Wong commended Lee's extensive efforts, which included interviews with witnesses' descendants, research from war office sources, and retracing the missionaries' journey, including their train route, interactions with Japanese officers, and their connection with the Wong family of Membakut.
Lee also analysed Japanese Army statements asserting that Monsignor Wachter and his companions had perished in an aerial bombardment.
"His evidence, pieced together from various sources, tells a different story.
"While the book primarily deals with the fates of Monsignor Wachter and his companions, it is also, in some way, a tribute to the lives of the missionaries who gave so much to the people of Sabah."Ever since their arrival in the state, they have been agents of socioeconomic change—and, of course, spiritual transformation.
"This is truly a wonderful book. Father Cosmas has demonstrated how good historical research should be conducted and how to present the findings in the most systematic and engaging manner."
Beyond historical investigation, the book highlights the missionaries' significant contributions to Sabah's social and economic development, as well as their spiritual impact.Wong also praised the book's rich visual content, featuring hundreds of photographs—many previously unpublished.
Also present were Archbishop Datuk John Wong, former Ambassador of Malaysia to the Holy See Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, and publisher Datuk C.L. Chan.
Comments
Post a Comment