The Man Who Whipped Hitler: A MyHeritage User’s Surprising Discovery About Her Ancestor

Pamela’s journey to uncover her biological family’s history began several years ago during the COVID-19 pandemic. As an adoptee, she had always been curious about her origins, but it wasn’t until she found herself with more time during the pandemic that she decided to dig deeper into her roots. Her search, which started with MyHeritage.com, led to an incredible and unexpected discovery about her biological grandfather — a man who, during a fateful clash in 1927, had whipped Adolf Hitler with a belt.

Pamela’s research began with a methodical approach. “It was about 3 years ago that I started really looking into my family history,” she explains. As a former journalist, she approached her search like a puzzle, piecing together documents, newspaper articles, and DNA matches. “I approached it the same way I did with my adoption, which was like I had different pieces of paper. I took all the information. I kind of crowdsourced it to get the full picture.”

One day, while going through the historical newspaper collections on OldNews.com, Pamela came across an article that piqued her interest. The newspaper clipping described a violent brawl between socialists and Nazis in Hungary in 1927. In the middle of the chaos, a man had whipped none other than Adolf Hitler himself with a belt. As she read through the article, Pamela realized that the man mentioned was her biological grandfather, Steve. “It was surreal to read that and to think that this was my grandfather,” she says.

An article about the incident in the Spokane Chronicle, January 15, 1940

Stefan “Steve” Zakall was born István Zakáll on November 5, 1904 in Zarany, Sopron, Hungary, which was renamed Zagersdorf, Burgenland, Austria after the signing of the Treaty of Trianon and border changes following WWI. The fourth oldest of 12 children born to János “Johann” Zakáll — a day laborer — and María Bugnyar, he came of age in a rapidly-changing and often violent world, carving his path as a bricklayer and carpenter.

With a passion for weightlifting and strength training, Steve committed the time and effort needed to gain the focus, technique, and strength required of a professional strongman, eventually taking part in competitions and display performances, where athletes would demonstrate their strength in a variety of ways, including chain breaking, lifting barbells and dumbbells, stone crushing, and steel bending.

Steve Zakall in the center of the front row wearing dark pants, a white muscle shirt, and a white jacket. July 15, 1927, Vienna, Austria. Courtesy of the family

As an athlete, he became a member of the Republikanischer Schutzbund (SchB), a volunteer militia of the Social Workers’ Democratic Party (SDAP). The paramilitary wing of the SDAP had emerged in 1923, and was formed as a response to rising political violence and as a counterweight to the well-funded military groups of the far-right.

At the time, tensions were high, especially between the far-left and the far-right, and violent outbreaks were common. Steve, like many members of the Schutzbund, had joined to protect his community and stand against the rising tide of fascism.

Steve had been part of a local home guard, traveling from town to town to act as a deterrent against the growing strength of right-wing forces. On January 30, 1927, he found himself in the small Austrian town of Schattendorf, where a confrontation between the Schutzbund and right-wing paramilitaries escalated into violence. This incident, later known as “The Shots of Schattendorf,” became a defining moment in Austrian history. Two people were killed, including a young child, during the clash.

Pamela describes how her grandfather was in the thick of it. He wasn’t just a passive observer but directly engaged in the fight, armed with a belt — one of the only weapons available to him. During the skirmish, he struck Adolf Hitler, the leader of the Nazi party, with the belt. “He hit Hitler with a belt,” Pamela says. “It was a chaotic moment, but he made direct contact.”

The confrontation wasn’t just any skirmish. The Shots of Schattendorf would later spark nationwide outrage, especially after the men responsible for the killings were acquitted in a controversial trial. The subsequent acquittal enraged the socialist movement and directly led to the July Revolt in Vienna later that year. In this revolt, violence erupted across the city, and the political fabric of Austria was irrevocably altered. The incident is remembered as a turning point that paved the way for the eventual rise of fascism in Austria.

Pamela explains that her grandfather had a lasting mark from his role in that fight. In her research, she discovered a photograph of him taken in 1927. “There’s actually a photo of him on a train, and it’s from January 30, 1927,” she says. “He and a group of other Schutzbund members were on their way to Schattendorf.” In the photo, Steve is wearing a uniform — though not a military-issued one. “It’s important to remember that these men were volunteers. They paid for their own uniforms, and the weapons they had were mostly old World War I stock.” The image of her grandfather in his makeshift uniform struck Pamela deeply. “Seeing him dressed like that, it really connected me to his story. He was part of something much bigger than himself.”

Steve’s involvement in the Schutzbund made him a target. As soon as the fight was over, word spread quickly about the clash with Hitler, and Steve found himself in immediate danger. “He had to flee,” Pamela explains. “There was a price on his head because of that fight, and he had no choice but to leave the country.”

“Down with the Death-boys,” “Revenge.” Steve (Stefan) Zakall, third from the right, on the way to Schattendorf. January 30, 1927. Courtesy of the family

With the help of two Allied war veterans, Steve was smuggled out of Austria and eventually made his way to Canada in 1929. His family followed shortly afterward, and they settled in British Columbia, where Steve, who was a bricklayer and carpenter while living in Austria, started a new life as an orchardist in the heart of Canada’s Okanagan Valley. Despite leaving Europe behind, the memory of the fight never left him.

Years later, when applying for Canadian citizenship, Steve’s story came up again. During the naturalization process, he was asked by a judge if he would be willing to defend his newly adopted country. Without hesitation, Steve replied, “I would welcome the opportunity to do it again,” referring to his earlier fight against the Nazis. Pamela explains, “That bold statement caught the attention of a court reporter, and the story spread quickly.” It was picked up by newspapers across Canada, including The Montreal Gazette and The Vancouver Sun. The fight with Hitler and Steve’s readiness to fight again became a symbol of resistance in the face of oppression.

Steve was married 3 times and had 12 children altogether: 8 daughters and 4 sons. While he continued to pursue his love of weightlifting, he became an avid orchardist and worked hard at his craft until his passing on January 19, 1986 of a heart attack at the age of 81. He is buried next to family at the Oliver Cemetery.

As Pamela delved deeper into her family’s history, she was struck by how few of her relatives knew about this incredible story. “They knew that he had been a strongman and weightlifter, a few family members did know that he had been involved in some form of resistance, but they didn’t know with whom, to what extent, or the magnitude of it,” she says. This discovery not only amazed her but also brought her closer to her newfound family members.

Watch a brief clip of her speaking with us about her discovery experience:

Reflecting on her grandfather’s story, Pamela realized the importance of sharing stories that might otherwise be forgotten. “Obviously we can learn from these stories, and we can be fascinated by them,” she said. The trauma of the interwar period, she added, likely contributed to why many of these stories remain untold. “It was a volatile time, and a lot of people that went through the wars and the interwar period in Europe didn’t talk a lot about it. And for good reason, there’s a lot of trauma involved.”

For Pamela, uncovering her grandfather’s past was not just a personal revelation but a reminder of the power of individual actions. “If he hadn’t made those choices or if he hadn’t gotten out of the country, I wouldn’t exist,” she reflects. “You start to think about how many lives wouldn’t exist if these small decisions hadn’t been made.”

Pamela believes that her grandfather’s choice to stand up and fight against fascism is a story worth telling. “He chose to stand up and fight, and that’s something worth remembering.” Though the fight with Hitler didn’t change the course of history, it shaped her family’s future and serves as a reminder of the importance of resisting evil even against overwhelming odds.

“These stories are really important for a lot of reasons,” she concludes. “They connect us to the past and help us understand how even small acts of resistance can echo across generations.”