The new book by Johannes Laichner on the priest Stephan Krismer takes the form of a short biography. Born at Christmas 1777 in the Austrian Karres near Tirol (p. 14), the young Stephan Krismer decided early to become a priest, and was ordanined in 1803 (pp.16–17). The area around Tirol in this period was Catholic (p. 20) but challenged by the French Revolution and the Enlightenment (p. 22). The Hapsburgs had to cede this area to Bavaria in 1805 (p. 30). Krismers was assigned in 1807 to the parish of Arzl, close to his place of birth (p. 28). The transition to Bavarian control had brought many changes. It upset many patriots that Bavaria restricted its Christian traditions. Krismer condemned this (p. 31). His ‘Schrofe-Loch’ homily of 1808, in which he swore allegiance to Tirol's Catholic traditions and rejected, passively and peacefully, Bavarian influence, became famous (p. 33). An uprising against the Bavarians began in Tirol with Krismer in the field as a military pastor. Initially successful (p. 36), it was finally defeated by French and Bavarian troops in November 1809 (p. 39). Continuing disturbances near Arzl, under Krismer, were put down by the Bavarians (p. 45). Krismer became famous in the Tiroler area. He did not suffer any consequences for his involvement in the uprising, but was transferred to other parishes, first to Fiss (p. 48) where, after 1830, he promoted new monasteries (p. 52). He did the same later in Kronburg (p. 56). Krismer retired to Brennbichl in 1851 (p. 60). He was much respected by the people and continued his interest in the monasteries (p. 66). He died at the age of ninety-two in 1869 (p. 68). Johannes Laichner honours Krismer as a pioneer of the faith in Tirol and as a strong promoter and patron of monasteries (p. 72); he uses a wide range of historical and archival sources to elucidate his importance as a priest of Tirol. Although the many illustrations are an attractive complement to the text, the book's brevity means that the treatment of its subject is fundamentally superficial. Only a snapshot is given of the ecclesiastical history of Tirol and its remarkable priest. The topic should be discussed at a much deeper and wider level. Research on Stephan Krismer should continue.