From 1938 onwards he was banned from giving religious education at the local school in Oberschwarzach, meaning he had to hold first communion and confirmation classes in secret.

Due to critical remarks against the Nazi regime in his teaching and preaching – he is said to have referred to them, among other things, as "brown dung beetles"[1] – he was frequently arrested and questioned by the Gestapo.

Häfner came as requested, but left the party-member to sign a deathbed confession that his second civil-ceremony marriage was invalid before God and his conscience.

Although Vicar-General Franz Miltenberger interceded for him, Häfner was moved to the so-called 'priest block' at Dachau on 12 December 1941 without a court-order.

Günter Putz, announced that the beatification ceremony would occur on 15 May 2011 at the Kiliansdom in Würzburg[4][5][6] – its motto would be "simple, believing, consistent".