Bamberg

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The Archdiocese of Bamberg, in the kingdom ofBavaria, embraces almost the whole of the presidency of Upper Franconia, the northern part of Middle Franconia (in particular the cities ofNuremberg, Furth, Ansbach, and Erlangen), parts of Lower Franconia, of the Upper Palatinate, and of the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg. According to the census of 1 December, 1900, the archdiocese then contained 379,442Catholics; in 1907 theCatholics numbered 410,000 and members of otherdenominations 720,000. Bamberg as anecclesiastical province includes, besides the Archdiocese of Bamberg, the suffragandioceses ofWürzburg,Eichstätt, and Speyer, all ofBavaria.

History

In the early centuries the region afterwards included in the Diocese of Bamberg was inhabited for the most part bySlavs; theknowledge ofChristianity was brought to these people chiefly by themonks of theBenedictine Abbey ofFulda, and the land was under the spiritual authority of theDiocese of Würzburg. The Emperor Henry II and hispious wife Kunigunde decided to erect a separatebishopric at Bamberg, which was afamily inheritance. The emperor's purpose in this was to make theDiocese of Würzburg less unwieldy in size and to giveChristianity a firmer footing in the districts of Franconia. In 1008, after long negotiations with the Bishops ofWürzburg and Eichstätt, who were to cede portions of theirdioceses, the boundaries of the new diocese were defined, andJohn XVIII granted thepapal confirmation in the same year. The newcathedral wasconsecrated 6 May, 1012, and in 1017 Henry II founded on Mount St. Michael, near Bamberg, aBenedictineabbey for the training of theclergy. The emperor and his wife gave large temporal possessions to the new diocese, and it received many privileges out of which grew thesecular power of thebishop (cf. Weber in "Historisches Jahrbuch der Gorresgesellschaft" for 1899, 326-345 and 617-639).Pope Benedict VIII during his visit to Bamberg (1020) placed the diocese in direct dependence on theHoly See. In 1248 and 1260 thesee obtained large portions of the estates of the Counts of Meran, partly through purchase and partly through the appropriation of extinguished fiefs. The old Bishopric of Bamberg was composed of an unbroken territory extending from Schlusselfeld in a north-easterly direction to the Franconian Forest, and possessed in addition estates in the Duchies of Carinthia and Salzburg, in the Nordgau (the present Upper Palatinate), inThuringia, and on the Danube. By the changes resulting from theReformation the territory of this see was reduced nearly one half in extent; in 1759 the possessions and jurisdictions situated inAustria were sold to that State. When the secularization of church lands took place (1802) the diocese covered 1276 square miles and had a population of 207,000souls.

Up to this period the Diocese of Bamberg had been ruled by 63bishops. The first eight were appointed by the German emperors; after this they were chosen by theclergy and people jointly; still later they were elected by thecathedral chapter. On several occasions, when the election was disputed, the appointment was made by thepope. The firstbishop, Eberhard I (1007-40), chancellor to Henry II, greatly increased the possessions of thediocese; Suidger (1040-46) becamepope under the name ofClement II; Hartwig (1047-53) defended therights of hissee against theBishop ofWürzburg and received thepallium from thepope in 1053; Adalbero (1053-57) was followed by Gunther (1057-65) who held the first synod of Bamberg (1058). Gunther died at Odenburg (Sopron) inHungary, while on acrusade. Hermann (1065-75) acquired the Principality of Banz; in the struggle between the empire and thepapacy he took the side of the empire. He was charged with obtaining his election bysimony and deposed. Rupert (1075-1102), as partisan ofHenry IV, was a member of the pseudo-Synod ofBrixen which declaredPope Gregory VII to be deposed; on this account thebishop wasexcommunicated. During his episcopate Rupert did much for the encouragement of classical learning in the diocese. St. Otto I (1102039), the Apostle of thePrussians and Pomeranians, had a large share in the reconciliation of thepope and the emperor by the Concordat of Worms; he founded numerous churches andmonasteries and during a famine showed large-hearted generosity to his subjects. Otto's immediate successors were men of less distinction: Egilbert (1139-46), who had beenPatriarch ofAquileia; Eberhard II of Otelingen (1146-70) who with great pomp celebrated, in 1147, thecanonization of Henry II. Eberhard increased the territory of thediocese, but, being a partisan ofFrederick I, he was for a time under sentence ofexcommunication. He was succeeded by Hermann II, of Aucach (1170-77).Otto II, of Andechs (1177-96), rebuilt in 1181 thecathedral, which had been burned.Otto II understood how to remain loyal both to the emperor and thepope. Thiemo (1196-1202) obtained in 1200 thecanonization of the Empress Kunigunde, joint foundress with the emperor Henry II of thesee; Conrad, Duke of Silesia (1201-03), died soon after his election; Eckbert, Count of Meran and Andechs (1203-37), was suspected of being privy to themurder of King Philip ofGermany in 1208; the ban of the empire was proclaimed against him, and he was removed form hissee, but in 1212 he was restored, and in 1217 took part in an unsuccessfulcrusade to Palestine. In spite of his warlike disposition he waszealous in promoting the spiritual life of hisclergy. Poppo I, Count of Andechs (1237-42), soon retired from his office; Henry I of Bilberstein (1242-51) received from the emperor the title of Prince-Bishop for himself and his successors, as well as numerousrights of sovereignty. Thenceforth the Bishops of Bamberg hadecclesiastical precedence directly after thearchbishops.

Their power was encroached on, however, from two directions; on the one side by thecathedral canons, the so-called Brothers of St. George, who abandoned thevita communis during the episcopate of Bishop Berthold of Leiningen (1257-85) and developed gradually into acathedral chapter. In time thecathedral chapter of Bamberg was chosen, as in other Germandioceses, exclusively from the nobility; the chapter, by so-called election pacts (Wahlkapitulationen) forced thebishops to abandon numerous privileges and many of the church livings under their control in favour of the chapter, limited thebishop's disciplinary authority over theclergy as well as his right to levy taxes, and abridged other powers. The episcopal authority was also limited, as in other parts ofGermany, by the growing power of the towns which rebelled against the secularjurisdiction of theecclesiastical princes. Thus the city of Bamberg revolted (1291) against Arnold of Solms (1286-96), a quarrel which was settled in 1291 by arbitration in favour of thebishop. During this episcopate the finances of thediocese became much involved, and theindebtedness increased under Leopold I of Grundlach (1297-1303). ADominican appointed by thepope, Wulfing of Stubenberg (1304-18), founded in Bamberg aDominicanmonastery and aconvent ofDominicannuns. Several of the succeedingbishops ruled for brief periods: John of Guttingen (1322-23), afterwardsBishop of Friesing; Henry II of Sternberg (1324-28), aDominican; John, Count of Nassau (1328-29), who died beforeconsecration; Werntho Schenk of Reicheneck (1320-35); Leopold II of Egloffstein 91335-43), who maintainedecclesiastical discipline in hisdiocese and shrewdly kept out of the quarrels betweenpope and emperor. Frederick I of Hohenlohe (1344-52) did much to establish peace between the imperial andecclesiastical authorities; in 1348 he had a register (urbarium) drawn up of all the estates andrights belonging to thesee. Leopold III of Bebenburg (1353-63) was granted the right ofcoinage and re-established the disordered finances of thesee.Frederick II of Truhendingen (1364-66) was followed by Louis, Margrave ofMeissen (1366-74), who soon became Elector ofMainz. Lamprecht ofBrünn (1374-98), formerlyBishop ofStrasburg, imposed new taxes in order to reduce theindebtedness of thesee. This led to a revolt of the citizens of Bamberg, and thebishop was put to flight in 1379; in 1380 he conquered the city and imposed heavy penalties upon it. Albert, Count of Wertheim (1399-1421), settled a quarrel of many years' standing with the Burgrave ofNuremberg and protected theJews living in the diocese. Frederick III of Aufsess (1421-31), one of the most religious princes of his age, convened asynod in order to restoreecclesiastical discipline and to check theavarice and immorality of theclergy; the opposition to these reforms, especially that of thecathedral canons, forced him to resign thesee (d. 1440). Anthony of Rotenhan (1432-59) was unable to improve the bad condition of the episcopal finances of thebishopric; in 1440 the citizens of Bamberg forced him to flee, but he soon afterwards took the city by storm and executed a number of the citizens. Thediocese was several times devastated byHussites. More peaceful times now followed: George I of Schaumberg (1459-75), an able ruler, restoredecclesiastical discipline among the people,clergy, andmonasteries, and encouraged the newly discovered art of printing (the printer Pfister had a press at Bamberg as early as 1460). Philip of Henneberg (1475-87) continued the labours of his predecessor, redeemed a large number of the estates mortgaged by Anthony of Rotenhan to theJews, and in 1478 drove theJews out of thediocese. Henry III Gross of Tockau (1487-1501) was an energetic organizer and issued a number oflaws; in 1491 he held a synod. Veit I Truchsess of Pommersfelden (1501-03) and George II Marschalk of Ebnet (1503-05) had very brief reigns.

The period of theReformation was an unfortunate one for the diocese.Luther's doctrines very soon found entrance into its territory. The fortiethbishop, George III Schenk ofLimburg (1502-22), did much to encourage art and the erection of churches, but he showed himself weak in his opposition to the religious innovations and allowed the writings of theReformers to be printed and spread in the diocese.Luther's doctrines also found friends and well-wishers in thecathedral chapter. Weigand of Redwitz (1522-56) desired to make a stand against the progress of theReformation, but was prevented by political and social conflicts. In 1524 the peasants, excited by the preaching of evangelical freedom by the adherents of the new teachings, revolted in several places and refused to paytithes. The city of Bamberg also rebelled against thebishop; the citizens called on the peasants for aid, plundered the episcopal palace, the houses of the canons andclergy, themonasteries, and a large number of estates in the open country which belonged to the nobles andclergy. George von Truchsess, commander of the army of the Swabian Confederation, restored order; a number of the revolutionary leaders were executed, a heavy punishment was inflicted on the city of Bamberg, and the nobles who had suffered loss received unnecessarily large compensation. In spite of thebishop'szeal forsouls, theReformation spread through thediocese, andProtestantism gained a footing, especially inNuremberg and in the Franconian possessions of the Electors of Brandenburg. This period was followed by an era of calm during the episcopates of George IV Fuchs von Rugheim (1556-61), Veit II ofWürzburg (1561-77), John George I Zobel of Giebelstadt (1577-80), Martin von Eyb (1580-83); none of these men, however, were able to correct abuses and reduce thedebts of thesee. Thecathedral chapter was chiefly responsible for the troubles under which the diocese suffered; their nepotism,simony, avoidance ofordination to thepriesthood, and, in many cases, theirevil lives (concubinage was common) prevented reform. Ernst von Mengersdorf (1583-91) took energetic measures against the moral decay ofclergy and people; in 1585 he founded aseminary in Bamberg for the training of priests; he also did much to improve the material welfare of the people. Neithart von Thungen (1591-98) laboured with great success in behalf of the counter-Reformation; he provided for theeducation of theclergy, enlarged theecclesiastical seminary, and re-established theCatholic religion in his territory in accordance with the then accepted principles of law. A less successful episcopate was that of John Philip von Gebsattel (1599-1609), during whose reign the pest desolated the diocese. John Gottfried von Aschhausen (1609-22), who, after 1617, was alsoBishop ofWürzburg, took energetic measures againstconcubinage among theclergy. In 1612 he called in theJesuits, to whom he gave the house and church of theCarmelites; he put theJesuits in charge of theecclesiastical seminary and made them thecathedral preachers. In this way thebishop insured the reform of hisclergy and the spiritual renewal ofCatholicism. There is one stain on his memory which also rests on that of his successor: the toleration and encouragement of trials forwitchcraft.

Many misfortunes befell the diocese during theThirty Years War; among those were heavywar imposts, spoliation, and devastation. In 1632 Bamberg was conquered by the Swedes, and in 1633 wasobliged to recognize Barnard of Weimar as its ruler. Bishop John George II Fuchs von Dornheim (1623-33) died in Carinthia far away from hissee. Franz von Hatzfeld (1633-42) was not able to enter hisdiocese until 1635. Melchior Otto Voit ofSalzburg (1642-53) changed the gymnasium into auniversity in 1647; his successors, Philip Valentine Voit von Reineck (1655-72), Philip von Dernbach (1672-83), Marquard Sebastian Schenk von Stauffenberg (1683-93), followed his example in encouraging the spiritual activity of theJesuits and other orders, in the improvement ofschools, and in reducing theindebtedness of thediocese. A time of great prosperity was the period of the two Counts von Schönborn, Lothair Franz (1693-1729), and Frederick Charles (1729-46). After 1695 the former of these twobishops, Lothair Franz, was elected Elector ofMainz; he built the prince-bishop's palace (now a royal residence), a large college for theJesuits, as well as several castles, and was a great patron of art and learning; the latter, Frederick Charles, added faculties oflaw and medicine to theuniversity and adorned the city with numerous public buildings. On account of hispulpit eloquence his contemporaries gave him the name of the German Fleury. The reigns of the nextbishops, John Philip Anthony von Frankenstein (1746-53) and Franz Conrad, Count von Stadion (1753-57), were also peaceful. During the administration of Adam Frederick, Count von Seinsehim (1757-79), the diocese suffered greatly from the Seven Years War; during its progress thePrussians ravaged and plundered the region, levied contributions on the inhabitants, and carried off the church treasures. When pestilence and famine followed the other miseries ofwar thebishop showed great liberality in providing for his starving subjects. Franz Ludwig von Erthal (1779-95), who was at the same timeBishop ofWürzburg, was anotherprelate who aimed to promote the welfare of thediocese; he issued wiselaws tried to equalize the burdens of taxation, foundedcharitable institutions (the generalhospital at Bamberg among them), and raised the standard of theclergy. But although personally religious, in the political relations of theChurch he yielded in a measure to the prevailing tendencies of theAufklarung (illumination) movement of his day. Christoph Franz von Buseckj (1745-1802) was the last Prince-Bishop of Bamberg. In 1796 he took refuge at Prague from the French invasion, and in 1799 at Saalfeld. He had only just returned, in 1802, whenBavaria seized his prince-bishopric; and in 1803 the delegates of the empire formally enacted the secularization of Bamberg, and allotted it to be a possession of the Elector ofBavaria. All the provostships andmonasteries were then suppressed, theuniversity was changed into the still extant lyceum, and the prince-bishop was pensioned.

Upon the death of von Buseck (1805) George Charles von Fechenbach,Bishop ofWürzburg, administered the affairs of thediocese until 1808. After this thesee remainedvacant for ten years; theecclesiastical government was carried on by a vicariate-general, consisting of a president and eight counsellors. The concordat agreed upon betweenBavaria andRome in 1817 brought in a new era. Bamberg was made anarchbishopric with boundaries as given at the beginning of this article. The firstarchbishop, Count Joseph von Stubenberg, previously Prince-Bishop ofEichstätt, took possession of thearchiepiscopal see of Bamberg in 1818 and administered bothdioceses until his death in 1824. Bishop von Stubenberg deserves great credit for the manner in which he protected theproperty of theCatholicChurch. He was followed by (1824-52) Joseph Maria, Freiherr von Fraunberg, who had beenBishop ofAugsburg, (1842-58) Boniface Caspar von Urban, (1858-75) Michael von Deinlein, who founded aseminary for boys and encouragedCatholic associations and missions among the people, (1875-90) Frederick von Schreiber, and (1890-1904) Joseph von Schork, a notedpulpit orator. Archbishop von Schork promoted missions (Volksmissionen) among the people, as well as charitable and social organizations amongclergy andlaity. Frederick Philip von Abert (b. at Munnerstadt, 1 May, 1852) was appointedArchbishop, 30 January, 1905.

Ecclesiastical statistics

The Archdiocese of Bamberg is divided into thearchiepiscopal commissariat of the city of Bamberg and 20 rural deaneries. Thediocesan year-book for 1906 gives: 194parishes and dependent stations; 35 curacies; 113 chaplaincies; 58benefices; 583churches andchapels; 406secular clergy; 29regularclergy; 788Catholicparishschools; 23Catholic districtschool inspectors; 202 localschool inspectors. Thecathedral chapter is composed of 1provost, 6 deans, 10 canons, 1 honorary canon, and sixcurates. Thesecular priests have aclerical association (Faaedus Ottonianum) with 320 members and a home for invalid priests; the association has also a retiring fund (Emeritenfonds) of $92,500. There are 7 houses of male orders, with 90 members, namely: 4Franciscan with 17priests and 29 brothers; 1 of CalcedCarmelites with 5priests, 3clerics, and 7 brothers; 1 of ConventualMinorites, with 5priests, 5 brothers, and 3novices; 1 of Brothers of Charity, with 2priests, 11 brothers, and threenovices. The archdiocese contains a large number of houses of thefemale orders and congregations: 17 houses, in 8 localities, of theEnglish Ladies (Englische Fraulein) with 223 inmates; 13 houses of the Poor School-Sisters, with 1223 inmates; 3 houses of theFranciscan Sisters, with 11 inmates, from the mother-house of Maria-Stern atAugsburg; 8 houses of the Tertiary Sisters of St. Francis, from Mallersdorf, with 35 inmates; 8 houses of theFranciscan Sisters, from theconvent of Dillingen with 43 inmates; 5 houses ofSisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul with 55 inmates; 17 houses in 10 localities containing 107 inmates, of the Sisters of the Most Holy Saviour from the mother-house at Oberbronn, with 107 inmates; 12 houses, with 32 inmates, of the Daughters of the Holy Redeemer from the mother-house atWürzburg; 2convents, with 11 inmates, of the Sister of Oberzell; making a total of 85 houses with 640female religious. For the training of theclergy there are anarchiepiscopalseminary forpriests (50 students) and anarchiepiscopalseminary for boys (75 pupils). The students of theseminary (Priesterseminar) areeducated at the Royal Lyceum, which hasphilosophical andtheological faculties and 9clerical professors; the pupils of theseminary for boys'school (Knabenseminar) attend the two gymnasia of Bamberg in each of which an ecclesiastic acts as religious instructor (Religionslehrer). Theclergy have also charge of the von Aufsessseminary and home forCatholic students. TheFranciscans have at Bamberg aseminary for students at the gymnasia who wish to enter the order after completing their studies. Of thefemale congregations, the English Ladies conduct 3 Academies and boarding-schools for girls, and 7 primary girls'schools; the other congregations conduct commonschools, housekeeping and industrialschools, and creches. The orders and congregations in the diocese have some 90charitable institutions under their care, among these are: 15 alms-houses and infirmaries; 12hospitals; 22 creches; 15 centres for obtaining visiting nurses; 1 insane asylum; 4 homes for unemployed servants; 5 poor-houses, etc. Among theCatholicsocieties in the diocese may be mentioned: 50 Associations for workingmen and Mechanics; 14 Journeymen's Associations (Gesellenvereine); 7 Apprentices' Societies; 1 Workingwomen's and 1 Shopgirls' Association; the Ludwig-Mission Association; the St. Boniface Association; the Christian Family Association; the Society of Christian Mothers; theCatholic Men's Society, the People's Union forCatholicGermany, etc.

The most importantecclesiastical building of thediocese is thecathedral. The edifice erected by the Emperor Henry II, the Saint, was destroyed by fire in 1081; the newcathedral, built bySt. Otto of Bamberg, wasconsecrated in 1111, and in the thirteenth century received its present late-Romanesque form. It is about 309 feet long, 92 feet broad, 85 feet high, and the four towers are each about 266 feet high. Among the finest of its monuments is that to the Emperor Henry II and his Empress Kunigunde, considered the masterpiece of thesculptorTilman Riemenschneider. Among other noteworthy churches of the city are the twelfth-century church of the formerBenedictine Abbey of St. Michael and the upperparish church, a Gothic buildingdating from 1387. Among the finest churches of thediocese are those of the Fourteen Martyrs, Gossweinstein, and Mariaweiher — all places ofpilgrimage; theGothicchurch of Our Lady atNuremberg, and the churches of the formerabbeys of Banz and Ebrach.

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