Ferdinand Giessauf

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Ferdinand Gießauf OCist (born August 15, 1913 in Ulmerfeld , Lower Austria as Franz Gießauf , † February 22, 1985 in Vienna ) was an Austrian clergyman and the 65th abbot of the Cistercian monastery in Zwettl . In addition, he was abbot praeses of the Austrian Cistercian Congregation from 1973 to 1979 .

Life

Ferdinand Gießauf was born on August 5, 1913 as the son of a district inspector in the gendarmerie in the Lower Austrian village of Ulmerfeld , now a district of Amstetten , and was subsequently baptized with the name Franz . He completed his school education in 1932 with the Matura at the Stiftsgymnasium Seitenstetten . After that, one day before his 19th birthday, on August 14, 1932, he entered the Cistercian monastery in Zwettl, where he was given the religious name Ferdinand . On his 20th birthday, August 15, 1933, he made his simple profession and was ordained a priest on June 29, 1937, after he had made his solemn profession on August 15, 1936 . In 1938 he took up a position as a cooperator in the market town of Schweiggers and in January 1941 became parish provisional in Friedersbach . In June 1941 he moved to Eisgarn as a chaplain and was already a chaplain in the city of Zwettl in 1942 . Soon afterwards, during the Second World War , he was banned from teaching and preaching by the National Socialists , whereupon, with effect from July 1, 1942, at the instigation of the episcopal ordinariate, he transferred to the finance chamber of the diocese of St. Pölten . He stayed here until the end of the war and was then reactivated as a chaplain in Zwettl. In addition or afterwards he was also Prefect of the Zwettler Boys' Choir and chaplain in Windigsteig .

In 1957 Gießauf was appointed prior , before he was elected as prior to 65th abbot of Zwettl Monastery on July 1, 1961, and was appointed on August 5, 1961. He succeeded Bertrand Koppensteiner, who died on June 23, 1961 . Under Abbot Ferdinand, the monastery experienced a renewed boom and became a spiritual center of the Waldviertel . For example, Gießauf had the training and retreat house built during his tenure and earned services for the expansion of the so-called Zwetteler House , a seminar for late - career workers in Horn . Throughout his life he was in demand as a national preacher , speaker and retreat leader . In 1968 the Lower Austrian provincial government awarded him a Commander's Cross of Honor for Services to the Province of Lower Austria . Parallel to his work as abbot of Zwettl Gießauf was on 27 November 1973 to 15 November 1979 Abbot President of the Austrian Cistercian Congregation . In 1973 he also received the Great Silver Medal of Honor for Services to the Republic of Austria . On January 1, 1980 Abbot Ferdinand resigned , after which he became parish vicar in Gobelsburg on March 1, 1980 . However, he had to resign from this position the following year for health reasons and again resigned.

Gießauf then spent his retirement in Zissersdorf and died on February 22, 1985 at the age of 71 in the hospital of the Sisters of Mercy in Vienna . On March 1, 1985, he was buried in Zwettl.

Works (selection)

  • 1965: Notes on the question of the monastic calling in the Church. In: Cistercienser Chronik No. 72, pp. 84–91
  • 1977: Zwettl Abbey as a defense against the Turkish threat. In: Zwettler Kurier No. 13, p. 8f.

Literature (selection)

  • 1961: The new abbot of Zwettl Abbey. In: Waldviertler Heimat No. 10, Issue 7/8, p. 62
  • 1968: High distinction for Abbot Gießauf. In: Das Waldviertel , No. 17, 28th year, issue 7/9, pp. 196–197
  • 1978: Abbot praeses Gießauf, multiple jubilee. In: The Waldviertel , No. 27, Volume 38, Issue 7/9, p. 202
  • 1983: Walter Pongratz : Former Abbot Ferdinand Gießauf - 70 years. A great role model celebrated several anniversaries. In: Das Waldviertel , No. 27, 43rd year, series 7/8/9, pp. 194–195
  • 1988: Erich Heintel : friendship in the community of faith (obituary for Abbot Ferdinand Gießauf). In: Cooperatio, Hauszeitung für Stift Zwettl , No. 5, pp. 35–37 (also in: Erich Heintel: Gesammelte Abhandlungen , Volume 4, Stuttgart 1995, pp. 300 ff.)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ The Federal Chancellor's answer to the inquiry - p. 361 (pdf), accessed on February 7, 2020
predecessor Office successor
Bertrand Koppensteiner Abbot of Zwettl
Monastery 1961–1980 		Bertrand Baumann
personal data
SURNAME Gießauf, Ferdinand
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Gießauf, Franz (maiden name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Austrian clergyman, abbot of Zwettl and abbot praeses of the Austrian Cistercian Congregation
DATE OF BIRTH August 15, 1913
PLACE OF BIRTH Ulmerfeld , Lower Austria , Austria-Hungary
DATE OF DEATH February 22, 1985
Place of death Vienna , Austria