Ignatius Schachermair

Ignatius Alois Schachermair OSB (born November 14, 1877 in St. Marien , Upper Austria , † June 14, 1970 in Kremsmünster) was a monk and abbot of the Benedictine Abbey of Kremsmünster .

Life

After graduating from the upper high school of the Benedictine monastery Kremsmünster (1893–1897), Alois Schachermair entered the monastery and was dressed as Frater Ignatius on August 22, 1897 ; Perpetual profession followed on September 30, 1901. He completed his theology studies at the College of San Anselmo in Rome (1898-1902), where he was ordained a priest on May 24, 1902. This was followed by studies at the University of Vienna in preparation for teaching teaching in natural history, mathematics and physics.

Back in Kremsmünster, P. Ignatius became a grammar school professor in 1906, and a year later he was also the curator of the natural science collections; there were also various pastoral tasks. On April 4, 1929, the Kremsmünster convent elected him abbot by a large majority. In this office he endeavored to achieve economic consolidation and a monastic renewal in the house, for example in maintaining choral singing. The National Socialists dissolved the monastery in 1941 and forced Abbot Ignatius into exile, from which he could not return until 1945. In the post-war period he campaigned for the reconstruction of the monastery and the grammar school, where the first post-war Matura could be held in 1949. His concern was also with the collections and the parishes of the monastery. In 1964, at the age of 86, he requested resignation from Rome, whereupon he was granted a coadjutor, Abbot Albert II. Bruckmayr, who was elected in October 1964 (Abbot until 1982). On June 14, 1970, Abbot Ignatius, described in the profession book as a “truly venerable old man, example of an abbot”, died and was buried in the crypt under the Lady Chapel of the collegiate church.

Abolition of the monastery and exile

With the dissolution of the monastery by the National Socialists on April 3, 1941, Abbot Ignatius was expelled and had to go into exile. He found refuge first in Scheyern Monastery, later in Weitwörth Castle near Salzburg (1941–1945). Despite exile and expropriation, he remained the “spiritual and spiritual center of his convent” during these years. On July 29, 1945 Abbot Ignatius returned to Kremsmünster, where he was welcomed by over 3,500 people. On behalf of the Upper Austrian provincial government, the poet Arthur Fischer-Collbrie welcomed him: “Chased away like a beggar”, they “solemnly return like a king, cheered by all the people.”

Construction activity

Abbot Ignatius had some changes made to the buildings of the monastery complex. The second floor of the clergy wing was built (1937/1938), a theater was set up (1956), a gymnasium was built (1960), and the outer facades of the monastery and church, the fish canteen and the baroque refectory were renovated. In the parishes of the monastery, new churches were built in Sattledt (1937) and Scharnstein (1956) as well as some parsonages (e.g. Kirchham).

Honors and memberships

Abbot Ignatius Schachermair was an honorary citizen of his home parish St. Marien and of Kremsmünster and holder of the great silver medal of the Republic of Austria. He was an honorary member of the K.Ö.St.V. Kürnberg in the ÖCV in Vienna.

literature

• Altmann Kellner, Professbuch des Stift Kremsmünster , Kremsmünster 1968 (supplemented with addenda up to 1985).
• Rudolf Hundstorfer, Das Stift unterm Hakenkreuz (= special print from the 104th annual report of the Stiftsgymnasium Kremsmünster, 1961), Wels 1961.
• Kremsmünster - 1200 years of the Benedictine monastery , Linz 1976.

Web links

• Entry to Schachermair, Ignaz on Orden Online
• Entry on Schachermair, Ignaz in Biographia Benedictina
• Entry to Schachermair, Ignaz Alois on the homepage of the Austrian Cartell Association
• Entry about Abbot Ignaz Schachermair on the homepage of the Kremsmünster observatory

Individual evidence

1. ^ Altmann Kellner, Professbuch des Stift Kremsmünster, Kremsmünster 1968, p. 544.
2. ↑ Kremsmünster - 1200 Years of the Benedictine Monastery, Linz 2nd edition 1976, p. 104.
3. ↑ Rudolf Hundstorfer, Das Stift unterm Hakenkreuz (= special print from the 104th annual report of the Stiftsgymnasium Kremsmünster, 1961), Wels 1961, p. 86.