Johannes Derksen

Johannes (Evangelista) Franziskus Maria Derksen (born October 25, 1898 in Emmerich / Rhein ( Rhine Province ), † October 6, 1973 in Emmerich ) was a German writer and Catholic priest . He is known as a bestselling author of Christian fiction in the GDR , but also as a local poet from the Lower Rhine region. The total circulation of his works is over 500,000 copies.

Life

He was born as the tenth child of a family that had lived in the city of Emmerich for generations. The father was the owner of a coal shop and editor of a small local newspaper. His mother died when he was three years old. As a senior second he was drafted into army service in the First World War in January 1917 and, at the age of nineteen, was taken prisoner by the French for three years at Soissons .

After his return he received his school leaving certificate as a late returnee and began a commercial apprenticeship in 1920, then in 1922 he studied Catholic theology at the Westphalian Wilhelms University in Münster , later at the Canisianum in Innsbruck and at the University of Freiburg im Breisgau and the Schmochtitz seminary near Bautzen. In 1926 he was ordained a priest and until his retirement in 1963 worked in various positions in Zittau (1927–1930), Leipzig (1930–1935), Reichenbach (Vogtland) (1935–1949) and most recently in Dresden (1949–1963), because he decided not to be a pastor in his homeland, but in the recently re-established diocese of Meißen . During World War II he became a military chaplain in occupied Poland and witnessed the crimes against the Jewish population. The Gestapo took him into custody for two weeks in 1940.

Grave of Johannes Derksen in Hamminkeln-Marienthal near Wesel.

He died on a visit to his hometown Emmerich and is buried in the monastery cemetery in Marienthal (Hamminkeln municipality) near Wesel. His grave is outside the church at the back of the altar wall.

Honors

In 1955 he was appointed to the Episcopal Council. From Pope John XXIII. In 1962 he was appointed papal secret chamberlain .

A street in Emmerich was named after him. On the walls of the Memorial Chapel of the Cathedral Ss. Trinitatis von Dresden (formerly the Catholic Court Church ) lists 52 names of priests of the diocese who were persecuted during the Nazi dictatorship, including Johannes Derksens.

Works

His work consists of volumes of stories from the history of the dioceses in the area of ​​the GDR as well as about his homeland on the Lower Rhine and its dialect. There were numerous new and parallel editions in the GDR and the Federal Republic. The current edition of a work is listed.

• Emmerich. Our hometown. Emmerich 1934.
• Lively diaspora. Self-published, Leipzig 1934.
• Jan Derk. The life path of two men from the Lower Rhine around 1800. Verlag der Buchgemeinde, Bonn 1938.
• Kam'rad, take me with you! Mission printing works, Steyl 1940.
• Melaneken from Kalkar. Mission printing works, Steyl 1940.
• Address at the subsequent funeral ceremony of the 189 people who died in the Lengenfeld concentration camp , June 23, 1945. Haun & Sohn, Reichenbach im Vogtland 1945.
• Morning of life. Youth on the Lower Rhine. Publishing house of the Borromäus-Verein, Bonn 1948.
• Memories of Bishop Petrus Legge . Benno-Verlag, Leipzig 1952.
• We rush to Rosenthal . A pilgrimage booklet. Benno-Verlag, Leipzig 1954.
• Festival program for the 50th anniversary of the Herz-Jesu-Kirche, Dresden on November 16, 1955. Herz-Jesu-Pfarrei, Dresden – Johannstadt 1955.
• The carolers of…. A happy and pious game of the Epiphany. Benno-Verlag, Leipzig 1955.
• Johanna Sebus . The heroine from the Lower Rhine. A picture of life. Benno-Verlag, Leipzig 1956.
• A game of the resurrection of our Lord. Benno-Verlag, Leipzig 1956.
• A game of joys and sorrows in the birth of our Lord. Benno-Verlag, Leipzig 1956.
• The watchman by the river. Novel of a hero from the Lower Rhine. Benno-Verlag, Leipzig 1959.
• Jan van Kleef. Story from the Lower Rhine. Benno-Verlag, Leipzig 1963.
• The blessing of Griethausen. A story from the Lower Rhine. Benno-Verlag, Leipzig 1964.
• The furrowed face. The holy bishop Benno von Meissen under the cross of his confused time. 1010-1106. A painting of life. St. Benno-Verlag, Leipzig 1956, 1964.
• Kaplan Herb Legs. Shoe size 59 and other exaggerations. 2nd improved edition, Kyrios-Verlag, Meitingen / Freising 1965.
• Pastor Kräuterbein. Shoe size 59 and other exaggerations. Kyrios-Verlag, Meitingen / Freising 1966.
• The faithful steward. Historical novel. Benno-Verlag, Leipzig 1967.
• Under Pastor Jansens Paraplü. Benno-Verlag, Leipzig 1967.
• A hand full of joy. Short and long, sometimes cheerful stories for young grandmas and grandpas, for the dear old and sick people, especially for those who are like me from the previous century, for venerable old sisters and for curious younger people, written down, told, fabricated or made up but with a grain of reality in it. Kyrios-Verlag, Meitingen / Freising 1968.
• Proot Platt. A dictionary of the Emmerich dialect. Schleipen, Emmerich 1969.
• Faithful about a little. The simple work of Bishop Eids in the turmoil of his time. 955-992 / 1015. Benno-Verlag, Leipzig 1969.
• In the locked garden. Monk Ludeger von Altzella 1162–1234. Benno-Verlag, Leipzig 1969.
• Calendar stories. From the drawer from then and now for young and old. Benno-Verlag, Leipzig 1970.
• Hannes, don't yell like that! Youth on the Lower Rhine. Kyrios-Verlag, Meitingen / Freising 1971, ISBN 3-7838-0060-9 .
• Turn back, Norbert! Story from the life of St. Norbert 1082–1134. Benno-Verlag, Leipzig 1971.
• Snap, snap, quick. Kyrios-Verlag, Meitingen / Freising 1972, ISBN 3-7838-0077-3 .
• Little He exalts. A story in honor of Our Lady of Kevelaer . Benno-Verlag, Leipzig 1974.
• Go ahead in God's name! Mosaic stones to a picture of the life of St. Willibrord 658–739. 2nd edition, Benno-Verlag, Leipzig 1976.
• She lived love. A picture of St. Hedwig's life . 4th edition, Benno-Verlag, Leipzig 1984.
• Reverend Herblegs. Shoe size 55 and some other exaggerations. Benno-Verlag / Cordier, Leipzig / Heiligenstadt 1980, ISBN 3-7462-0409-7 .
• Johannes Derksen. Read narratives. Emmerich History Association, Emmerich 1993.
• A house full of glory. August the Strong and the Court Church. A historical novel. 9th edition, Benno-Verlag, Leipzig 1994, ISBN 3-7462-1112-3 .
• Reverend Herblegs. A pastor with body and soul. Benno-Verlag, Leipzig 2002, ISBN 3-7462-1506-4 .
• Hedwig of Silesia. A biographical novel. Benno-Verlag, Leipzig 2008, ISBN 978-3-7462-2580-7 .

Web links

• Literature by and about Johannes Derksen in the catalog of the German National Library
• Rhenish history - Johannes Derksen
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• Johannes Derksen , biography and estate in the portal rheinische-literaturnachlaesse.de
• Cemetery of the Carmelite Monastery of Marienthal