Konrad Reither

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Bishop Konrad Reither 1870

Konrad Reither (born April 26, 1814 in Göcklingen , † April 4, 1871 in Speyer ) was a priest of the Diocese of Speyer , clergyman , inspector (head) of the Catholic school teachers' college in Speyer and finally from 1870 to 1871 Bishop of Speyer .

Life

Origin, youth and priestly work

Konrad Reither was born on April 26, 1814 as the son of the wealthy landowner Peter Reither and his wife Jakobine, née. Haffner was born in Göcklingen. He attended high school in Speyer and from 1832 the Lyceum in Aschaffenburg. After graduating from high school in 1834, he studied theology in Würzburg and from 1835 in Munich. In 1837 he entered the seminary in Speyer. Konrad Reither was ordained a priest on December 31, 1838 from Bishop Johannes von Geissel who appointed him chaplain in Deidesheim on the same day .

At the opening of the new Catholic school teacher seminar in Speyer, Konrad Reither became prefect there on November 4, 1839 under the tried and tested inspector Peter Köstler . As prefect, he had to support the director and, in addition to regular lessons, he was responsible for a large part of the supervision in the boarding school. His excellent knowledge of mathematics, natural science and history, as well as his considerable musical ability were not least decisive for his being appointed to the teachers' seminar. Peter Köstler and his prefect Konrad Reither built the school teacher seminar together, with great difficulty and effort. Inspector Köstler resigned from his office on August 14, 1845 and advanced to become the governor of the seminary and head of the episcopal boys' convent. Konrad Reither succeeded him in the office of inspector (head) of the Catholic school teacher seminar in Speyer.

Festschrift written by Konrad Reither as head of the teachers' college, 1864

Because of his musical abilities, Bishop Nikolaus von Weis also appointed him cathedral choir director, in which office he achieved great things together with cathedral music director Johann Baptist Benz . In 1858 he became a clergyman. The Pfälzische Zeitung No. 96 from 1914 states about Reither's work at the teacher training institute:

“Reither's work at the teachers' college was a richly blessed one. Thorough scientific education, excellent teaching skills, mental agility and never flagging zeal made him an excellent teacher for future teachers. High, ideal meaning, strict outlook on life, deeply serious religiosity, combined with noble goodness of heart and mildness, exemplary life in general and his impressive, always friendly appearance stamped him an educator in the best sense of the word. What specifically qualified him to head a teachers' seminar was his sense of art, his understanding of art and especially his musical training. He mastered counterpoint and was an excellent piano, organ and cello player. "

- Pfälzische Zeitung No. 96, 1914

As an inspector of the school teachers' seminar in 1864, Reither wrote an extensive commemorative publication on its 25th anniversary. He was an enthusiastic naturalist and also worked in Pollichia together with the canon Bruno Würschmitt . Reither took an active part in the painting of the Speyer Cathedral by Johann Baptist Schraudolph , he became friends with him and the painter also corresponded with King Ludwig I and his son Maximilian II. Schraudolph's daughter later married a nephew of Bishop Reither in Göcklingen .

Bishop of Speyer

Bishop Konrad Reither

Konrad Reither's activity at the teachers' seminar ended on April 29, 1870. On this day he was appointed Bishop of Speyer by King Ludwig II , but this was neither his own nor the wishes of the staff. Out of obedience to his king and for the good of the church, Reither accepted the office anyway. At that time he was - without really knowing it - already terminally ill with cancer.

On August 23, the clergyman in Munich took the oath prescribed in Article XV of the Bavarian Concordat before King Ludwig II. Here he lived in the house of his old friend, the cathedral painter Johann Baptist Schraudolph . On August 30th Reither returned to the Palatinate and on September 8th went to Königsbach, to his friend Pastor Emanuel Berwig, in order to prepare for the episcopal ordination in the quiet of the winegrowing village.

On September 14th, the newly appointed bishop went to Munich again with Domkapitular Hällmeyer and Domvikar Schwartz and received episcopal ordination from Archbishop Gregor von Scherr of Munich on September 18 . Co-consecrators were the bishops Franz Leopold von Leonrod from Eichstätt and Ignatius von Senestrey from Regensburg. The sermon was given by the famous cathedral preacher Georg Ehrler , who a few years later himself was called to be Speyer Shepherd, on the topic: "What is the bishop in the Catholic Church?"

During his stays in Munich, the pale appearance of the new bishop gave cause for concern. On September 28, 1870, the enthronement took place in Speyer Cathedral. Soon after, the disease broke out acutely. Bishop Reither suffered from stomach cancer, suffered terrible pain, according to statements from those around him, and was barely able to eat or sleep. He never celebrated in the cathedral as a bishop, only a few times in his own house chapel. The only pontifical act he undertook was the dressing up of order postulants in the monastery of St. Magdalena in Speyer on October 11, 1870. However, during his short term in office, Reither issued three pastoral letters; one on taking office, one in which he justified and defended the infallibility dogma just explained , and a short pastoral letter of February 10, 1871. In his own words, he wrote the latter "for some time tied to the bed of pain" and notes in it that he is his believer I could only write “with a few words” , but for them I had “begged God's blessing on many a sleepless night” .

Reither died in Speyer on April 4, 1871 and was buried in the cathedral on April 8. As a saying for the grave slab, which was removed during the cathedral renovation in 1960, the inscription Daniel 12.3  EU was chosen in memory of his work as a seminar teacher : "Those who instructed many about justice will shine like stars in eternal times."

Works

literature

  • Alois Knöpfler:  Reither, Konrad . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 28, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1889, p. 164.
  • Franz Xaver Remling : Konrad Reither, Bishop of Speyer. Jägersche Buchhandlung, Speyer 1910.
  • Jakob Bisson : Seven Speyer bishops and their time. Pilger-Verlag, Speyer 1956.
  • Fritz Steegmüller: History of the teacher training institute Speyer. 1839-1937. Pilger-Verlag, Speyer 1978.
  • Viktor Carl: Lexicon of Palatinate personalities. Hennig, Edenkoben 2004.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. PDF document on Göcklingen, sub-item D 3
predecessor Office successor
Nikolaus von Weis Bishop of Speyer
1870–1871
Daniel Bonifaz von Haneberg