Wilhelm Mensing-Braun

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Wilhelm Mensing-Braun (born December 15, 1899 in Nuremberg , † December 18, 1967 in Salzburg ) was an Austrian Evangelical Lutheran theologian of German origin. From 1941 to 1966 he was Superintendent of the Evangelical Superintendent AB Upper Austria .

Life

Pulpit of the Martin Luther Church in Linz, from 1928 onwards Mensing-Braun's place of work

Wilhelm Mensing-Braun, originally from Bavaria, had to take part in the First World War as an artilleryman for a short time after graduating from high school . He studied Protestant theology at the University of Tübingen and the University of Erlangen . He completed his vicariate in Coburg and Deggendorf . He came to Linz as vicar in 1928 . In 1929 Mensing-Braun was naturalized in Austria. He became a pastor at the Martin Luther Church in Linz . From 1936 he published the magazine Evangelische Wacht für Österreich: Evangelisches 3-Groschen-Blatt for everyone , from 1938 to 1941 under the title Evangelische Wacht für die Ostmark . In 1939 he took part in the attack on Poland as a war pastor , but was made indispensable in the same year .

In 1940 Mensing-Braun was surprisingly elected as the successor to Hans Eder as superintendent of the Evangelical Superintendent of Upper Austria. His ecclesiastical quarrels about the constitution of the Evangelical Church A. u. HB overshadowed his inauguration as superintendent took place on January 5, 1941. Formerly employed in Greater German , Wilhelm Mensing-Braun published a circular on the occasion of his assumption of office, from which a distancing from National Socialism could be read. However, when Adolf Eichmann , one of the central organizers of the Holocaust and responsible for the deportation and murder of millions of people, was brought to Israel in 1960 to be tried there, Mensing-Braun wrote to the external office of the Evangelical Church in Germany to stand up for Eichmann. He certified that the former SS-Obersturmbannführer had a “fundamentally decent disposition” and “a kind heart”.

As superintendent of Upper Austria, he remained in office until March 31, 1966, where he was particularly committed to youth work as well as to the unemployed and those in need. Then Leopold Temmel took over the official business. Mensing-Braun was married. He was buried in Linz.

See also

literature

  • Leopold Temmel: Wilhelm Mensing-Braun (1899–1967). Superintendent in difficult times . In: Alois Zauner and Harry Slapnicka (eds.): Upper Austria: Life pictures for the history of Upper Austria. Volume 2. Oberösterreichisches Landesarchiv, Linz 1982, ISBN 3-900313-34-2 , pp. 234-250.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Fritz Mayrhofer (ed.): National Socialism in Linz . Vol. 2, 2nd edition, Archives of the City of Linz, Linz 2002, ISBN 3-900388-81-4 , p. 1021.
  2. Jump up ↑ Der Spiegel : Evangelical Church on Adolf Eichmann: “Basic decency” , August 21, 2011.
personal data
SURNAME Mensing-Braun, Wilhelm
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Austrian Evangelical Lutheran theologian
DATE OF BIRTH December 15, 1899
PLACE OF BIRTH Nuremberg
DATE OF DEATH 18th December 1967
Place of death Salzburg