Theodor Cardinal Innitzer

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Cardinal Theodor Innitzer

Theodor Cardinal Innitzer (born December 25, 1875 in Neugeschrei near Weipert, Northern Bohemia; died October 9, 1955 in Vienna) was Archbishop of Vienna and a cardinal of the Catholic Church.

1 Early life
2 Ecclesiastical career
3 Political activity and assessment
4 Kardinal Innitzer Prize
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] Early life

Innitzer was the son of a factory worker and, after completing the minimum mandatory school, became an apprentice in a textile factory. The Dean of his home parish supported him, which allowed him to attend a gymnasium (1890–1892 Communal-Gymnasium, 1892–1898 Staatsgymnasium in Kadaň).

[edit] Ecclesiastical career

1898 – entered the Seminary in Vienna
1902 – became a priest
1906 – received his Dr. theol. (Doctorate in Theology)
1908 to 1911 Privatdozent at the University of Vienna
1911 to 1932 Professor and (from 1913 Chair for New Testament Exegesis
1928 to 1929 Rector of the University of Vienna
1929 to 1930 Minister of Social Affairs in the third government of Chancellor Johann Schober
1932 Archbishop of Vienna
1933 Cardinal, Founded the Cathedral and Diocese Museum of Vienna

[edit] Political activity and assessment

Innitzer's role in early 20th century Austrian history remains disputed, because of his involvement in politics. This assessment stems from his cooperation with the Austro-fascist government of Engelbert Dollfuß and Kurt Schuschnigg from 1934 to 1938, which based many of its economic and social policies on the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. He and the other Austrian bishops signed a declaration endorsing the Anschluss, set up by Gauleiter Bürckel, and signed by Innitzer with "Heil Hitler!". Without the bishops' consent the Nazi regime disseminated this statement throughout the German Reich. Pope Pius XI ordered Cardinal Innitzer to sign a clarification (but which was just published in the Osservatore Romano).

Vatican Radio had immediately broadcast a vehement denunciation of the German action, and Cardinal Pacelli ordered Innitzer to report to Rome. Before meeting with the pope, Innitzer met with Pacelli, who had been outraged by Innitzer's statement. He made it clear that Innitzer needed to retract; he was made to sign a new statement, issued on behalf of all the Austrian bishops, which provided: “The solemn declaration of the Austrian bishops... was clearly not intended to be an approval of something that was not and is not compatible with God's law”. The Vatican newspaper also reported that the bishops' earlier statement had been issued without the approval of Rome, with anti-Nazi Pope Pius XI disagreeing totally with Innitzer.

In the subsequent months Germany cancelled the concordat in Austria and forbade Church institutions and Catholic newspapers. In October 1938 thousands of Catholic youngsters followed an invitation given by Innitzer to gather in the Cathedral of St. Stephen in Vienna for prayer and meditation. In his sermon Innitzer stated: There is just one Führer: Jesus Christ. The following day about 100 Nazis, among them many older members of the Hitler Youth, ravaged the archbishop's residence. His ambiguous relationship with the Nazi regime brought him a lot of criticism after the war (he was referred to as the "Heil Hitler Cardinal").