Bernhard Schwentner
Encyclopedia
Bernhard Schwentner was a German
Catholic
clergyman.
, he studied in Münster
beginning in 1910. In 1913, he entered the seminary
in Osnabrück
, and was ordained a priest in 1914. Until he was called into the military, Schwentner worked at the St.-Ansgar-Kirche/Kleiner Michel in Hamburg
as a vicar and a teacher. In World War I
, he was a chaplain
and, as an added responsibility, garrison clergyman at Neustrelitz
. In the time from April 1917 to December 1918, he was posted to the front as a chaplain. Finally, he worked again in Hamburg as a chaplain, before he went to Rome
in 1924 to study Church law. He graduated with a doctorate
in philosophy
and canonical law.
From 1927, Schwentner was the priest in the Catholic parish of Neustrelitz
, and chairman of the conference of priests for Mecklenburg
. The respectable clergyman viewed the Nazis' rise to power with wariness and scepticism.
Schwentner met often with his officer friends from the Rechlin airbase, but in 1944, he was denounced by at least one of them to the Gestapo
. On 15 September 1944, he was sentenced to death by the Volksgerichtshof for undermining the troops' fighting spirit (Wehrkraftzersetzung
), and on 30 October 1944, Bernhard Schwentner was put to death. The urn containing his ashes was buried in Neustrelitz
on 26 November 1949.
After the war, many streets were named after Schwentner in places such as Hamburg, Schwerin and the last place where he worked, Neustrelitz. In 1965, a memorial to Bernhard Schwentner was built next to the Neustrelitz Catholic Church. It had on it a bronze
portrait of Schwentner with a thorny wreath, and it contained the urn with his ashes. The Church has since altered the monument. In the Catholic Church, he is regarded as a martyr
.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
clergyman.
Life
Bernhard Schwentner was born in Schwerin in 1891. After finishing GymnasiumGymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
, he studied in Münster
Münster
Münster is an independent city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also capital of the local government region Münsterland...
beginning in 1910. In 1913, he entered the seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
in Osnabrück
Osnabrück
Osnabrück is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany, some 80 km NNE of Dortmund, 45 km NE of Münster, and some 100 km due west of Hanover. It lies in a valley penned between the Wiehen Hills and the northern tip of the Teutoburg Forest...
, and was ordained a priest in 1914. Until he was called into the military, Schwentner worked at the St.-Ansgar-Kirche/Kleiner Michel in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
as a vicar and a teacher. In World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he was a chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
and, as an added responsibility, garrison clergyman at Neustrelitz
Neustrelitz
Neustrelitz is a town in the Mecklenburgische Seenplatte district in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is situated on the shore of the Zierker See in the Mecklenburg Lake District. From 1738 until 1918 it was the capital of the duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz...
. In the time from April 1917 to December 1918, he was posted to the front as a chaplain. Finally, he worked again in Hamburg as a chaplain, before he went to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
in 1924 to study Church law. He graduated with a doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and canonical law.
From 1927, Schwentner was the priest in the Catholic parish of Neustrelitz
Neustrelitz
Neustrelitz is a town in the Mecklenburgische Seenplatte district in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is situated on the shore of the Zierker See in the Mecklenburg Lake District. From 1738 until 1918 it was the capital of the duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz...
, and chairman of the conference of priests for Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg is a historical region in northern Germany comprising the western and larger part of the federal-state Mecklenburg-Vorpommern...
. The respectable clergyman viewed the Nazis' rise to power with wariness and scepticism.
Schwentner met often with his officer friends from the Rechlin airbase, but in 1944, he was denounced by at least one of them to the Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
. On 15 September 1944, he was sentenced to death by the Volksgerichtshof for undermining the troops' fighting spirit (Wehrkraftzersetzung
Wehrkraftzersetzung
Wehrkraftzersetzung is a term from German military law during the Third Reich. In 1938, with Adolf Hitler moving Germany closer to war, the Nazi government issued a decree for the purpose of suppressing any expression or activity opposed to the Nazi regime or the Wehrmacht...
), and on 30 October 1944, Bernhard Schwentner was put to death. The urn containing his ashes was buried in Neustrelitz
Neustrelitz
Neustrelitz is a town in the Mecklenburgische Seenplatte district in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is situated on the shore of the Zierker See in the Mecklenburg Lake District. From 1738 until 1918 it was the capital of the duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz...
on 26 November 1949.
After the war, many streets were named after Schwentner in places such as Hamburg, Schwerin and the last place where he worked, Neustrelitz. In 1965, a memorial to Bernhard Schwentner was built next to the Neustrelitz Catholic Church. It had on it a bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
portrait of Schwentner with a thorny wreath, and it contained the urn with his ashes. The Church has since altered the monument. In the Catholic Church, he is regarded as a martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
.