Mitteilungen des Österreichischen Staatsarchivs 25. (1972) - Festschrift für Hanns Leo Mikoletzky
HOLLAENDER, Albert E. J.: Offiziere und Prälaten. Zur Fuldaer Bischofskonferenz, August 1945
Offiziere und Prälaten 201 of the former three Concordats concluded by the Vatican with Bavaria (1924), Prussia (1929), and Baden (1932). I then made a point of talking to the Archbishops and Bishops in the British Zone. They were grateful for the co-operation the British authorities had shown them: apart from Concordat problems they were chiefly concerned with return of property at present used by military and other authorities. I pointed out that the Archbishop of Paderborn and the Bishop of Osnabrück had already raised these points with Control Commission and that we were investigating the position. Dr. Machens, Bishop of Hildesheim, told me he thought that his diocese had probably suffered more than any other. He had great respect for the British and the behaviour of the troops in his territory. „I thank God daily“, he said, „that my diocese is situated in the British and not in the Russian Zone.“ On this subject it is interesting to note that most of the Bishops think the British and Americans will leave Germany after two or three years and hand over their zones to Russia but they believe France will be allowed by the Russians to stay and even increase her area. My assurances that we intended to stay for a very long period brought polite Smiles. But the notable exceptions to this theory were the Bishop of Berlin, the Bishop of Münster, the Archbishop of Cologne (who fears greatly the French), who contradicted their colleagues and were certain we meant business. It was of considerable personal interest to me to learn from the Bishops that during the war they listened regularly despite Gestapo prohibitions to the „Katholische Sendung“ which I started in December 1941 with the permission of Sir Robert Bruce-Loekhart of P. W. E. In this connection the Bishop of Berlin said he recognized my voice and that for two or three years this B. B. C. German Catholic programme had been his sole means of receiving and disseminating e) world Catholic news. Bishop Graf von Preysing, with whom I had a further conversation, is a shrewd, pleasant prelate, who not only speaks excellent English, but understands well English mentality and psychology. He is sympathetic and co-operative while remaining a good German. I ascertained that he is popular with the rest of the Hierarchy, without exception and, in my opinion, he is likely to prove most helpful as an intermediary in Berlin. During the afternoon of this day I had long conversations with some of the Bishops’ secretaries and Auxiliary Bishops who were not always present at each session. I learnt from them that the Bishops would be uncompromising on the question of denominational education and the Catholic schools. In the evening I was invited to dine with the Bishops. AUGUST 23rd After attending the conventual mass at 8 a. m. the secret sessions were resumed and in the afternoon a second invitation reached me to meet the Bishops individually. This I did and the following points of interest emerged after several hours of „lobbying“: — Cardinal Faulhaber, who is ill, and is receiving daily four injections for heart trouble, told me that he hoped to go to Rome in October. He did not feel well enough to travel at the moment and in any case at this period of the summer such a visit would be inopportune owing to the papal exeat and séjour at Castel Gandolfo. The Americans had promised to put a plane at e) Zwischen and und disseminating das Wort helpful ausgestrichen L.
