- Died:
- March 22, 1946, Münster (aged 68)
Blessed Clemens August, Graf von Galen
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Who was Blessed Clemens August, Graf von Galen?
Blessed Clemens August, Graf von Galen (1878–1946), was a German Roman Catholic bishop of Münster known for his strong opposition to Nazism.
Ordained in 1904, he became the bishop of Münster in 1933. Initially, he hoped the Nazis would restore Germany's respect after World War I, but he soon became a critic due to their anti-Catholic propaganda and racism.
From Easter 1934, Galen openly opposed the Nazis, often complaining to Hitler about violations of the Vatican concordat. In 1941, he preached against Gestapo lawlessness, religious property confiscation, and the T4 Program, which systematically murdered disabled Germans. His sermons were circulated secretly and, according to some sources, were dropped as leaflets by Allied pilots. The T4 program was formally halted due to his protest, though it continued secretly. The Nazis, wary of making him a martyr, put him under house arrest, but deported priests in his diocese and retaliated against those who distributed his sermons. In February 1946, Galen was named a cardinal and was beatified on October 9, 2005, largely for his role in opposing the T4 Program.
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What position did he hold in the Catholic Church?
Clemens August, Graf von Galen, was a Roman Catholic bishop of Münster, Germany, known for his strong opposition to Nazism. He was ordained as a priest in Münster in 1904 and later became the bishop of Münster in 1933.
Initially, Galen hoped the Nazis would restore Germany's respect after World War I, but he soon became disenchanted with their anti-Catholic propaganda and racism. His opposition grew, particularly against their racism and totalitarianism, starting in 1934. Galen frequently complained to Hitler about violations of the concordat with the Vatican. Notably, he preached against the Gestapo's lawlessness, the confiscation of religious property, and the T4 Program, which involved the murder of disabled Germans.
In February 1946, Galen was named a cardinal. On October 9, 2005, he was beatified by the Church, mainly because of his role in opposing the T4 Program.
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Why is Blessed Clemens August, Graf von Galen considered important in German history?
Blessed Clemens August, Graf von Galen, the bishop of Münster, is remembered for his strong opposition to Nazism. Although he initially hoped the Nazis would restore Germany's reputation after World War I, he soon became a vocal critic, particularly of their anti-Catholic propaganda, racism, and totalitarianism.
In 1941, Galen preached against the Gestapo's lawlessness, the seizure of religious property, and the T4 Program, which systematically murdered disabled Germans. His sermons, which were secretly circulated and even dropped as leaflets by Allied pilots, led to the formal halting of the T4 Program. While the Nazis avoided making him a martyr, they placed him under house arrest. In 1946, Galen was named a cardinal, and in 2005, he was beatified because of his opposition to the T4 Program.
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How did he oppose the actions of the Nazi government?
Clemens August, Graf von Galen, the Roman Catholic bishop of Münster, Germany, openly opposed Nazism, particularly its racism and totalitarianism. His opposition began in 1934 and continued. Galen frequently complained directly to Hitler about violations of the concordat with the Vatican.
When Nazis removed crucifixes from schools in Oldenburg in November 1936, Galen's protest sparked a public demonstration, leading to the order's cancellation. In 1941, he preached against Gestapo lawlessness, religious property confiscation, and the T4 Program, which systematically murdered disabled Germans deemed "unproductive." His sermons, grounded in the commandment "Thou shalt not kill," were circulated secretly and, according to some sources, were dropped as leaflets by Allied pilots.
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What were some risks or consequences he faced because of his actions?
Clemens August, Graf von Galen, a German bishop, risked severe consequences for his outspoken opposition to Nazism. His criticisms of the regime's racism and totalitarianism, particularly his sermons against the Gestapo's lawlessness and the T4 Program, put him in considerable danger.
Although the Nazis were reluctant to make him a martyr, they placed him under house arrest and deported priests serving in his diocese. They also took violent retribution against priests who distributed his sermons. Documents found later revealed that the Nazis had considered hanging Galen but decided to postpone it until after a victory in World War II.
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Why was he declared 'Blessed' and what does this mean in the Catholic Church?
Clemens August, Graf von Galen, a German bishop who opposed Nazism, was declared "Blessed" on October 9, 2005, largely because of his role in opposing the T4 Program.
In the Roman Catholic Church, beatification is the second of three steps in the process of canonization to declare a holy person a saint. In beatification, the candidate for sainthood is declared “Blessed” and worthy of limited public veneration. Verification of a miracle attributed to the candidate is central to the beatification stage. Martyrs, however, are declared "Blessed" without the beatification process because their sacrifice is considered sufficient proof of their holiness.
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Blessed Clemens August, Graf von Galen (born March 16, 1878, Dinklage, Oldenburg, Germany—died March 22, 1946, Münster) was a Roman Catholic bishop of Münster, Germany, who was noted for his public opposition to Nazism.
Galen was ordained in 1904 in Münster, where, as a priest at St. Lambert’s, he published his Die Pest des Laizismus und ihre Erscheinungsformen (1932; “The Plague of Laicism and Its Manifestations”), deploring what he deemed the godlessness of post-World War I Germany. He was made bishop of Münster in 1933. At first Galen hoped that the Nazis would restore Germany to the position of respect that it had lost in World War I. But, disenchanted with the anti-Catholic propaganda and racism of Adolf Hitler’s regime, Galen soon became a powerful critic of the Nazis.
His opposition to the Nazis, particularly their racism and totalitarianism, began on Easter 1934 and continued unabated. He frequently complained directly to Hitler when he felt that the German dictator had violated the concordat he had signed in 1933 with the Vatican. When in November 1936 the Oldenburg Nazis removed all crucifixes from the schools, Galen’s protest sparked a public demonstration, and the order was canceled. In July and August 1941 Galen preached against the general lawlessness of the Gestapo, the confiscation of religious property, and the T4 Program instituted by Hitler in 1939—a program involving the systematic murder of more than 70,000 sick, elderly, mentally retarded, physically infirm, emotionally distraught, and disabled Germans, who were an embarrassment to the myth of Aryan supremacy. On August 3, 1941, he grounded his sermon on the biblical commandment not to kill:
The first batch of innocent folk have left Marienthal under sentence of death….And so we must await the news that these wretched defenceless patients will sooner or later lose their lives. Why? Not because they have committed crimes worthy of death….
It is simply because that according to some doctor, or because of the decision of some committee, they have no longer a right to live because they are “unproductive citizens.”…
Once [we] admit the right to kill unproductive persons…then none of us can be sure of his life. We shall be at the mercy of any committee that can put a man on the list of unproductives. There will be no police protection, no court to avenge the murder and inflict punishment upon the murderer.…
A curse on men and on the German people if we break the holy commandment “Thou shalt not kill” which was given us by God on Mount Sinai with thunder and lightning, and which God our Maker imprinted on the human conscience from the beginning of time! Woe to us German people if we not only licence this heinous offence but allow it to be committed with impunity!
Copies of the sermon were secretly circulated in Germany and among German troops. According to some sources, they also were dropped as leaflets by Allied pilots. In part because of Galen’s public protest, the T4 program was formally halted, though it continued clandestinely. Reluctant to transform Galen into a martyr, the Nazi government put him under virtual house arrest but deported priests serving in his diocese and took violent retribution against at least three priests who had distributed the sermon. Documents discovered later showed that the Nazis were close to a decision to hang Galen but decided to wait until they achieved a victory in World War II. Galen was named a cardinal on Febuary18, 1946. On October 9, 2005, he was beatified by the church, largely because of his role in opposing the T4 Program.
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