Clemens von Galen German aristocrat, count, bishop and later cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. Date of Birth: 16.03.1878 Country: Germany

Biography of Clemens von Galen

Clemens August Graf von Galen, born on March 16, 1878, in Dinklage Castle, Oldenburg, was a German aristocrat, count, bishop, and later a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He was born into the family of Ferdinand von Galen, a deputy of the Reichstag. In 1897, he entered the University of Freiburg, where he began studying philosophy and literature. Later, choosing a career as a priest, he pursued studies in philosophy and theology at the University of Innsbruck.

In 1933, von Galen was elected the Bishop of Münster. He became known for his open criticism of Nazi euthanasia policies, particularly the T-4 euthanasia program. At the same time, he held extremely right-wing and anti-communist views, considering a war against the Soviet Union and the Stalinist regime to be justified. Bishop von Galen's speeches, along with the dissatisfaction of the population, especially the relatives of patients who underwent euthanasia, compelled Adolf Hitler to officially halt the T-4 euthanasia program, which angered the Nazis.

Martin Bormann advocated for the hanging of the "rebellious bishop," while Joseph Goebbels opposed this decision, arguing that the execution would give von Galen the aura of a martyr and provoke discontent among the numerous Catholic believers both in Germany and abroad. For his openly anti-Nazi sermons, Bishop von Galen acquired the nickname "The Lion of Münster" (German: "Der Löwe von Münster").

On September 14, 1941, two months after the start of Operation Barbarossa, Bishop von Galen delivered a sermon supporting the "campaign against the Bolshevik plague." After 1945, he criticized the actions of the Western Allies, including the destructive bombing of German cities and the transfer of East Prussia to the Soviet Union, as well as the forced expulsion of Germans from there. He was honored as an honorary citizen of the city of Münster.

On February 18, 1946, von Galen was appointed a cardinal and passed away shortly after returning from Rome. In January 2005, Pope John Paul II decided to beatify (declare as blessed) Cardinal Graf von Galen. The beatification took place in October 2005, under Pope Benedict XVI.