The Diocese and Prince-bishopric of Schwerin was a Catholicdiocese in Schwerin, Mecklenburg, in Germany. The first registered bishop was ordained in the diocese in 1053, and the diocese ceased to exist in 1994.
The bishops of the Roman Catholic diocese of Schwerin (German: Bistum Schwerin), a suffragan of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Bremen, were simultaneously secular (political) rulers of princely rank (prince-bishop) in the Prince-Bishopric of Schwerin (Hochstift Schwerin); established 1180 and secularised in 1648), an imperially immediatestate of the Holy Roman Empire. Schwerin was the seat of the chapter, Schwerin Cathedral and residence of the bishops until 1239. In 1180 a prince-episcopal residence was established in Bützow, which became the main residence in 1239.
Titulature of the Schwerin bishopsedit
Not all incumbents of the Schwerin see were imperially invested with princely temporal power as Prince-Bishops and not all were papally confirmed as bishops. In 1180 part of the Schwerin diocesan territory was disentangled from the Duchy of Saxony and became an own territory of imperial immediacy called Prince-Bishopric of Schwerin, an imperially immediate feudal member state of the Holy Roman Empire like many prince-prelatures.
The prince-bishopric was an elective monarchy, with the ruling prince being the respective bishop usually elected by the Cathedral chapter, and confirmed by the Holy See, or exceptionally only appointed by the Holy See. Papally confirmed bishops were then invested by the emperor with the princely regalia, thus the title prince-bishop. However, sometimes the respective incumbent of the see never gained a papal confirmation, but was still invested the princely regalia. Also the opposite occurred with a papally confirmed bishop, never invested as prince. A number of incumbents, elected by the chapter, neither achieved papal confirmation nor imperial investiture, but as a matter of fact nevertheless de facto held the princely power. From 1532 to 1648 all incumbents were Lutherans.
The respective incumbents of the see bore the following titles:
Prince-Bishop of Schwerin from 1181 to 1516, except o the years of 1474 to 1479 and 1506 to 1508
Administrator of the Prince-Bishopric of Schwerin 1474 to 1479, 1506 to 1508, and again 1516 to 1648. Either simply de facto replacing the Prince-Bishop or lacking canon-law prerequisites the incumbent of the see would officially only hold the title administrator (but nevertheless colloquially referred to as Prince-Bishop).
Catholic bishops of Mecklenburg and Schwerin (1053–1181)edit
Catholic Bishops of Mecklenburg and Schwerin (1053–1181)
bishop elect since 1516, due to minority only officiating since 1532 as administrator, due to lack of papal confirmation, Magnus introduced the Reformation in 1533
After a century and a half of abandonment, the Catholics on the territory were merely taken care of as missionary, part of the vast Apostolic Vicariate of the Northern Missions of Northern Germany, the first post-Reformatory parish having been established in 1709 (St. Anna, Schwerin).
However, Mecklenburg Soviet occupation zone, whereas Osnabrück was in the British occupation zone (i.e. in the other half of partitioned Germany, and of the political world during the Cold War), so the Bishop of Osnabrück appointed an episcopal commissary. Since 1959, the Osnabrück diocese posted an auxiliary bishop in Schwerin, responsible for Mecklenburg's Catholic parishes :
Bernhard Schräder, first 1946 – 1959 episcopal commissary for the episcopal commissariate of Schwerin, then 1959 – 1971 auxiliary bishop of Osnabrück diocese for the episcopal commissariate in Schwerin.
1971 – 1973 (see below): Heinrich Theissing, coadjutor of Osnabrück diocese for the episcopal commissariate in Schwerin
On July 23, 1974, the jurisdiction was restored as pre-diocesan 'permanent' Apostolic Administration of Schwerin, its territory being formally split off from the Diocese of Osnabrück. It got two episcopal incumbents :
Heinrich Theissing, Apostolic Administrator (July 23, 1973– retired December 5, 1987) with episcopal rights of a residing bishop for the episcopal office in Schwerin; Titular Bishop of Mina (March 13, 1963 – death November 11, 1988), first as Auxiliary Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Berlin (March 13, 1963 – February 12, 1970), then as Coadjutor Bishop of Schwerin (February 12, 1970 – July 23, 1973), finally an emeritate
Theodor Hubrich, Apostolic Administrator (1987.11.23 – death 1992.03.26) with episcopal rights of a residing bishop for the episcopal office in Schwerin; previously Titular Bishop of Auca (1975.12.05 – 1987.11.23) as Auxiliary Bishop of Magdeburg (Germany) (1975.12.05 – 1987.11.23).
Since 1994 : Norbert Werbs, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Hamburg for the archiepiscopal office in Schwerin, also episcopal vicar for Mecklenburg
Josef Traeger, Die Bischöfe des mittelalterlichen Bistums Schwerin, Leipzig: St.-Benno-Verlag, 1984. (in German)
GCatholic - Diocese and Apostolic administration
December 15, 2023
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This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article does not cite any sources Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Diocese and prince bishopric of Schwerin news newspapers books scholar JSTOR September 2011 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia s quality standards The specific problem is dates don t conform to MOS DATEFORMAT Please help improve this article if you can March 2017 Learn how and when to remove this template message Learn how and when to remove this template message The Diocese and Prince bishopric of Schwerin was a Catholic diocese in Schwerin Mecklenburg in Germany The first registered bishop was ordained in the diocese in 1053 and the diocese ceased to exist in 1994 Coat of arms of the Prince Bishopric of Schwerin Contents 1 Pre Reformation Catholic prince bishopric 1 1 Titulature of the Schwerin bishops 1 2 Catholic bishops of Mecklenburg and Schwerin 1053 1181 1 3 Catholic Prince Bishops 1181 1474 1 4 Catholic Administrators and Prince bishops 1474 1532 2 Lutheran Schwerin 2 1 Lutheran Administrators of the Prince Bishopric 1532 1648 2 2 Lutheran Regional Bishops of Mecklenburg since 1921 3 New Catholic hierarchy in Schwerin from the 20th century 4 See also 5 Notes 6 Sources and external linksPre Reformation Catholic prince bishopric editThe bishops of the Roman Catholic diocese of Schwerin German Bistum Schwerin a suffragan of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Bremen were simultaneously secular political rulers of princely rank prince bishop in the Prince Bishopric of Schwerin Hochstift Schwerin established 1180 and secularised in 1648 an imperially immediate state of the Holy Roman Empire Schwerin was the seat of the chapter Schwerin Cathedral and residence of the bishops until 1239 In 1180 a prince episcopal residence was established in Butzow which became the main residence in 1239 Titulature of the Schwerin bishops edit Not all incumbents of the Schwerin see were imperially invested with princely temporal power as Prince Bishops and not all were papally confirmed as bishops In 1180 part of the Schwerin diocesan territory was disentangled from the Duchy of Saxony and became an own territory of imperial immediacy called Prince Bishopric of Schwerin an imperially immediate feudal member state of the Holy Roman Empire like many prince prelatures nbsp Butzow Castle prince episcopal residential castle in Butzow nbsp Cathedral of SS Mary and John the Baptist church of the bishops in Schwerin view before 1845 The prince bishopric was an elective monarchy with the ruling prince being the respective bishop usually elected by the Cathedral chapter and confirmed by the Holy See or exceptionally only appointed by the Holy See Papally confirmed bishops were then invested by the emperor with the princely regalia thus the title prince bishop However sometimes the respective incumbent of the see never gained a papal confirmation but was still invested the princely regalia Also the opposite occurred with a papally confirmed bishop never invested as prince A number of incumbents elected by the chapter neither achieved papal confirmation nor imperial investiture but as a matter of fact nevertheless de facto held the princely power From 1532 to 1648 all incumbents were Lutherans The respective incumbents of the see bore the following titles Bishop of Mecklenburg until 1162 Bishop of Schwerin 1162 to 1181 Prince Bishop of Schwerin from 1181 to 1516 except o the years of 1474 to 1479 and 1506 to 1508 Administrator of the Prince Bishopric of Schwerin 1474 to 1479 1506 to 1508 and again 1516 to 1648 Either simply de facto replacing the Prince Bishop or lacking canon law prerequisites the incumbent of the see would officially only hold the title administrator but nevertheless colloquially referred to as Prince Bishop Catholic bishops of Mecklenburg and Schwerin 1053 1181 edit Catholic Bishops of Mecklenburg and Schwerin 1053 1181 Episcopate Portrait Name Birth and deathwith places Reason for end of office Notes1053 1066 John Scotusas John I approx 990 10 November 1066 death martyr sacrificed by pagans to Radegast1066 1148 sede vacante the diocese was abandoned after the Wendish uprising1148 1162 Eberhardalso Emmehard1162 1191 Berno of Amelungsborn unknown 14 January 1191 death Apostle of the Obotrites gained princely power in part of his diocese by 1181 on the carve up of SaxonyCatholic Prince Bishops 1181 1474 edit Roman Catholic Prince Bishops of Schwerin 1181 1474 Reign and episcopate Portrait Name Birth and deathwith places Reason for end of office Notes1162 1191 Berno of Amelungsborn unknown 14 January 1191 death Apostle of the Obotrites gained princely power in part of his diocese by 1181 on the carve up of Saxony1191 1238 Brunward1191 1195 Hermann of Hagen anti bishop1238 1240 Frederick of Hagenas Frederick I1240 1247 Dietrich1247 1249 William1249 1262 Rudolph I unknown 1262 death1263 1291 Hermann of Schladenas Hermann I1292 1314 Godfrey von Bulowas Godfrey I Bulow family unknown 1314 death uncle of Henry I and Ludolph1315 1322 Hermann von Maltzanas Hermann II1322 1331 Johann Gans zu Putlitzas John II Gans zu Putlitz 1331 1339 nbsp left image Ludolph von Bulow Bulow family before 1298 23 April 1339 Warin death nephew of Godfrey I brother of the next uncle of Frederick II1339 1347 nbsp right image Henry von Bulowas Henry I Bulow family unknown 1347 death brother of the former nephew of Godfrey I uncle of Frederick II1347 1348 Willekin Pape1348 1356 Andrew of Wislica1356 1363 Albert of SternbergGerman Albrecht c 1333 14 January 1380 Litomysl became Bishop of Litomysl also Bishop of Litomysl 1364 1368 and again 1371 1380 Prince Archbishop of Magdeburg 1368 1371 1363 1365 Rudolph of Anhaltas Rudolph II House of Ascania unknown 1365 Coswig in Anhalt death son of Albert II Prince of Anhalt Zerbst1366 1377 Frederick von Bulowas Frederick II Bulow family unknown 1366 death nephew of Ludolph and Henry I1377 1381 Melchior of Brunswick and Lunenburg Grubenhagen line House of Welf 1341 6 June 1384 before Prince Bishop of Osnabruck 1369 1375 rivalled in Schwerin by anti bishop Marquard in 1377 13781377 1378 Marquard Bermann anti bishop1381 1390 John Potho of Pothensteinalso Pottensteinas John III unknown 1390 death before Prince Bishop of Munster 1379 1382 appointed only de facto he could not prevail over his rivals in Schwerin1381 1388 Johann Jungeas John IV anti bishop1381 Gerard of Hoya Counts of Hoya anti bishop1390 1415 Rudolf of Mecklenburg Stargardas Rudolph III House of Nikloting unknown 1415 death before Bishop of Skara 1387 1391 son of John I Duke of Mecklenburg Stargard1416 1418 Henry of Nauenas Henry II1419 1429 nbsp Henry of Wangelinas Henry III1429 1444 Hermann Koppenas Hermann III unknown 3 January 1444 death1444 1457 Nicholas Bodekeras Nicholas I1458 Godfrey Langeas Godfrey II1458 1473 Werner WolmersCatholic Administrators and Prince bishops 1474 1532 edit Catholic Administrators and Prince Bishops 1474 1532 Reign and episcopate Portrait Name Birth and deathwith places Reason for end of office Notes1474 1479 Balthasar of Mecklenburg House of Nikloting 1451 16 March 1507 Wismar resigned tired from pursuing investiture turned secular before Administrator of the Prince Bishopric of Hildesheim 1471 1474 only administrator never invested bishop since duke in Mecklenburg Schwerin co ruling with his brother Magnus II1479 1482 Nicholas of Pentzas Nicholas II1482 1503 nbsp Conrad Loste1504 1506 John Thunas John V1504 Reimar von Hahn Hahn family anti bishop1506 1508 Ulrich von Malchow only administrator never invested as bishop1508 1516 Petrus Wolkow1516 1522 Zutpheld Wardenberg only administrator for the minor Magnus also Dean Domdechant of Schwerin Cathedral1522 1532 Heinrich Banzkowalso Banzcow or Bantzkow before 1499 1540 resigned when Magnus came of age only administrator for the minor Magnus never pursued investiture as bishop also provost of Hamburg CathedralDue to the Reformation the Catholic diocese was suppressed in 1555 without formal successor Lutheran Schwerin editLutheran Administrators of the Prince Bishopric 1532 1648 edit Lutheran Administrators of the Prince Bishopric 1532 1648 Reign and episcopate Portrait Name Birth and deathwith places Reason for end of office Notes1532 1550 Magnus of Mecklenburg House of Nikloting Stargard 4 July 1509 28 January 1550 Butzow death bishop elect since 1516 due to minority only officiating since 1532 as administrator due to lack of papal confirmation Magnus introduced the Reformation in 15331550 1603 nbsp Ulrich of Mecklenburgas Ulrich I House of Nikloting Schwerin 5 March 1527 14 March 1603 Gustrow death grandfather of the next also Duke of Mecklenburg Gustrow 1555 1603 1603 1624 Ulrik of Denmarkas Ulrich II House of Oldenburg Koldinghus Palace Kolding 30 December 1578 27 March 1624 Ruhn death grandson of the former uncle of the next also Lutheran Bishop of Schleswig 1602 1624 1624 1629 nbsp Ulrik of Denmarkas Ulrich III House of Oldenburg Frederiksborg Palace Hillerod 2 February 1611 12 August 1633 Schweidnitz resigned when his father Christian IV renounced posts held by his family in the Empire in 1629 Treaty of Lubeck nephew of the former since 1628 de facto deposed by Wallenstein s conquest of the prince bishopric1629 1634 sede vacante territory of the Prince Bishopric was part of Wallenstein s duchy of Mecklenburg1634 1648 nbsp Adolf Frederick of Mecklenburg House of Nikloting Schwerin 15 December 1588 27 February 1658 Schwerin prince bishopric transformed into principality by Peace of Westphalia also Duke of Mecklenburg Schwerin as Adolphus Frederick I 1592 1628 and again 1631 1658 after 15 May 1648 The Prince Bishopric was converted into a heritable monarchy the Principality of Schwerin ruled in personal union by the House of Nikloting in Mecklenburg Schwerin Lutheran Regional Bishops of Mecklenburg since 1921 edit nbsp Cathedral of Ss Mary and John the Baptist Schwerin preaching venue of the Landesbischof of Mecklenburg When the Grand dukes of Mecklenburg Schwerin and Mecklenburg Strelitz abdicated the Lutheran state churches became independent and adapted their new Church Orders providing for a function called Landesbischof state bishop In 1934 the regional churches merged into the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Mecklenburg 1921 1933 Gerhard Tolzien for the Church of Mecklenburg Strelitz 1921 1930 Heinrich Behm for the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Mecklenburg Schwerin 1930 1934 Heinrich Rendtorff for Mecklenburg Schwerin at last also leading the merged church body of all of Mecklenburg 1934 1945 Walter Schultz 1946 1971 Niklot Beste 1971 1984 Heinrich Rathke 1984 1996 Christoph Stier 1996 2007 Hermann Beste 2007 to date Andreas von Maltzahn since the merger of 2012 for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern GermanyNew Catholic hierarchy in Schwerin from the 20th century editThis section may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia s quality standards The specific problem is Dates don t conform to MOS DATEFORMAT Please help improve this section if you can July 2017 Learn how and when to remove this template message nbsp Provostry Church of St Anna seat of the auxiliary bishop of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Hamburg in Schwerin After a century and a half of abandonment the Catholics on the territory were merely taken care of as missionary part of the vast Apostolic Vicariate of the Northern Missions of Northern Germany the first post Reformatory parish having been established in 1709 St Anna Schwerin Since 1930 the Catholic parishes in the former diocese of Schwerin and all of Mecklenburg were part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Osnabruck However Mecklenburg Soviet occupation zone whereas Osnabruck was in the British occupation zone i e in the other half of partitioned Germany and of the political world during the Cold War so the Bishop of Osnabruck appointed an episcopal commissary Since 1959 the Osnabruck diocese posted an auxiliary bishop in Schwerin responsible for Mecklenburg s Catholic parishes Bernhard Schrader first 1946 1959 episcopal commissary for the episcopal commissariate of Schwerin then 1959 1971 auxiliary bishop of Osnabruck diocese for the episcopal commissariate in Schwerin 1971 1973 see below Heinrich Theissing coadjutor of Osnabruck diocese for the episcopal commissariate in SchwerinOn July 23 1974 the jurisdiction was restored as pre diocesan permanent Apostolic Administration of Schwerin its territory being formally split off from the Diocese of Osnabruck It got two episcopal incumbents Heinrich Theissing Apostolic Administrator July 23 1973 retired December 5 1987 with episcopal rights of a residing bishop for the episcopal office in Schwerin Titular Bishop of Mina March 13 1963 death November 11 1988 first as Auxiliary Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Berlin March 13 1963 February 12 1970 then as Coadjutor Bishop of Schwerin February 12 1970 July 23 1973 finally an emeritate Theodor Hubrich Apostolic Administrator 1987 11 23 death 1992 03 26 with episcopal rights of a residing bishop for the episcopal office in Schwerin previously Titular Bishop of Auca 1975 12 05 1987 11 23 as Auxiliary Bishop of Magdeburg Germany 1975 12 05 1987 11 23 The diocese was suppressed on October 10 1994 its territory reassigned to the already established Metropolitan Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hamburg thus the Catholic parishes of Mecklenburg became part of the new Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hamburg 1992 1994 Norbert Werbs diocesan administrator for the episcopal office in Schwerin Since 1994 Norbert Werbs auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Hamburg for the archiepiscopal office in Schwerin also episcopal vicar for MecklenburgSee also editList of Catholic dioceses in GermanyNotes editSources and external links editJosef Traeger Die Bischofe des mittelalterlichen Bistums Schwerin Leipzig St Benno Verlag 1984 in German GCatholic Diocese and Apostolic administration Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Diocese and prince bishopric of Schwerin amp oldid 1108294196, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
