Bernhard Schwentner was born in Schwerin in 1891. After finishing Gymnasium, 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.
Bibliography
U. v. Hehl: Priester unter Hitlers Terror, Mainz (1984)
B. M. Kempner: Priester vor Hitlers Tribunal, Kirchenbote des Bistums Osnabrück, (November 3, 1946)
Zur Erinnerung an Pfarrer Bernhard Schwentner, Kirchenbote des Bistums Osnabrück, Nr. 31 (October 1960)
J. Torsy: Der Große Namenstagskalender, Freiburg-Basel-Wien (1992)
K. H. Jahnke: Gegen Hitler: Gegner und Verfolgte des NS-Regimes in Mecklenburg 1933-1945
External links
(in German)
Ekkart Sauser (1995). "Schwentner, Bernhard". In Bautz, Traugott (ed.). Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL) (in German). Vol. 9. Herzberg: Bautz. col. 1240. ISBN3-88309-058-1., short biography (in German)
(in German)
February 23, 2023
bernhard, schwentner, september, 1891, schwerin, october, 1944, near, brandenburg, görden, german, catholic, clergyman, life, edit, born, schwerin, 1891, after, finishing, gymnasium, studied, münster, beginning, 1910, 1913, entered, seminary, osnabrück, ordain. Bernhard Schwentner 28 September 1891 in Schwerin 30 October 1944 near Brandenburg Gorden was a German Catholic clergyman Bernhard Schwentner Life EditBernhard Schwentner was born in Schwerin in 1891 After finishing Gymnasium he studied in Munster beginning in 1910 In 1913 he entered the seminary in Osnabruck 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 Bibliography EditU v Hehl Priester unter Hitlers Terror Mainz 1984 B M Kempner Priester vor Hitlers Tribunal Kirchenbote des Bistums Osnabruck November 3 1946 Zur Erinnerung an Pfarrer Bernhard Schwentner Kirchenbote des Bistums Osnabruck Nr 31 October 1960 RSHA Report Amt IV October 21 1943 J Torsy Der Grosse Namenstagskalender Freiburg Basel Wien 1992 K H Jahnke Gegen Hitler Gegner und Verfolgte des NS Regimes in Mecklenburg 1933 1945External links EditHistory of Catholic community of Neustrelitz in German Ekkart Sauser 1995 Schwentner Bernhard In Bautz Traugott ed Biographisch Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon BBKL in German Vol 9 Herzberg Bautz col 1240 ISBN 3 88309 058 1 short biography in German Information about Schwentner and other Catholic martyrs from St Ansgar Kirche Kleiner Michel in German Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bernhard Schwentner amp oldid 1113690072, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
