Religion: Speaking Symbol

When Michael von Faulhaber became Archbishop of Munich in 1917, King Ludwig III still sat on his shadow-throne in Bavaria and the old order of Europe, if crumbling, was not yet gone. Archbishop Faulhaber reached his new archdiocese from the trenches of Germany's Western Front: he had gone to war as a chaplain in 1914, although he was already 45, a bishop and a celebrated Biblical scholar. He was the first German prelate to win the Iron Cross.

As an archbishop, Faulhaber found plenty of fighting at home. Munich was one of the battlegrounds...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!