Georgius Conradus Reither (1814 - 1871)

Born 26 Apr 1814 in Göcklingen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany

Ancestors

Died 4 Apr 1871 at age 56 in Speyer, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Cynthia Larson [send private message]

Konrad Reither is Notable.

Biography

Konrad Reither was born on April 26, 1814, the son of the wealthy landlord Peter Reither and his wife Jakobine Haffner in Göcklingen. On 26 Apr 1814, Georgius Conradus Reither was christened in Goecklingen, Pfalz, Bavaria. ^[1]

Konrad attended high school in Speyer, and from 1832 the lyceum in Aschaffenburg. After graduating from high school in 1834, he studied theology in Würzburg starting in 1835 in Munich. In 1837, Konrad entered the seminary in Speyer. Konrad Reither was ordained priest by Bishop Johannes von Geissel on December 31, 1838, who appointed him chaplain in Deidesheim on the same day. ^[2]

On 4 Nov 1839, a new Catholic school teacher seminar was opened in Speyer, and Konrad Reither became prefect there under the tried and tested inspector Peter Köstler. As a prefect, Konrad supported the leader and, in addition to regular lessons, was also responsible for a large part of the supervision in the boarding school. His outstanding knowledge of mathematics, natural science and history, as well as his remarkable musical ability were not least the reason why he was called to the teachers' seminar. Peter Köstler and his prefect Konrad Reither jointly set up the school teachers' seminar with great difficulty. Inspector Köstler resigned from his office on August 14, 1845 and advanced to rain the seminary and head of the episcopal boys' convent. Konrad Reither succeeded him in the position of inspector (head) of the Catholic school teacher seminar in Speyer.

Because of his musical abilities, Bishop Nikolaus von Weis also appointed Konrad Reither cathedral choir director, in which position he did great things together with the cathedral band master Johann Baptist Benz. In 1858 he became a spiritual counselor. The Palatinate Newspaper No. 96 from 1914 states about Reither's work at the teacher training center:

“Reither's activity at the teachers' seminar was a blessed one. Thorough scientific education, excellent teaching skills, mental agility and never-ending zeal made him the excellent teacher of future teachers. A high ideal sense, strict view of life, deepest religiosity, combined with noble kindness and gentleness, exemplary life in general and his imposing, always friendly appearance stamped him as an educator in the best sense of the word. What enabled him to be the director of a teaching seminar was his sense of art, his understanding of art and especially his musical education. He mastered the counterpoint and was an excellent piano, organ and cello player. "^[3]

As inspector of the school teacher seminar in 1864, Konrad Reither wrote an extensive commemorative publication on its 25th anniversary. He was an enthusiastic naturalist and also worked in the Pollichia together with cathedral captain Bruno Würschmitt. Reither took an active part in the painting of the Speyer cathedral by Johann Baptist Schraudolph, he made friends with him and also led the painter to correspond with King Ludwig I and his son Maximilian II. Schraudolph's daughter later married a nephew of Bishop Reither in Göcklingen .^[4]

Konrad Reither's activity at the teachers' seminar ended on April 29, 1870. On this day King Ludwig II appointed him bishop of Speyer, but this did not correspond to his own wishes or that of the employees. Nevertheless, Reither took office for obedience to his king and for the good of the church. At that time - without really knowing it - he was already terminally cancerous.

On August 23, the clergyman took the oath in Munich before King Ludwig II. Here he lived in the house of his old friend, the cathedral painter Johann Baptist Schraudolph. On August 30th Reither returned to the Palatinate and on September 8th went to Königsbach, to his friend Pastor Emanuel Berwig, to prepare for the ordination in the silence of the winegrowing village.

On September 28, 1870, the solemn enthronement took place in Speyer Cathedral. Soon afterwards the disease broke out acutely. Bishop Reither suffered from stomach cancer, suffered terrible pain according to those around him, and was barely able to eat and sleep. He never celebrated as a bishop in the cathedral, only a few times in his own chapel. The only pontifical act he undertook was to clothe religious postulants in the monastery of St. Magdalena in Speyer on October 11, 1870. However, Reither issued three pastoral letters in his short term; one to take office, one in which he justified and defended the dogma of infallibility just explained, and a short letter of fasting shepherd dated February 10, 1871. In his own words, he had already written the latter, “tied to the bed of pain for some time,” and notes in it that he believes could only write "in a few words", but "begged God's blessings on some sleepless nights".

Death and Legacy

Reither died on 4 Apr 1871 in Speyer and on 8 Apr 1871 was buried at the Cathedral of Speyer in Speyer, Stadkreis Speyer, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany. ^{[5] [6]} As a saying for the grave slab, which was removed during the cathedral renovation in 1960, the inscription Daniel 12.3 EU was chosen in memory of his work as a seminary teacher:

"Those who have instructed many about justice will shine like stars in eternal times."^[7]

Sources

1. ↑ "Deutschland Geburten und Taufen, 1558-1898," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NDH5-9QX : 10 February 2018), Georgius Conradus Reither, 26 Apr 1814; citing ; FHL microfilm 400,483.
2. ↑ http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/spey0.htm#12536
3. ↑ Pfälzische Zeitung Nr. 96, 1914
4. ↑ Die Bilder im Speyerer Dom, 1849
5. ↑ http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/spey0.htm#12536
6. ↑ Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 18 January 2020), memorial page for Konrad Reither (26 Apr 1814–4 Apr 1871), Find A Grave Memorial no. 43229556, citing Cathedral of Speyer, Speyer, Stadtkreis Speyer, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany ; Maintained by Frank K. (contributor 46941322) .
7. ↑ "Deutschland Geburten und Taufen, 1558-1898," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NDH5-9QX : 10 February 2018), Georgius Conradus Reither, 26 Apr 1814; citing ; FHL microfilm 400,483.