KÖNIG, Franz 1905-2004

OBITUARY NOTICE—

See index for CA sketch: Born August 3, 1905, in Rabenstein, Pielach, Austria-Hungary; died March 13, 2004, in Vienna, Austria. Priest, educator, and author. König was an influential cardinal in the Catholic Church and was considered an important bridge builder between the Church and the Communist countries of eastern Europe. Educated at the Pontifical Gregorian University's Bible Institute, he earned a theology degree in 1930 and was ordained a priest in 1933. In his early career, he served the Church in Lille, France, as a parish priest and then was a cathedral curate in St. Poelten, as well as a secondary school teacher. During World War II, he was a chaplain and teacher, and after the war König was a university professor in Vienna and Salzburg. His work began to draw the attention of his superiors as early as 1947, and in 1956 he was made the archbishop of Vienna, a post he held until 1985; he was elevated to cardinal in 1958. The turning point of his service came in 1960 while visiting Yugoslavia. He became more aware of Marshal Tito's oppressive rule there and vowed to do something about it, not only for Yugoslavia but for all eastern European countries. Arguing for more Church involvement in the East, he helped shape the Roman Catholic Church's policies there. He was the first Catholic prelate to manage to visit the sequestered Cardinal Jozsef Mindszenty, who was hiding from the Communists at the U.S. embassy in Budapest; he made regular visits to Poland, Romania, and Serbia to establish better relations with those countries; and he has been credited with strongly influencing the election of Cardinal Karol Wojtya of Poland to Pope in 1978, rather than having another Italian cardinal become head of the Church. A president of the Secretariat for Non-Believers from 1965 to 1980 and of Pax Christi International from 1985 to 1990, König remained actively involved in the international community all his life; he was also a prolific author, publishing such works as Kirche im Aufbruch (1966), Das zeichen Gottes: Die Kirche in unserer Zeit (1973), and Kardinal Franz König: Ansichten eines engagierten Kirchenmannes (1991).

OBITUARIES AND OTHER SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Independent (London, England), March 15, 2004, p. 34.

Los Angeles Times, March 15, 2004, p. B9.

New York Times, March 15, 2004, p. A23.

Times (London, England), March 15, 2004, p. 27.

Washington Post, March 14, 2004, p. C10.