Historica Wiki
Advertisement
Franz Justus Rarkowski

Franz Justus Rarkowski (8 June 1873-9 February 1950) was Field Bishop of the German Wehrmacht from 7 January 1938 to 1 February 1945, succeeding Heinrich Joeppen and preceding Joseph Wendel.

Biography[]

Franz Justus Rarkowski was born in Allenstein, East Prussia, German Empire (present-day Olsztyn, Poland) on 8 June 1873. He studied theology in Switzerland, and he was ostracized by his fellow Catholic priests for his radical political views. In August 1936, Rarkowski was appointed acting Field Bishop of the German Wehrmacht, in spite of the opposition of the Catholic bishops in Nazi Germany. During World War II, Rarkowski claimed that Germany was waging a "just war" and praised Germany's Catholic soldiers for maintaining a "Christian attitude" in battle. He died in Munich in 1950 at the age of 76.

Advertisement