Die Militärseelsorge in der hannoverschen Armee / Studien zur Kirchengeschichte Niedersachsens (PDF)

This study of military pastoral care in the Kingdom of Hanover examines an alternative to the Prussian military church, which was path-breaking in military history. A comparison with the situation in Prussia and Bavaria highlights the differences, strengths and weaknesses of this ecclesiastical form of spiritual care for soldiers and their dependants. Besides a detailed portrayal of its organisation the volume presents transcriptions of numerous fundamental, hitherto unpublished sources (e.g. instructions). The biographical data, backgrounds and careers of all clergymen working in pastoral care for the Hanoverian army are recorded in a summary. An evaluation of these social aspects reveals the status of these clergymen in civil society. When the Hanoverian model was put to the test in the Battle of Langensalza, the problems associated with this were brought to light.The literature has hitherto disregarded pastoral care for catholic soldiers in the Hanoverian army. This volume describes the development of this service provided by the church. The personal data give new evidence of a hitherto unknown facet of the catholic military chaplaincy. Finally, the grounds for the Hanoverian model are exposed and an answer found to the question how the practice was changed when Prussian regulations were introduced after the annexation of Hanover.Altogether, the study makes an historic contribution to the debate on the best form of organisation of military pastoral care. It also contains examples of confessionalization in 19th-century Germany. The findings presented provide additional study material on regional and church history in Lower Saxony, but can also serve to stimulate further studies.