Alfred Bengsch

Who was Alfred Bengsch?

Alfred Bengsch was a German Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Berlin from 1961 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1967.

Alfred Bengsch was born in Berlin, and his father Leo was a postal worker. Entering a Jesuit-run gymnasium in 1932, he later attended the Superior School of Philosophy and Theology in Fulda, and the seminary in Neuzelle. During World War II, Bengsch was drafted by the German Army; in the course of his service, he was wounded and captured by the United States Army in August 1944.

He was eventually ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal Konrad von Preysing on April 2, 1950. Bengsch then did pastoral work in Berlin until 1954, when he began teaching at the seminary in Erfurt, of which he was named regent on April 1, 1959. From 1956 to 1959, he also served as a professor at Neuzelle's seminary.

On May 2, 1959, Bengsch was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Berlin and Titular Bishop of Tubia. He received his episcopal consecration on the following June 11 from Cardinal Julius Döpfner. Bengsch succeeded Döpfner as Bishop of Berlin on August 16, 1961, three days after the erection of the Berlin Wall. During his tenure in Berlin, he was given a monthly permission to cross the Wall to minister to the Eastern portion of his flock. The German prelate was granted the personal title of "Archbishop" on January 14, 1962, and participated in the Second Vatican Council.