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 PERIODICAL

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PERIODICAL

against the Syllabus and the Encyclical of 8 Dec, 1864. From 1871 it has been issued regularly and has included within the scope of its observation all im- portant questions and events. Its circle of collabora- tors includes the most noted German Jesuits, as Alex- ander Baumgartner (now deceased), Stephan Beissel, Viktor Cathrein, Franz Ehrle, Wilhelm Kreiten (now deceased), Augustin Lehmkuhl, Christian and Til- mann Pesch, etc. In 1866 the excellent "Theolo- gisches Literaturblatt" of Bonn was founded, but after 1S7 it. became an organ of the Old Catholics.

The Kiitliirkdiiipf now broke out, which consoli- dated the Catholics, and impressed on them most powerfully the necessity of a press of their own. Con- sequently the larger number of Catholic periodicals have appeared from the seventies on. Simultaneous with the occurrence of the Kulturkampf was the found- ing of the Centre Party (Dec, 1870). Since then a Catholic paper and a paper that is the organ of the Centre Party are with very few exceptions identical. During the exciting years of the ecclesiastico-political struggle small papers particularly, such as the "Kap- lanspresse" (curate's press), shot up like mushrooms. On 1 Jan., 1871 the "Germania" newspaper appeared at Berlin, as the new and most important organ of the Centre Party ; it was founded as a company by mem- bers of the CathoUc societies of BerUn with the active and praiseworthy aid of the embassy councillor Fried- rich Kehler (d. iOOl). Up to 1878 Paul Majunke (d. 1899) wrote for it articles that were exceedingly sharp and contentious in tone. He was followed as editor up to 1881 by the learned and more moderate Dr. Adolf Franz, who was succeeded by Theodor Stahl, Dr. Eduard Marcour, and, from 1894, Hermann ten Brink. Besides the "Germania" and the "Kolnische Volkszeitung", which latter has been edited from 1876 by Dr. Hermann Cardauns with great skill and in- telligence, there are important provincial periodicals that maintain Catholic interests. Of these should be mentioned: the "Deutsche Reichszeitung" founded at Bonn in 1872; the " Dusseldorfer Volksblatt", that developed greatly under the ecUtorial guidance of Dr. Eduard Hiisgen; the " Niederrheinische Volkszeitung " of Krefeld; the "Essener Volkszeitung"; the "Trier- ische Landeszeitung", founded in 1873 by the ener- getic chaplain Georg Friedrich Dasbach (d. 1907); the "Westfiilischer Merkur" of Munster, edited by J. Hoffmann and Chaplain Karl Boddinghaus; the "Tremonia" of Dortmund, founded in 1875; the "MiinsterischerAnzeiger"; the " Westfalisches Volks- blatt" of Paderborn; the "Schlesische Volkszeitung" of Breslau, edited by Dr. Arthur Hager, one of the "most dashing champions of the Centre Party"; the "Deutsches Volksblatt" of Stuttgart; the "Mainzer Journal"; the "Badischer Beobachter"; the "Aug.s- burger Postzeitung " ; the "Bayerischer Kurier" of Munich. The editors had to make great personal sac- rifices, for the legal actions against them for violations of the press laws, the confiscations, fines, and im- prisonments were almost endless. It must be ac- knowledged that there were some editorial elements whose speech and method of fighting did no honour to their cause. Among the weekly papers the " Kath- olisches Volksblatt" of Mainz had a large circulation (35,000), and great influence in Southern Germany; the "Schwarzes Blatt" was pubhshed at Berlin as a paper of general scope for the common people.

It was in the era of the Kulturkampf (1875) that the first large illustrated family periodical "Der Deutsche Hausschatz" was founded at Ratisbon; it had a large circulation and was edited 1875-88 by Venanz Miiller; 1888-98 by Heinrich Keiter; at present by Dr. Otto Denk. A new literary journal was also established in 1875 by the secular priest J. Kohler under the name of the " Literarische Rundschau fiir das katholische Deutschland ". From this time on the Catholic Press has steadily grown. The number of political news-

papers and ecclesiastico-political Sunday papers was: in 1880, 186; in 1890, 272; in 1900, 419; in 1908, 500. In Prussia alone the Catholic periodicals numbered in 1870, 49; in ISSO, 109; in 1890, 149; in 1900, 270. The number of Catholic periodicals appearing in Ger- many in 1890 was 143. Since tliis date the number has more than doubled.

The present condition of the Cathohe Press is as follows: (1) Daily political newspapers, 278; political newspapers appearing four times weekly, 14; three times weekly, 134; twice weekly, 83; once weekly, 64; in addition there are 19, the time of appearance of which is unknown, making altogether 592. In regard to the extent of the circulation of these newspapers, statements as to the issue have been given by the pub- lishers of 338 of them. The total issue of all for one number amounts to 1,938,434. The issue printed by the remaining 254 can be averaged as 15(K) for each number, altogether as 381,000. According to this all the political newspapers taken together issue a total edition of 2,319,4.34 for one number. In 1880 the num- ber of subscribers to the Catholic papers was estimated at 596,000; in 1890 Keiter estimated it at over 1,000,- 000. The growth, therefore, was very large. Unfor- tunately, a comparison with the Protestant Press can- not be made, because comprehensive statistics are lacking, and because there is some uncertainty as to just what would be meant by a "Protestant newspa- per". Yet it may be accepted that the Catholic Press would equaJ it in the number of its organs and sub- scribers.

An important Catholic newspaper is the " Kolnische Volkszeitung", which appears three times daily; the editor-in-chief from 1907 is Dr. Karl Hoeber, the pub- lisher J. P. Bachem of Cologne; circulation 26,500 copies. Its quiet, dignified, conciliatory tone, com- bined with firmness of principle, has gained for it the respect of all, especially the cultured circles, and its influence extends far beyond the limits of Germany. The "Germania" is next to it in rei)Utation; the editor-m-chief of the "Germania" is Hermann ten Brink, the publisher. Financially it is less favourably situated than the Cologne journal, because being pub- lished in a Protestant city, it lacks advertisements. In 1882 its circulation was 7000 copies; its present circu- lation is unknown, but it is probably from 12,000 to 14,000. The other newspapers previously mentioned in speaking of the Kulturkampf have also prospered and developed, with the possible exception of the "Westfiilischer Merkur", which has dechned some- what. The one with the largest number of subscribers is the "Essener Volkszeitung" (54,500).

(2) There are published in the German Empire over 300 Catholic periodicals, which have about 5,000,000 subscribers. Among these are: (a) General reviews, 8. The most important, finest in tone, contents, and artistic execution is the monthly " Hochland ", founded in 1903 and edited by Karl Muth; the publisher is J. Kosel of Munich, and an edition contains 10,000 copies. The list of collaborators contains the names of Biiumker, Cardauns, Finke, Grauert, von Handel- Mazzetti, von Hertling, Kiefl, Mausbach, Pastor, Schanz (now deceased), Schell (now deceased), Schon- bach, Spahn, Streitberg, Willmann. The monthly called "Der Aar", founded in 1910, seeks to compete with the "Hochland", but falls a little below the other; the editor is Dr. Otto Denk, the publisher is Pustet at Rati-sbon. The semi-monthly "Die His- torisch-politische Blatter", published by Riedel at Munich, edition 3000 copies, and the "Stimmen aus Maria-Laach", published ten times a year by Herder at Freiburg, edition 5200 copies, are carried on, on the same lines as heretofore. The "Allgemeine Rund- schau", a semi-monthly edited and published by Dr. Armin Kausen at Munich, devotes itself to the living questions of political and religious life. It specially combats immorality in hfe and art.