EHRLE, FRANZ

Cardinal and medievalist; b. Isny (Württemberg), Oct. 17, 1845; d. Rome, March 31, 1934. After entering the Society of Jesus in 1861, he studied in Germany and in England, where he was ordained in 1876. He was assigned to the editorial staff of Stimmen aus Maria Laach until he went to Rome in 1880 to pursue intensive studies in medieval thought. There he collaborated with H. denifle in publishing Archiv für Literatur und Kirchengeschichte des Mittelalters (7 v. Freiburg im Breisgau 1885–1900). While prefect of the Vatican Library (1895–1914), he published many important texts and studies on medieval thought, libraries, and Roman topography. During World War I, he was in Munich as editor of Stimmen der Zeit, but in 1919 he returned to Rome as lecturer in paleography at the Biblical Institute and (1920) the Gregorianum. In 1922 he was created cardinal and in 1929 was given the position of librarian and archivist of the Roman Church, which he retained until his death. He was widely acclaimed for his vast erudition, and he received honorary doctorates from the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Münster, Munich, Cologne, Tübingen, and Louvain.

See Also: scholasticism.

Bibliography: "Miscellanea Francesco Ehrle," Studi e Testi 42 (1924) 37–41. f. pelster, La civiltà cattolica 85.2 (1934) 449–461; 85.3 (1934) 17–27. m. grabmann, "Heinrich Denifle O.P. und Kardinal Franz Ehrle S. J.," Philosophisches Jahrbuch der Görres-Gesellschaft 56 (1946) 9–26; Stimmen der Zeit 127 (1934) 217–225. v. cattaneo, Enciclopedia Filosofica 1:1838–39. f. stegmÜller, Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche, ed. j. hofer and k. rahner (Freiburg 1957–65) 3:719.

[a. m. walz]