GÖRRES-GESELLSCHAFT

A German Catholic society devoted to scholarly research and publication. It was founded by Georg von Hertling in 1876, the centenary of the birth of Johann von gÖrres. It soon formed a bulwark of Catholic scholarly resistance to the kulturkampf. The presidents of this private organization have been: Georg von Hertling (1876–1919), Hermann von Grauert (1919–24), Heinrich Finke (1924–38), and Hans Peters (1940-). The society relies on scientific teamwork and international collaboration continued from generation to generation. The original four sections have increased to 12: philosophy, natural science and technology, history, civil and canon law and political science, economics and social sciences, pedagogy, psychology and psychotherapy, archeology, linguistics and literature, Christian Oriental studies, fine arts, and folklore. Theological topics are pursued solely in their historical aspects. After being suppressed in 1941 by the Nazis, the society revived after World War II. In 1964 it had 1,650 members. Annual meetings are held in various German cities or outside the country (as in 1963 at Trent). Abroad the society maintains the Roman Institute (since 1888), the Oriental Institute in Jerusalem (1908), and the Spanish Institute in Madrid (1926). In 1957 the International Institute for Relations between Natural Science and Faith opened in Munich.

The society continues to publish the following periodicals: Historisches Jahrbuch (founded in 1880), Römische Quartalschrift (1887), Philosophisches Jahrbuch (1888), Oriens Christianus (1911), Literaturwissenschaftliches Jahrbuch (1926), Kunstwissenschaftliches Jahrbuch (1928), Volk und Volkstum. Jahrbuch für Volkskunde (1936), and Jahrbuch für Psychologie und Psychotherapie (1952). Between 1887 and 1963 the society sponsored six editions of the Staatslexikon (6th ed. 8 v. 1957–63). It also sponsored the first three volumes of Konrad eubel, Hierarchia catholica medii aevi (1898–1910). Between 1901 and 1965 the society published 12 volumes of the acts of the Council of trent, Concilium Tridentinum. Other collections of sources and results of research that have appeared under the same auspices are: Quellen und Forschungen aus dem Gebiet der Geschichte (1900–), Studien und Darstellungen aus dem Gebiet der Geschichte (1901–), Studien zur Geschichte und Kultur des Altertums (1907–). Collectanea Hierosolymitana (1917–), Schriften zur deutschen Literatur (1926–), Spanische Forschungen (1928–), and Forschungen zur Geschichte der Philosophie der Neuzeit (1931–). Utilizing the Vatican Archives, the society has been publishing Vatikanische Quellen zur Geschichte der päpstlichen Hofund Finanzverwaltung im 14 Jahrhundert (1910–) and Veröffentlichungen zur Kirchenund Papstgeschichte der Neuzeit (1929–). The society's section for legal and political studies has issued volumes since 1908, and the section for social and economic subjects, since 1927. Sixteen volumes have appeared since 1926 in the complete edition of the works of Görres.

Bibliography: w. spael, Die Görres-Gesellschaft, 1876–1941 (Paderborn 1957) J. spÖrl, Staatslexicon 3:1007–09.

[n. backmund]