Joseph König

Joseph König (born at Hausen on the Aach, District of Hegau, Grand Duchy of Baden, 7 September1819; died at Freiburg im Breisgau, 22 June1900) was a German Roman Catholic theologian and Biblical exegete.

Life

He was ordained to the priesthood in 1845. In 1847 König was "privatdozent", in 1854 extraordinary, and from 1857 to 1894 ordinary, professor of Old Testament literature and exegesis at the University of Freiburg. On the expiration of this term he resigned his professorship.

Works

König's exegetical writings include:

*"Die Unsterblichkeitsidee im Buche Job" (1855);
*"Die Theologie der Psalmen" (1857);
*"Das alttest. Königtum" (programme, 1863);
*"Alter u. Entstehung des Pentateuchs" (pro-rectoral discourse, 1884).

The editorship of the "Freiburger Diözesan-Archiv" was entrusted to König, and his period as editor saw many contributions to the history of the major abbeys at Reichenau, St. Gall, and Fulda, several of which were from his own pen. He was known for research work in diocesan history, but it is chiefly in connection with the University of Freiburg, to the history of which institution König contributed many notable studies (see e g. "Freiburger Diözesan-Archiv", XXI and XXII), that he is remembered. During the years 1885 to 1889 König's activity centred on the "Necrologium Frib.", a record of the period 1827-87.

References

*LAUCHERT in BUCHBERGER Kirchliches Handlex., s.v.;
*HERDER, Konversations-Lexikon, s.v. König (10);
*Freiburger Diözesan-Archiv, XXVIII (Freiburg im Br., 1900), v-xvi.