Gengenbach Abbey

Gengenbach Abbey (Kloster Gengenbach) was a Benedictine monastery in Gengenbach in the district of Ortenau, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

History

It was founded by Saint Pirmin (d. 735) sometime after his expulsion from Reichenau in 727 and settled by monks from Gorze Abbey. It enjoyed good relations with the Carolingian dynasty and soon became an "Imperial abbey" (territorially independent). In 1007, however, Emperor Henry II presented it to his newly founded Bishopric of Bamberg. Gengenbach was deeply embroiled in the Investiture Controversy, and two of its abbots were driven out for supporting the Imperial rather than the Papal cause. Shortly after this, the abbey was involved by Abbot Theoger (1080-1139) of St. George's Abbey in the Black Forest and Bishop Otto of Bamberg in the Hirsauer Reform, during which the abbey church was demolished and rebuilt to the Hirsau model. (It has subsequently been remodelled in the Gothic, Baroque and Neo-romanesque styles).

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the abbey was instrumental in developing the town of Gengenbach to economic maturity. The abbey avoided further monastic reforms, and although in danger of suppression during the Reformation, survived that too. It was secularised in the wake of the "Reichsdeputationshauptschluss" of 1803, and shortly afterwards its territories were absorbed into the state of Baden.

Abbots of Gengenbach

* Rustenus (8th century)
* Burkhard, Leutfried, Cosman, Anselm, Gauthier, Volmar, Otho, Benno, Rado, Ammilo (?)
* Alfram (c. 820)
* Germunt (c. 826)
* Lando (c. 840)
* Dietrich I, Dietrich II, Gottfried I, Walther I, Walther II and others
* Reginald (before 1016-1028)
* Rusten (1028-1034)
* Berthold I (-1052)
* Bruning (-1065)
* Poppo (-1071
* Acelinus (-1074)
* Ruotpert (-1075)
* Willo (-1085)
* Hugo I (1089, 1096)
* Friedrich I (before 1109-1120)
* Gottfried II. (before 1140-1162)
* Anselm (-1147?)
* (anon.) (-1173)
* Friedrich II (-1182)
* Landofrid (-1196)
* Salomon (-1208)
* Gerbold (1210)
* Eggenhard (-1218)
* Gottfried III (1218-1237
* Walther III (1237-1248)
* Dietrich III (1248-1263?)
* Hugo II (1263?-1270?)
* Gottfried IV (1270?-1276)
* Berthold II (1276-1297)
* Gottfried V (1296)
* Berthold III (1297-1300)
* Dietrich IV (1300-1323)
* Albero (1323-1324)
* Walther IV (1324-1345)
* Berthold IV (1345-1354)
* Lambert von Brunn (1354-1374)
* Stephan von Wilsberg (1374-1398)
* Konrad von Blumberg (1398-1415)
* Berthold V Mangolt-Venser (1416-1424)
* Egenolf von Wartenberg (1424-1453)
* Volzo von Neuneck (1454-1461)
* Sigismund von Neuhausen (1461-1475)
* Jakob von Bern (1475-1493)
* Beatus II von Schauenburg (1493-1500)
* Konrad von Mülnheim (1500-1507)
* Philipp von Eselsberg (1507-1531)
* Melchior Horneck von Hornberg (1531-1540)
* Friedrich von Keppenbach (1540-1555)
* Gisbert Agricola (1556-1586)
* Johann Ludiwig Sorg (1586-1605)
* Georg Breuning (1605-1617)
* [Johann Caspar Liesch (1617)]
* Johann Demler (1617-1626)
* Jakob Petri (1626-1636)
* Erhard Marx (1636-1638)
* Columban Meyer (1638-1660)
* Roman Suttler (1660-1680)
* Placidus Thalmann (1680-1696)
* Augustinus Müller (1696-1726)
* Paulus Seeger (1726-1743)
* Benedikt Rischer (1743-1763)
* Jakob Trautwein (1763-1792)
* Bernhard Maria Schwörer (1792-1803/07)

References

* Buhlmann, M., 2004. "Benediktinisches Mönchtum im mittelalterlichen Schwarzwald. Ein Lexikon. Vortrag beim Schwarzwaldverein St. Georgen e.V., beim Verein für Heimatgeschichte St. Georgen und bei den St. Georgener Klosterspuren 2004. St. Georgen im Schwarzwald, 10. November 2004 (= Vertex Alemanniae, H.10)"
* Kähni, O., and John, H., (eds) 1980. "Gengenbach" in "Handbuch der historischen Stätten Deutschlands, Bd.6: Baden-Württemberg", ed. Max Miller and Gerhard Taddey, 2nd ed., pp. 247f. Stuttgart: Kröner Tb 276.
* Hitzfeld, K., (ed.), 1976. "Gengenbach", in "Die Benediktinerklöster in Baden-Württemberg", ed. F. Quarthal (= Germania Benedictina, vol.5), pp. 228-242. Ottobeuren.