Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
fierce and uncompromising cardinal who for 24 years had been John Paul II's enforcer of church
doctrine. He was known to be opposed to abortion, homosexuality and contraception, and ruthless
in his crackdowns on dissident priests. 'Panzer cardinal' and 'God's Rottweiler' were just two of
his nicknames.
Yet, even his staunchest critics could not deny that Ratzinger was well prepared for the papal
post. A distinguished theologian, he speaks seven languages and has written more than 50 books.
He looks back on a long career as a university professor, arch-bishop of Freising and Munich, and
24 years as John Paul II's main man.
As Pope Benedict XVI, he has declared that stemming the tide of secularisation, especially in
Europe, and a return to Christian values, is his major priority. He considers interfaith dialogue an-
other important mission but has at times been clumsy in going about accomplishing it. In his first
seven years 'in office' he has managed to peeve Muslims, the State of Israel, Jews, South Amer-
ica's indigenous population and China (for meeting the Dalai Lama) but remains popular among
more conservative Catholic bishops.
Keep it in the Family - the
Wittelsbachs
From 1180 to 1918, a single family held Bav-
aria in its grip, the House of Wittelsbach. Otto
von Wittelsbach was a distant relative of Em-
peror Friedrich Barbarossa who, in 1180, ap-
pointed him duke of Bavaria, which at that
time was a fairly small and insignificant territory. Ensuing generations of Wittelsbachs fo-
cused on expanding their land - and with it their sphere of influence - through wheeling
and dealing, marriage, inheritance and war.
Being granted the fiefdom of the Palatinate, an area along the Rhine River northwest of
present-day boundaries, was a good start back in 1214, but the family's fortunes peaked
when one of their own, Ludwig the Bavarian, became Holy Roman Emperor in 1328. As
the first Wittelsbach on the imperial throne, Ludwig used his powerful position to bring
various far-flung territories, including the March of Brandenburg (around Berlin), the
Tyrol (part of today's Austria) and several Dutch provinces, under Bavarian control.
The most prominent Wittelsbach descendant is
Prince Luitpold of Bavaria who runs his own brew-
ery, the Schlossbraurerei Kaltenberg, and hosts a
popular jousting tournament, the Kaltenberger Rit-
terturnier. Learn more at
www.kaltenberg.com
.
