Wilhelm Molitor
Wilhelm Molitor (pseudonyms Ulric Riesler and Benno Bronner) (24 August 1819 at Zweibrücken in the Rhine Palatinate – 11 January 1880 at Speyer) was a German poet, novelist, canon lawyer and publicist, and Roman Catholic priest. He was a chief promoter of the Catholic movement in the Palatinate. Life. After studying philosophy and jurisprudence in Munich and Heidelberg (1836–40), he held various juridical positions in the service of the State from 1843-9. Feeling himself called to the priesthood, he studied theology at Bonn (1849–51) and was ordained priest on 15 March 1851. In the same year he became  secretary to Nicolaus von Weis, Bishop of Speyer; on 11 November 1857, he was elected canon of the cathedral chapter and, soon after, appointed custos of the cathedral, and professor of archæology and homiletics at the episcopal seminary. He took part in the consultations of the German bishops at Bamberg (1867), Würzburg (1868), and Fulda (1869). In 1868 Pope Pius IX summoned him to Rome as a consultor, ahead of the First Vatican Council. From 1875-7 he was a member of the Bavarian Landtag. His ultramontane principles made him unacceptable to the Bavarian Government, which in consequence repeatedly prevented  his election to the See of Speyer. He founded the "Pfälzicher Pressverein", the daily paper "Rheinpfalz" and the "Katholische Vereinsdruckerei". Works. He is the author of numerous poems, dramas, novels, sketches on the questions of the day, and a few juridical treatises. A collection of his poems was published in 1884; his "Domlieder" in 1846. His dramas are: His novels are: His juridical works are: He also wrote: In collaboration with Franz Hülskamp he wrote "Papst Pius IX in seinem Leben und Wirken", 4th ed. (1875) and in collaboration with Wittmer "Rom, Wegweiser durch die ewige Stadt" (1866, 1870). Wilhelm