Joseph Salzmann

Joseph Salzmann ( born August 17, 1819 in Münzbach, † 17 January 1874 in St. Francis, Wisconsin, United States) was an Austrian Catholic Priest ( ordained in 1842 ), theologian and missionary in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.

Life

Born in Münzbach in Upper Austria Josef Salzmann was ordained a priest in 1842, received his doctorate in 1845 in theology and chaplain in Gleink, St. Wolfgang and Ried was Innkreis.

In 1847 he followed the urgent appeal in Upper Austria was staying on a visit first Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee John Martin Henni and drove 1847 with a sailing ship to Baltimore and on to Milwaukee.

He was initially charged with the rural mission and was soon one of the most famous missionaries of the Northwest. Because of his success he was appointed the bishop as pastor of St. Mary's Congregation in Milwaukee. German free-thinkers wanted to prevent the success of the young defender of the Catholic Church by all means and Salzmann led a fierce battle against them.

The shortage of priests encouraged him in the idea of ​​creating a bigger and better suits the purpose of the seminary for the 1846 furnished in a wooden hut next to the house of the Archbishop seminar. He collected on a trip through several states the necessary means and after many difficulties in 1856, the St. Francis provincial seminary opened (known as Salesianum ) with 25 students. Michael hot, the second archbishop of Milwaukee, was the first rector. The seminar was emerged as one of the most prominent in the United States, the several hundred priests and 23 bishops.

Salzmann was also co-founder of the first Catholic teacher training college in the United States, the Catholic Normal School of the Holy Family, Pio Nono College today, in St. Francis.

The also he co-founded American branch of the St. Cecilia Society had great influence on the development of authentic church music in the United States and owes its existence and its growth.

Salzmann died 1874 in St. Francis Milwaukee and is buried in the Church of the seminary which he founded.

There, a native of Baden painter Johann Schmitt made ​​1888 a mural titled " The Consecration of St. Francis de Sales ". On the right side he grouped into extras who had nothing to do with the original story, but were significant for the history of the Church in Wisconsin. On a received photo can be identified starting from the right following juxtaposed persons: Father Joseph Salzmann ( had taught the nine years as a professor there) ( as the founder of the plan in hand ), next to Bishop Frederick Xavier Katzer and Bishop John Martin Henni ( with was in the pontificate founded the seminary ), full white hair. Unfortunately, it has the magnificent church and historically interesting picture painted over in 1972.