Georg von Kopp

His Eminence Georg von Kopp
Bishop of Breslau
Diocese	Breslau
See	Breslau
Appointed	9 August 1887
Term ended	4 March 1914
Predecessor	Robert Herzog
Successor	Adolf Bertram
Other posts	Cardinal-Priest of Sant'Agnese fuori le mura
Orders
Ordination	28 August 1862
Consecration	27 December 1881 by Daniel Wilhelm Sommerwerk
Created Cardinal	16 January 1893 by Pope Leo XIII
Rank	Cardinal Priest
Personal details
Born	(1837-07-25)25 July 1837 Duderstadt, Kingdom of Hanover
Died	4 March 1914(1914-03-04) (aged 76) Opava, Austrian Silesia
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Previous post	Bishop of Fulda (1881-1887)
Coat of arms

Georg von Kopp (25 July 1837 – 4 March 1914) was a German Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Bishop of Fulda (1881–87) and Prince-Bishop of Breslau (1881–1914). He was known for his anti-Polish views and pursued Germanization of his Polish parishioners.

Biography

Kopp was born in Duderstadt in the Kingdom of Hanover. He was the son of a weaver and attended the gymnasium at Hildesheim. In 1856 he became a telegraph operator in the employ of the Hanoverian government. From 1858 to 1861, he studied theology and in 1862 entered the priesthood. He rose rapidly in his profession and in 1872 was made vicar-general at Hildesheim and three years later bishop of Fulda. He worked to bring about a better understanding between the German government and the papal curia. After his election to the House of Lords he obtained a mitigation of the anti-Catholic provisions which characterized the May laws.

In 1887, with the approval of the Prussian government, the Pope appointed him prince-bishop of Breslau(Wroclaw), and in 1893 he was made cardinal. As prince bishop he pursued Germanization and censured those priests whom he suspected as resisting these measures, opposed used of Polish in classes and communion and tried secretly to discourage Polish faithful from making pilgrimages to Krakow^[1] As He was made Cardinal by Pope Leo XIII in 1893. He took part in the 1903 conclave which elected Pope Pius X. Kopp died in Opava in Austrian Silesia.

Notes

References

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Rines, George Edwin, ed. (1920). "Kopp, Georg". Encyclopedia Americana. 
• Salvador Miranda: The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church