COHAUSS, OTTO. – German Jesuit, apologetic and ascetical writer, born at Nordwalde (Westphalia) on 8 September 1872, died at Danzig on 3 June 1938. He had engaged in commerce before entering the Society of Jesus in 1894. After his studies, he initially devoted himself to popular missions; having withdrawn from them because of poor health, he continued to devote himself to preaching, principally giving the spiritual exercises and religious conferences in Cologne, Berlin, Breslau, etc.
He wrote many journal articles and popular booklets (e.g., the series: Idole des XX. Jahrhunderts, Cologne 1911; 2nd ed. there 1920; 4th ed. there 1921). Of his more important works, only the following may be mentioned: Das moderne Denken (there 1910); Im Gefolge Jesu (Warendorf 1915, frequently reprinted and translated; these are meditations for Catholic women teachers); Paulus. Ein Buch für Priester (there 1918; 3rd ed. there 1920); Jesus Christus, der König der Welt (Steyl 1926; 3rd ed. there 1929); Die Frömmigkeit Jesu Christi (Baden 1929; 2nd ed. there 1930); Maria in ihrer Unice und Wirklichkeit. Die zweite Eva (Limburg a. L. 1938). Of interest is the application he made of exegetical studies to the spiritual life in the series of meditations on Sacred Scripture: Betrachtungen über die III. Schrift: I, Bilder aus der Urkirche (Leipzig 1921); II, Blätter aus dem Lebensbuche Sauls (there 1921); III, Der erlöste Mensch. Eine Erklärung des Römerbriefes (there 1923). He also wrote a popular commentary on the Apocalypse: Seherbliche auf Patmos (Aachen 1927) and on the Acts of the Apostles: Apostolgeschichte (Herders Bibelkommentar, XII, II, Freiburg im Br. 1936; 2nd ed. there 1937).