Ehrhard, Albert

EHRHARD, ALBERT. - Noted historian and hagiographer, b. March 14, 1862 at Herbitzheim in Alsace, d. at Bonn on Sept. 23, 1940. After theological studies at the Seminary of Strasbourg, he took his doctorate in theology at Würzburg (1888) and pursued further studies in Rome (1888-1889). He then had a rapid academic career: he was professor at the Seminary of Strasbourg (1889-1892), and at the Universities of Würzburg (1892-98), Vienna (1898-1902), Freiburg im Breisgau (1902-1903), Strasbourg (1903-18) and Bonn (1920-27). To this splendid ascent correspond his valuable publications, concerning almost the whole of Christian antiquity, especially patristics, Byzantine theological and hagiographical literature.

In the Strasburger Theologische Studien (1 [1894], nos. 4-5), he reported on patristic studies that appeared from 1880 to 1884, a work continued for the years 1884-1900 in Die altchristliche Literatur (Freiburg im Breisgau 1900). In the 2nd edition of Krumacher, pp. 37-218 are his. Having been commissioned by A. Harnack to collect the Greek Acta Martyrum, he devoted himself to the search for manuscripts, in Europe and in the East, without being able to bring this preparatory work to completion. At his death he had published in the Texte und Untersuchungen (50, Leipzig 1937, and 51, ibid. 1938): Überlieferung und Bestand der hagiographischen und homiletischen Literatur der griechischen Kirche. Of the third volume, 3 fascicles had been printed. Alongside works of pure erudition, he published, for educated circles, various works of which mention is made here: Die Kirche der Märtyrer (Munich 1932); under the general title "The Catholic Church through the change of times and peoples" (2 vols.: Urkirche und Frühkatholizismus, Bonn 1935, and Die altchristliche Kirchen im Westen und im Osten, ibid. 1937). These works, eminent for depth of doctrine, clarity of exposition, and finesse of method, are, in effect, a scientific apology for the Catholic religion and the Church, and show how unfounded were the suspicions from which he had to suffer at the beginning of the century. Pius XI esteemed him highly.

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