GRUBER, HERMANN JOSEPH. — Jesuit, publicist, born at Kufstein (Tyrol) on 5 February 1851, died at Valkenburg (Holland) on 18 May 1930. After devoting seven years (1881–87) to pastoral ministry among the Germans, at Arlon and Berne, he dedicated himself exclusively to the mission of writing, studying in particular the philosophical currents of his time and the pernicious activity of Freemasonry.
In addition to extensive collaboration with several periodicals devoted to culture (Stimmen aus Maria Loach, Stimmen
der Zeit, Civiltà Cattolica, Theologie und Glaube, Theologisch praktische Quartalschrift, etc.) and with various ecclesiastical encyclopedias, he wrote the following works on positivism: Auguste Comte, der Begründer des Positivismus (Freiburg i. Br. 1889; Italian translation, S. Vito al Tagliamento 1893); Der Positivismus von Tode Comtes bis auf unsere Tage (there 1891; Italian translation, Rome 1899). The products of patient investigations, conducted and presented with serenity of judgment and constant concern for truth, to such an extent that they were praised even by his opponents, are the works: Die Freimaurerei und die öffentliche Ordnung (there 1893); Der «Giftige Kern» oder die wahren Bestrebungen der Freimaurerei ahtenmässig nachgewiesene (Freiburg in Br. 1899); Mazzini, Freimaurerei und Revolution (there 1901; Italian translation, Rome 1901). He also succeeded in unmasking at Amsterdam the Freemason and supposed convert Paolo Rosen: Schwindler und Beschwindelte (there 1891), as well as the false tricks of Leo Taxil: Leo Taxils Palladismus-Roman (3 vols., Bataille, Margiotta, Miss Diana Vaughan, there 1897–98); Betrug als Ende eines Betrugs, die Kundgebung Leo Taxils vom 19. Aug. 1897 (there 1897).