HEFELE, KARL JOSEPH von. - Bishop and Church historian, b. 15 March 1809 at Unterkochen (Württemberg), d. at Rottenburg 5 June 1893. For 32 years professor of Church history, Christian archaeology and pathology at the University of Tübingen (the influence of J. A. Möhler on H. is evident), he was called to Rome as a consultor to the preparatory commission of the Vatican Council. Bishop of Rottenburg in 1869 (elected 22 Nov., consecrated 29 Dec.), he took part in the same Council and was one of the most eminent representatives of the minority opposed to the definition of papal infallibility (cf. his work *Causa Honorii Papae*, Naples and Tübingen 1870); he did not take part in the session of 18 July 1870, in which the decree was approved. He was also the last German bishop to publish the Vatican decrees (10 Apr. 1871).
As a scholar he is remembered for a *Geschichte der Einführung des Christentums im südwestlichen Deutschland* (Tübingen 1837); a work on Cardinal Ximenes: *Kard. Ximenes und die kirchlichen Zustände Spanien am Ende des 15. und am Anfang des 16. Jahrhunderts* (ibid. 1844) and the fundamental *Conciliengeschichte* (7 vols., ibid. 1855-74), an unfinished work, the continuation of which was later edited by J. Hergenröther (vols. VIII-IX, ibid. 1887-90) and the extensively annotated French version by H. Leclercq (so far up to the Council of Trent).
