MAXIMILIAN JOSEPH HEIMBUCHER. — Apologist and historian, born at Miesbach (Bavaria) on 10 June 1856, died there on 24 August 1946. Professor of apologetics and dogmatics at the University of Munich (1887–91), then at Bamberg (1891–1924).
Besides several pamphlets of a local historical character, he is remembered for various apologetic writings, often of a popular expository kind. But his best-known and most valuable work is *Die Orden und Kongregationen der katholischen Kirche* (1st ed., 2 vols., Paderborn 1896–97; 2nd ed., 3 vols., ibid. 1907–08; 3rd ed., 2 vols., ibid. 1933–34). It remains the most comprehensive general work on religious orders and congregations, providing historical, statistical and bibliographical notes, often in admirably concise form.