MOLITERO, WILHELM

MOLITERO, Wilhelm. — German writer and theologian, b. at Zweibrücken on 24 Aug. 1819, d. at Speyer on 11 Jan. 1890. He studied theology at Heidelberg and Bonn; held legal positions; was ordained priest in 1851 and in 1857 became cathedral vicar at Speyer. There he taught art history and homiletics at the Seminary until 1865; in 1869 he was summoned to Rome by Pius IX to prepare for the Vatican Council. He published critical and religious writings (Über kanonisches Gerichtsverfahren gegen Kleriker, Mainz 1856; Rom, seine Vergangenheit, Gegenwart und Zukunft, 1862; Über Goethes Faust, 1862), collections of sermons for feast days (1881) and for Lent (1882), sacred songs (Domlieder 1846); he also produced poetic works (M. Magdalena, 1863; Die Blumen von Sizilien, 1880), novels (Die schöne Zweibrückerin, 1884; Memoiren eines Totenkopfes, 1875, etc.) and short stories, mostly under the pseudonyms Ulrich Riesler and Bruno Bonner.