RIEDER, Karl Joseph. — German Church historian, b. at Ermendingen on 9 Feb. 1876, d. at Reichenau-Niederzell on 4 Sept. 1931.
Ordained priest in 1899, he became parish priest at Scherzingen in 1908, then moved to Bonndorf in 1911 and to Reichenau-Niederzell in 1924. He earned a doctorate in philosophy in 1902 and in theology in 1909. From 1910 to 1919 he edited the diocesan archives of Freiburg (Freiburger Diözesan-Archiv). A pupil of Heinrich Finke, in 1901 he was entrusted with continuing the regesta of the bishops of Constance (Regesta episcoporum Constantiensium), which he carried forward until 1480. He resided in Rome in 1904–1905 and was able to publish the Roman sources on the history of the diocese of Constance (Römische Quellen zur Konstanzer Bistumsgeschichte zur Zeit der Päpste in Avignon, 1908). He published many works on a variety of subjects, addressing contemporary ecclesiastical issues (e.g., Zur innerkirchlichen Krisis des heutigen Protestantismus, 1910) and pastoral topics.