SCHENK, EDUARD von. - Bavarian politician, b. 10 Oct. 1788 in Düsseldorf, d. 26 Apr. 1841 in Munich.
He studied at the University of Landshut and, under the influence of Sailer, converted to Catholicism in 1817. Having entered the Bavarian Ministry of Justice the following year, he became a ministerial councillor in 1825 and was appointed by King Louis I, on Sailer's proposal, head of the section for ecclesiastical affairs and for education.
The Catholic restoration in Bavaria found in him one of its most fervent supporters. Aided in particular by the Sovereign and by Sailer, he worked to eliminate all the restrictions previously imposed by Montgelas on Catholic worship: the Benedictines were able to re-establish themselves in the State, and in 1826 the University was transferred from Landshut to Munich. Minister of the Interior from 1828 to 1832, his activity in favor of Catholicism encountered the opposition of the liberals, who tenaciously opposed him in the regional diet and repeatedly demanded his resignation from the Sovereign. And indeed Louis I was forced to dismiss him in 1832, after a motion presented by the liberals at the Landtag requesting his resignation was approved for the third time.
S. subsequently received the appointment as president of the government in Regensburg and in 1838 as councillor of State. He was also an esteemed man of letters and playwright. Among his tragedies, Belisarius met with particular success. From 1834 to 1838 he edited the manual Charitas, in which he published novellas and biographical sketches on Sailer and on Wittmann.
Bibliography2 works
S. 1823-41. Eingeleitet u. hrsg. von M. Schindler, Munich 1930; P. Sattler, Die Wiederherstellung des Benediktinerordens durch König Ludwig I. von Bayern. Die Restaurationsarbeit in der Zeit E. v. Schenks, Munich 1931; J. Weyden, Ed. v. S. ein bayerischer Dichter und Staatsmann, Graz 1932.
Silvio Furlani