SCHENK, EDUARD von. – Bavarian statesman, born 10 October 1788 in Düsseldorf, died 26 April 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 Ludwig I, on Sailer’s recommendation, head of the section for ecclesiastical affairs and education.
The Catholic restoration in Bavaria had one of its most fervent supporters in him. Assisted especially by the Sovereign and by Sailer, he endeavoured to eliminate all the restrictions previously imposed by Montgelas on Catholic worship: the Benedictines were once again able to 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 favour of Catholicism met with opposition from the liberals, who opposed him tenaciously in the regional diet and repeatedly demanded his resignation from the Sovereign. Indeed, Ludwig I was forced to dismiss him in 1832, after a motion presented by the liberals in the Landtag, calling for his resignation, had been approved for the third time.
S. was subsequently appointed president of the government in Regensburg and, in 1838, State Councillor. He was also an esteemed man of letters and dramatist. Among his tragedies, Belisario achieved particular success. From 1834 to 1838 he edited the handbook Charitas, in which he published novellas and biographical sketches of Sailer and Wittmann.