Attempted Disobedience: Humanae Vitae in West Germany and Austria

Abstract

West Germany and Austria experienced intense public debates over Humanae Vitae amongst both clergy and laypeople. This chapter reconstructs the events that led to the Königstein and the Maria Trost Declaration, statements by the respective national bishops’ conferences which were attempts to qualify the encyclical and calm disquiet. The authors lay out the various national contexts to allow for a deeper understanding of contemporary sexual cultures and the position of the Catholic church within the respective societies and political cultures. They conclude that the widespread protests in 1968 were caused by the reception of Vatican II, which had raised expectations among Catholics in both countries concerning the church’s stance on sexual morals and on the role of the laity, which the encyclical scuppered.

We thank Prof Dr Gerhard Höver for sharing information on the Franz Böckle estate which he administers, Prof Dr Norbert Lüdecke for his very valuable insights and helpful literature references, and Prof Dr Gisela Muschiol and Dr Regina Heyder for allowing access to their soon to be published edited volume on female Catholics and the Second Vatican Council . Thanks also to Dr Peter Pawlowsky, former board member of the Association of Catholic Academics and author of the report of the Viennese Diözesansynode 1969–1971, for his willingness to share valuable information and insights into this part of the history of Austrian Catholicism with us.