Berlin (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Heiner Koch, Archbishop
Matthias Heinrich, Auxiliary Bishop

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Elevated: 27 June 1994
Metropolitan See
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Germany
Square Kilometers: 28,962 (11,186 Square Miles)
Description: Berlin, large parts of Brandenburg, and Western Pomerania
Official Web Site: https://www.erzbistumberlin.de
Mailing Address: Niederwallstr. 8-9, D-10117 Berlin, Bundesrepublik Deutschland
Telephone: (030)32.68.41.31
Fax: 32.68.42.76

Past and Present Ordinaries

Christian Schreiber † (13 Aug 1930 Appointed - 1 Sep 1933 Died)
Nikolaus Bares † (21 Dec 1933 Confirmed - 1 Mar 1935 Died)
Konrad von Preysing Lichtenegg-Moos † (5 Jul 1935 Appointed - 21 Dec 1950 Died)
Wilhelm Weskamm † (29 May 1951 Appointed - 21 Aug 1956 Died)
Julius August Döpfner † (15 Jan 1957 Appointed - 3 Jul 1961 Appointed, Archbishop of München und Freising {Munich})
Alfred Bengsch † (16 Aug 1961 Appointed - 13 Dec 1979 Died)
Joachim Meisner † (22 Apr 1980 Appointed - 20 Dec 1988 Appointed, Archbishop of Köln {Cologne})
Georg Maximilian Sterzinsky † (28 May 1989 Appointed - 24 Feb 2011 Retired)
Rainer Maria Woelki (2 Jul 2011 Appointed - 11 Jul 2014 Appointed, Archbishop of Köln {Cologne})
Heiner Koch (8 Jun 2015 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Berlin
13 August 1930	Erected	Diocese of Wrocław (Breslau)	Diocese of Berlin (erected)
28 June 1972	Territory Lost	Diocese of Berlin Territorial Prelature of Schneidemühl (Trzcianka and Pila) Archdiocese of Wrocław {Breslavia}	Diocese of Gorzów (erected) (Zielona Gora)
28 June 1972	Territory Lost	Diocese of Berlin (Szczecin)	Diocese of Szczecin-Kamień (erected)
28 June 1972	Territory Lost	Diocese of Berlin Territorial Prelature of Schneidemühl (suppressed)	Diocese of Koszalin-Kołobrzeg (erected) (Koszalin, Lebork, and Kostkowo and Wierzchucino (in Gdánsk))
7 April 1994	Territory Added		Diocese of Berlin (Boundaries adjusted) Apostolic Administration of Schwerin (Boundaries adjusted)
Archdiocese of Berlin
27 June 1994	Elevated	Diocese of Berlin	Archdiocese of Berlin
20 April 1995	Territory Added		Archdiocese of Berlin (Boundaries adjusted) Archdiocese of Hamburg (Boundaries adjusted)

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

Diocese of Berlin

1950 657,358 6,897,872 9.5% 350 128 478 1,375 243 2,225 255 ap1951

1958 1,286,000 7,325,000 17.6% 560 250 810 1,587 230 2,350 428 ap1960

1970 474,012 6,184,245 7.7% 342 145 487 973 208 1,980 237 ap1971

1980 434,275 6,000,000 7.2% 353 141 494 879 8 183 1,488 239 ap1981

1990 436,183 4,720,000 9.2% 315 112 427 1,021 15 144 970 229 ap1991

Archdiocese of Berlin

1999 417,665 5,600,000 7.5% 287 133 420 994 176 854 135 ap2000

2000 390,577 5,700,000 6.9% 263 129 392 996 25 175 673 135 ap2001

2001 385,770 5,700,000 6.8% 276 147 423 911 25 195 650 138 ap2002

2002 380,275 5,695,000 6.7% 275 142 417 911 25 179 614 138 ap2003

2003 377,526 5,690,000 6.6% 290 141 431 875 26 168 599 136 ap2004

2004 377,526 5,690,000 6.6% 291 137 428 882 27 165 691 122 ap2005

2006 386,279 5,700,000 6.8% 282 114 396 975 30 147 626 94 ap2007

2012 396,095 5,806,310 6.8% 297 120 417 949 32 142 543 103 ap2013

2015 408,953 5,730,485 7.1% 308 121 429 953 31 146 487 103 ap2016

2018 412,700 5,934,909 7.0% 251 101 352 1,172 42 125 433 103 ap2019

2020 411,600 6,028,542 6.8% 234 105 339 1,214 46 129 413 99 ap2021

2022 414,700 6,074,042 6.8% 238 100 338 1,226 45 119 378 75 ap2022

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Diocese of Berlin
1950	657,358	6,897,872	9.5%	350	128	478	1,375		243	2,225	255	ap1951
1958	1,286,000	7,325,000	17.6%	560	250	810	1,587		230	2,350	428	ap1960
1970	474,012	6,184,245	7.7%	342	145	487	973		208	1,980	237	ap1971
1980	434,275	6,000,000	7.2%	353	141	494	879	8	183	1,488	239	ap1981
1990	436,183	4,720,000	9.2%	315	112	427	1,021	15	144	970	229	ap1991
Archdiocese of Berlin
1999	417,665	5,600,000	7.5%	287	133	420	994		176	854	135	ap2000
2000	390,577	5,700,000	6.9%	263	129	392	996	25	175	673	135	ap2001
2001	385,770	5,700,000	6.8%	276	147	423	911	25	195	650	138	ap2002
2002	380,275	5,695,000	6.7%	275	142	417	911	25	179	614	138	ap2003
2003	377,526	5,690,000	6.6%	290	141	431	875	26	168	599	136	ap2004
2004	377,526	5,690,000	6.6%	291	137	428	882	27	165	691	122	ap2005
2006	386,279	5,700,000	6.8%	282	114	396	975	30	147	626	94	ap2007
2012	396,095	5,806,310	6.8%	297	120	417	949	32	142	543	103	ap2013
2015	408,953	5,730,485	7.1%	308	121	429	953	31	146	487	103	ap2016
2018	412,700	5,934,909	7.0%	251	101	352	1,172	42	125	433	103	ap2019
2020	411,600	6,028,542	6.8%	234	105	339	1,214	46	129	413	99	ap2021
2022	414,700	6,074,042	6.8%	238	100	338	1,226	45	119	378	75	ap2022

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Nikolaus Bares † (Bishop: 21 Dec 1933 to 1 Mar 1935)
Alfred Bengsch † (Priest: 2 Apr 1950; Auxiliary Bishop: 2 May 1959; Bishop: 16 Aug 1961; Archbishop (Personal Title): 14 Jan 1962 to 13 Dec 1979)
Julius August Döpfner † (Bishop: 15 Jan 1957 to 3 Jul 1961)
Johannes Kleineidam † (Priest: 17 Dec 1960; Auxiliary Bishop: 12 Sep 1970 to 2 Jun 1981)
Joachim Meisner † (Bishop: 22 Apr 1980 to 20 Dec 1988)
Konrad von Preysing Lichtenegg-Moos † (Bishop: 5 Jul 1935 to 21 Dec 1950)
Christian Schreiber † (Bishop: 13 Aug 1930 to 1 Sep 1933)
Georg Maximilian Sterzinsky † (Bishop: 28 May 1989; Archbishop: 27 Jun 1994 to 24 Feb 2011)
Heinrich Theissing † (Auxiliary Bishop: 13 Mar 1963 to 12 Feb 1970)
Paul Tkotsch † (Priest: 13 Aug 1930; Auxiliary Bishop: 12 May 1948 to 14 May 1963)
Wolfgang Weider † (Priest: 21 Dec 1957; Auxiliary Bishop: 10 Feb 1982 to 18 Feb 2009)
Wilhelm Weskamm † (Bishop: 29 May 1951 to 21 Aug 1956)

Source(s)

Diocese of Berlin
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 23, Page 34, to Page 41
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 86, Page 609, and Page 610
Archdiocese of Berlin
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 87, Page 217, and Page 218

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Archdiocese of Berlin

Archidioecesis Berolinensis

Bishop(s)

Suffragan Dioceses

General Information

Historical Details

Past and Present Ordinaries

Historical Summary

Statistics

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Source(s)