Rompel, Johann Georg

Catholic clergyman

Born: 05.09.1897 in Lindenholzhausen

Died: 26.04.1982 in Wiesbaden

Before he could begin his theological studies at the seminaries in Fulda and Limburg, Rompel had to serve three years as a front-line soldier in the First World War. After his ordination to the priesthood in 1923, he worked briefly as a chaplain in Bochum-Dahlhausen and later in Lorch, and from 1925 in the Frankfurt parish of St. Bernardus. In this parish, there was a youth movement under Father Alois Eckert that actively opposed National Socialism. Rompel became parish priest in Bremthal in 1935 and in Höhr-Grenzhausen in 1941. The National Socialists investigated him several times and had his actions monitored.

In 1954, he succeeded Friedrich Wolf as parish priest of St. Boniface in Wiesbaden. In 1960 he was appointed Papal House Prelate, and in 1962 he succeeded Wolf as Dean of the Wiesbaden Deanery. From 1955, the separation of the new parish "Zur Heiligen Familie" became necessary and the construction of this parish church began. The Boniface Church was also remodeled during his term of office and adapted to the requirements of liturgical renewal.

The focus of his activities was on social and charitable work. As chairman of the Wiesbaden Caritas Association, he was able to achieve a great deal. The new building of St. Joseph's Hospital, of which he was later Chairman of the Board of Directors, is particularly noteworthy. He also spent the rest of his life there as a hospital chaplain after retiring in 1968. In 1966, Bishop Wilhelm Kempf made him an honorary canon.