Fritz Gerlich

Who they were

Fritz Michael Gerlich was born in Stettin on 15 February 1883 and raised a Calvinist. He was an archivist in Munich, editor-in-chief of the Münchner Neueste Nachrichten from 1920 to 1928, and from 1930 published his own paper, later called Der gerade Weg. He became a Catholic in September 1931, taking the name Michael.

Out of Christian conviction he attacked Hitler and National Socialism in print. In March 1933 his newsroom was stormed and he was badly beaten; after a year in custody he was taken to Dachau concentration camp at the end of June 1934 and shot there. Cardinal Reinhard Marx opened his cause for beatification in Munich on 16 December 2017.

The miracles

The Church has not yet approved a miracle in this cause.

Why that counted as sanctity

A Catholic journalist who opposed Hitler in print and was murdered at Dachau; his cause as a martyr is open.