He was the only German Catholic bishop who was expelled from his diocese by the Nazis during the Third Reich: Joannes Baptista Sproll. Despite his fearless resistance, Bishop Sproll did not make it into German collective memory. In his diocese, however, he was and is still venerated as the āconfessing bishopā because of his negative attitude towards National Socialism.
In 2020, Sproll’s 150th birthday and his return from exile 75 years ago were commemorated. A memorial site communicates the life and work of the bishop for visitors. Its opening, planned for 2020, is still pending due to the ongoing pandemic.
