Cardinal von Galen
admired the natural greatness of this man, whilst those of his flock drew from his supernatural courage and strength the will to resist the forces of evil and to hold fast to their threatened Faith.
Everything about Cardinal Galen was on the generous, gigantic scale. It was not for nothing that he was a nobleman of an ancient and famous lineage which has produced warlike Bishops and secular rulers in almost unbroken succession from the middle ages down to the present day.
After the downfall of the Third Reich, Cardinal Galen displayed perhaps greater moral courage than under Hitler in demanding justice for the German people. It cannot, alas! be said that he was very popular with the officials of the Allied Military Govern. ment. He was much too outspoken to please the bureaucrats who prefer docility to strength of character.
Bishop Galen wore himself out in ministering to his people during the past winter. Last autumn his car was taken from him. When he went to Rome last month, he enjoyed no special facilities for travelling. such as the Americans placed at the disposal of Bishop Preysing, who was flown from Berlin to Paris. Cardinal Galen and Cardinal Frings are reported to have spent over a week travelling along the still disorganised railways of the Rhineland.