History Engelszell Abbey

abbey church interior

the abbey founded in 1293 bernhard of prambach, bishop of passau, cistercian monastery. settled in 1295 monks wilhering abbey, mother house, , of filiation of morimond abbey. suffered considerable decline, both spiritual , financial, in period of protestant reformation, , time passed private ownership. 1618 onwards intervention , support of wilhering abbey gradually restored it.

on easter sunday 1699, disastrous fire plunged abbey once again financial difficulties , 1720 management in hands of administrators. in 1746, leopold reichl, last , greatest of engelszell s abbots of common observance, appointed, , rebuilt finances. between 1754 , 1764, leopold rebuilt present-day abbey church.

in 1786, engelszell dissolved emperor joseph ii , buildings subsequently put several secular uses, including factory , residence.

trappists

in 1925, engelszell occupied , re-founded trappist monastery refugee german monks expelled after world war oelenberg abbey in alsace. these monks had found temporary shelter in banz abbey looking permanent home. established priory, in 1931 elevated rank of abbey, , former prior, gregorius eisvogel, appointed abbot, in office dedicated johannes maria gföllner, bishop of linz, @ ceremony in wilhering abbey.

on 2 december 1939, abbey confiscated gestapo , community, numbering 73, evicted. 4 monks sent dachau concentration camp, while others imprisoned elsewhere or drafted wehrmacht. @ end of war in 1945, third of previous community returned. augmented, however, refugee german trappists expelled mariastern abbey, banja luka, bosnia, under abbot bonaventura diamant.

since 1995, abbot has been marianus hauseder. @ 2012, number of monks in community 7.