By any reckoning, the papacy of Pope Benedict XVI was extraordinary, with moments of high drama. Not the least of these was his resignation from office in February 2013, the first papal resignation in 500 years. But who is Joseph Ratzinger? In this definitive biography, based on meticulous historical research and many hours of taped interviews with his subject, Peter Seewald shows the exceptional circumstances in which the exceptionally talented son of a Bavarian policeman became the first German pope for 950 years. In this first volume, covering the years 1927-1965, we witness Joseph Ratzinger's early days, living above his father's police station. Ratzinger came to adulthood through the years of National Socialism. Though hostile to the rise of Hitler, his family knew well about Dachau and Ratzinger himself was conscripted into the Hitler Youth. Joseph Ratzinger proved to be a man of exceptional intellectual gifts and by the time of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) he was already noted as one of the outstanding intellects present and was nominated a 'peritus' or theological expert. This was also the time of the start of his friendship with the Swiss theologian Hans Kung who was to become his nemesis. Of his predecessor, Pope Francis has said: 'Pope Benedict was a great Pope, great for the penetration of his intelligence, great for his important contribution to theology, great for his love of the Church and human beings, great for his virtues and faith'. Even in this first volume, we begin to understand how this came to be true.

Emeritus Pope Benedict commands both adulation and unremitting criticism. To millions, he remains a beacon of light in a turbulent modern world. In this second volume of Peter Seewald's authoritative biography, the story continues from the Second Vatican Council (1965-8) right up to the present day. We see how Benedict was influenced by the Council and the ensuing political unrest all over Europe to move from a liberal perspective on the Church and the modern world to one that was profoundly conservative. Appointed in 1981 as prefect of the Congregation of Doctrine of the Faith, and quickly nicknamed 'God's Rottweiler', he proved to be intransigent on the controversial issues of abortion, contraception, gay rights and gay marriage. But elected Pope in 2005, his tenure of office was so riven with shocking revelations of controversy and scandal that it seemed that by the time of his resignation in 2013 he was incapable of handling the complexities of the Church in the modern world.

'Gripping ... An exquisite conversation between two people who know each other, like each other, and have mutual respect for one another' - Catholic Times Since resigning from the papacy in 2013, the first Pope in over 700 years to do so, Pope Benedict has lived quietly in a convent in the Vatican gardens in Rome. He has devoted himself to a life of prayer and study and has vowed to remain silent, until now. So much controversy still surrounds Pope Benedict's time in office - in this book, written with bestselling German author Peter Seewald, he addresses the issues of his papacy and reveals how, at his late age, governing and reforming the Church was beyond him. Last Testament is also an autobiography, recalling Pope Benedict's childhood in Germany under Nazism, his early development as a priest, and eventually his appointment as Archbishop of Munich. After becoming Pope, his account deals with the controversies that rocked the Catholic world - how he enraged Muslims with his Regensburg speech, what he did and did not do to stamp out the clerical sexual abuse of children, the 'Vatileaks' scandal and how he broke up a gay cabal within the Vatican itself. At all times, we see a man who is shy and retiring and modest being exceptionally open and frank with the outside world. In this Last Testament, a unique book insofar as no other living Pope has had the opportunity to write an account having left office, Benedict gives in his own words an unprecedented view of the difficulties, the achievements and the consequences of his time as head of the Catholic Church worldwide.

By any reckoning, the papacy of Pope Benedict XVI was extraordinary, with moments of high drama. Not the least of these was his resignation from office in February 2013, the first papal resignation in almost 600 years. But who was Joseph Ratzinger? In this definitive biography, based on meticulous historical research and many hours of taped interviews with his subject, Peter Seewald shows the exceptional circumstances in which the exceptionally talented son of a Bavarian policeman became the first German pope for 950 years. In this first volume, covering the years 1927–1965, we witness Joseph Ratzinger’s early days, living above his father’s police station. Ratzinger came to adulthood through the years of National Socialism. Though hostile to the rise of Hitler, his family knew well about Dachau and Ratzinger himself was conscripted into the Hitler Youth. Joseph Ratzinger proved to be a man of exceptional intellectual gifts and by the time of the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965) he was already noted as one of the outstanding intellects present and was nominated a ‘peritus’ or theological expert. This was also the time of the start of his friendship with the Swiss theologian Hans Küng who was to become his nemesis. Of his predecessor, Pope Francis has said: ‘Pope Benedict was a great Pope, great for the penetration of his intelligence, great for his important contribution to theology, great for his love of the Church and human beings, great for his virtues and faith’. Even in this first volume, we begin to understand how this came to be true.

Emeritus Pope Benedict commands both adulation and unremitting criticism. To millions, he remains a beacon of light in a turbulent modern world. In this second volume of Peter Seewald's authoritative biography, the story continues from the Second Vatican Council (1965-8) right up to the present day. We see how Benedict was influenced by the Council and the ensuing political unrest all over Europe to move from a liberal perspective on the Church and the modern world to one that was profoundly conservative. Appointed in 1981 as prefect of the Congregation of Doctrine of the Faith, and quickly nicknamed 'God's Rottweiler', he proved to be intransigent on the controversial issues of abortion, contraception, gay rights and gay marriage. But elected Pope in 2005, his tenure of office was so riven with shocking revelations of controversy and scandal that it seemed that by the time of his resignation in 2013 he was incapable of handling the complexities of the Church in the modern world. Vatileaks, sexual abuse by priests, the Regensburg speech which became the spark of an eruption of anger and rage in the Muslim world - all these hit the world's media headlines. Peter Seewald is the only person who is close enough to Benedict to assess the man himself and to uncover the truth about so many of the controversial issues surrounding this most controversial papacy. Seewald has already published two books of interviews with Benedict and this book is based not just on meticulous research but on many hours of recorded interviews with Benedict himself. It will stand for many years as the definitive biography of Benedict XVI from an author with unrivalled access to the Pope Emeritus.

By any reckoning, the papacy of Pope Benedict XVI was extraordinary, with moments of high drama. Not the least of these was his resignation from office in February 2013, the first papal resignation in 500 years. But who is Joseph Ratzinger? In this definitive biography, based on meticulous historical research and many hours of taped interviews with his subject, Peter Seewald shows the exceptional circumstances in which the exceptionally talented son of a Bavarian policeman became the first German pope for 950 years. In this first volume, covering the years 1927-1965, we witness Joseph Ratzinger's early days, living above his father's police station. Ratzinger came to adulthood through the years of National Socialism. Though hostile to the rise of Hitler, his family knew well about Dachau and Ratzinger himself was conscripted into the Hitler Youth. Joseph Ratzinger proved to be a man of exceptional intellectual gifts and by the time of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) he was already noted as one of the outstanding intellects present and was nominated a 'peritus' or theological expert. This was also the time of the start of his friendship with the Swiss theologian Hans Kung who was to become his nemesis. Of his predecessor, Pope Francis has said: 'Pope Benedict was a great Pope, great for the penetration of his intelligence, great for his important contribution to theology, great for his love of the Church and human beings, great for his virtues and faith'. Even in this first volume, we begin to understand how this came to be true.

In the person of Benedict XVI, the Church has a Pope who is one of the most significant of Europe's intellectuals. The journalist Peter Seewald, who has known Ratzinger since 1992, conducted the "longest interviews in Church history" with him, for two books which were best-sellers world-wide, Salt of the Earth, and God and the World.

Bachelorarbeit aus dem Jahr 2012 im Fachbereich Organisation und Verwaltung, Note: 1, - (Fachhochschule Wien ), Veranstaltung: Public Management, Sprache: Deutsch, Abstract: Seit einigen Jahren kommt es verstarkt zu Reorganisationsbestrebungen im Bereich des Offentlichen Dienstes. Die Anforderungen und Erwartungen an den Offentlichen Dienst stimmen nicht mehr mit jenen der Vergangenheit uberein. Bedingt durch das Negativwachstum der Wirtschaft, kommt es zu einer Mindereinnahme von Steuern durch den Staat und somit stellt sich die Frage nach der Finanzierbarkeit der offentlichen Verwaltung. Die daraus folgende Diskussion ist nicht nur von sachlichen, sondern vielfach auch von unsachlichen Argumenten gepragt. Vielfach werden den Vertretern des Offentlichen Dienstes nicht nur Negativattribute zugeschrieben, sondern es wird auch das Handeln dieser als nicht zeitgemass, d.h. nicht kundenorientiert im Sinne eines modernen Dienstleisters wahrgenommen. Diese Arbeit beschaftigt sich mit der Fragestellung, inwieweit die Organe der Arbeitsinspektion im Umfeld des Aufsichtsbezirkes des Arbeitsinspektorates St. Polten als Archetyp des klassischen Beamten" in Verbindung mit der Zuschreibung negativer Attribute auftreten, oder ob diese nicht viel mehr, ob ihrer Kundenorientierung, als Typus eines modernen Dienstleisters bezeichnet werden konnen

Wissenschaftliche Studie aus dem Jahr 2011 im Fachbereich Theologie - Sonstiges, Note: 2, Fachhochschule Wien (Public Management), Veranstaltung: Bachelorstudiengang Public-Management, Sprache: Deutsch, Anmerkungen: Die Arbeit beschaftigt sich mit der Fragestellung, inwieweit Arbeitnehmerschutz in Pfarramtern Anwendung findet., Abstract: Diese Arbeit beschaftigt sich mit der Fragestellung, inwieweit in den 11 romisch-katholischen Pfarramtern im Bereich des politischen Bezirkes der Stadt St. Polten der Arbeitnehmerschutz fur jene Personengruppe, fur die das ArbeitnehmerInnenschutzgesetz (ASchG) gilt, Anwendung findet und ob die Verantwortlichen in den Pfarren uber ihre Funktion als Vertreter der Arbeitgeberin und der daraus resultierenden gesetzlichen Wahrnehmung der arbeitnehmerschutzrelevanten Gesetze Bescheid wissen. Aufbauend auf den theoretischen Grundlagen der Zustandigkeit, des Aufgabenbereiches und der Organisation der Arbeitsinspektion, sowie der Gliederung und Erlauterung der romisch-katholischen Kirche von der Diozese abwarts bis zum Pfarramt, wird der Fokus auf eine empirische Erhebung betreffend den Pfarrern im Hinblick auf deren Funktion als Vertreter der Arbeitgeberin gelegt. In dieser wird die Obliegenheit der Pfarrer bezuglich der Kenntnis des ASchG, deren Anwendung auf Arbeitnehmer im Bereich des Pfarramtes und die etwaige Unterweisung der Pfarrer durch die Arbeitgeberin erhoben. Die Auswertung der Ergebnisse beantwortet nicht nur die dieser Arbeit zgrunde liegenden Hypothesen, sondern auch die etwaige Anwendung des ASchG in den Pfarramtern und die Funktion des Pfarrers im Bezug auf dieses Gesetz.

Das Buch beschftigt sich mit der Fragestellung, ob die im Webportal der Arbeitsinspektion prsentierten Informationen, von jenen Personen die fr den Arbeitnehmerschutz zustndig sind, in jenem Ma wahrgenommen werden wie es von Seiten der Arbeitsinspektion beabsichtigt ist. Aufbauend auf den Grundlagen der Verwaltungsgeschichte, der Geschichte des Arbeitnehmerschutzes, der Arbeitsinspektion und der Portale in der Verwaltung wird das Hauptaugenmerk auf eine empirische Erhebung zum Webportal der Arbeitsinspektion gelegt. Im Buch wird unter Hinweis auf die aktuellste Literatur zum Thema Hochleistungsportal (z.B. Habilitation von Jrn von Lucke), unter anderem der Nutzen, die Handlungsvernderungen und die Erwartungen das Portal betreffend erhoben. Die Auswertung der Ergebnisse beantwortet nicht nur die Frage der Informationswahrnehmung im Hinblick auf das Webportal der Arbeitsinspektion, sondern fhrt ber zu konkreten Handlungsempfehlungen und endet nahtlos im Ausblick auf Forschungspotential zuknftiger Arbeiten.