Franz Bock
Franz Bock
1823 – 1899
Curator of the Diözesanmuseum
Franz Bock was born in Burscheid on 3 May 1823. He was ordained as priest on 3 September 1850, after which he became curate of the Parish of St. Dionysius in Krefeld. In 1852 he organised an exhibition of ancient and new church textiles and goldsmith art in Krefeld. Bock founded a weaving mill for silk church textiles made after medieval models. In the spring of 1853 he travelled through France, making numerous purchases for the Diözesanmuseum; his habit of cutting small samples from old robes for his collection of historical material patterns earned him the nickname of “Scissors-Bock” (a word play in German, “Scheren-Bock”). From 1854 to 1875, he was a board member of the “Christian Society for the Promotion of the Fine Arts in the Archbishopric of Cologne”, bearing the title of “conservator” for the Diözesanmuseum, a title which all of the other members of the museum board also carried from 1855 onwards. In 1854 and 1855 he worked on and published the museum’s first exhibition catalogue. Bock was curate at St. Alban’s Church in Cologne. In 1862 he was made honorary canon in Aachen, actually becoming canon in Aachen in 1868. Franz Bock died in Aachen on 30 April 1899.
1823 – 1899
Curator of the Diözesanmuseum
Franz Bock was born in Burscheid on 3 May 1823. He was ordained as priest on 3 September 1850, after which he became curate of the Parish of St. Dionysius in Krefeld. In 1852 he organised an exhibition of ancient and new church textiles and goldsmith art in Krefeld. Bock founded a weaving mill for silk church textiles made after medieval models. In the spring of 1853 he travelled through France, making numerous purchases for the Diözesanmuseum; his habit of cutting small samples from old robes for his collection of historical material patterns earned him the nickname of “Scissors-Bock” (a word play in German, “Scheren-Bock”). From 1854 to 1875, he was a board member of the “Christian Society for the Promotion of the Fine Arts in the Archbishopric of Cologne”, bearing the title of “conservator” for the Diözesanmuseum, a title which all of the other members of the museum board also carried from 1855 onwards. In 1854 and 1855 he worked on and published the museum’s first exhibition catalogue. Bock was curate at St. Alban’s Church in Cologne. In 1862 he was made honorary canon in Aachen, actually becoming canon in Aachen in 1868. Franz Bock died in Aachen on 30 April 1899.