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Joseph Hoster (1910 – 1969)
Art Historian and Priest
Museum director 1947 – 1969

Joseph Hoster was born on 27 July 1910 in the Cologne district of Nippes. In 1930 he studied art history and philology in Cologne and Bonn as well as theology from 1931. On 22 July 1937 he was ordained as a priest and later became curate in Dusseldorf, Cologne and Angermund. On 3 September 1942 he became the second curate at the City Hospital (Städtische Krankenanstalt) in the Cologne Lindenburg district. From 1942 to 1944 he took up his study of art history once again with Hans Kauffmann in Cologne. In 1946 he taught religion at the City Lyceum in Königswinter. In 1947 he was a Sacristy Priest at the Cologne Cathedral, and thus, also custodian of the treasury and director of the Diözesanmuseum, and assistant at the Archbishopric Office for Building, Art and Preservation as well. He was to become the person responsible for the restoration of the Shrine of the Three Magi after the war. From 1948 on he taught evening classes in Cologne and was a board member of the Central-Cathedral Building Lodge. In 1949 Hoster became Cathedral vicar. In 1956 he was Papal Camerlingo. In 1964 he was named professor and also Honorary Papal Prelate. In 1965 he became curate of the Cologne Cathedral, advisor to the Archbishop, and member of the art commission. From 1966 to 1999 Hoster was chairman of the “Society of Christian Art in the Archbishopric of Cologne and Bishopric of Aachen”. He advised and worked on exhibitions such as “Ars Sacra” (Aachen 1951), “The Occident Coming to the Rhine and Ruhr” (Essen 1956), “Coptic Art” (Essen 1963), “Our Lady” (Aachen 1958), “Elector Clemens August” (Brühl 1961), “Early Christian Art from Rome” (Essen 1962), “ars sacra. Church Art in the Archbishopric of Cologne 1945 to 1964” (Cologne 1964), “Charlemagne” (Aachen 1965) and “The Image of the Virgin Mary in the Rhineland and in Westphalia” (Essen 1968) as well as setting up the Papal Pavilion at the World Fair in Brussels (1958). Joseph Hoster died on 3 June 1969.

Lit.: Klaus-Peter Vosen, Katalysator und Magnet, Anreger und Verknüpfer – Domkapitular Prälat Prof. Joseph Hoster, in: Markus Hofmann/ Klaus-Peter Vosen, …und es gibt sie doch! 30 weitere Priester in guter Erinnerung, Bd.5, Kissleg 2017, S.87-98
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KOLUMBA :: Museums-History :: Joseph Hoster

Joseph Hoster (1910 – 1969)
Art Historian and Priest
Museum director 1947 – 1969

Joseph Hoster was born on 27 July 1910 in the Cologne district of Nippes. In 1930 he studied art history and philology in Cologne and Bonn as well as theology from 1931. On 22 July 1937 he was ordained as a priest and later became curate in Dusseldorf, Cologne and Angermund. On 3 September 1942 he became the second curate at the City Hospital (Städtische Krankenanstalt) in the Cologne Lindenburg district. From 1942 to 1944 he took up his study of art history once again with Hans Kauffmann in Cologne. In 1946 he taught religion at the City Lyceum in Königswinter. In 1947 he was a Sacristy Priest at the Cologne Cathedral, and thus, also custodian of the treasury and director of the Diözesanmuseum, and assistant at the Archbishopric Office for Building, Art and Preservation as well. He was to become the person responsible for the restoration of the Shrine of the Three Magi after the war. From 1948 on he taught evening classes in Cologne and was a board member of the Central-Cathedral Building Lodge. In 1949 Hoster became Cathedral vicar. In 1956 he was Papal Camerlingo. In 1964 he was named professor and also Honorary Papal Prelate. In 1965 he became curate of the Cologne Cathedral, advisor to the Archbishop, and member of the art commission. From 1966 to 1999 Hoster was chairman of the “Society of Christian Art in the Archbishopric of Cologne and Bishopric of Aachen”. He advised and worked on exhibitions such as “Ars Sacra” (Aachen 1951), “The Occident Coming to the Rhine and Ruhr” (Essen 1956), “Coptic Art” (Essen 1963), “Our Lady” (Aachen 1958), “Elector Clemens August” (Brühl 1961), “Early Christian Art from Rome” (Essen 1962), “ars sacra. Church Art in the Archbishopric of Cologne 1945 to 1964” (Cologne 1964), “Charlemagne” (Aachen 1965) and “The Image of the Virgin Mary in the Rhineland and in Westphalia” (Essen 1968) as well as setting up the Papal Pavilion at the World Fair in Brussels (1958). Joseph Hoster died on 3 June 1969.

Lit.: Klaus-Peter Vosen, Katalysator und Magnet, Anreger und Verknüpfer – Domkapitular Prälat Prof. Joseph Hoster, in: Markus Hofmann/ Klaus-Peter Vosen, …und es gibt sie doch! 30 weitere Priester in guter Erinnerung, Bd.5, Kissleg 2017, S.87-98