Louis de Wohl

Infobox_ Author
name = Ludwig von Wohl
birth_date = January 24 1903
birth_place = Berlin, Germany
death_date = June 2 1961
death_place = Lucerne, Switzerland
nationality = German
footnotes =

Louis De Wohl (24 January, 1903 – 2 June, 1961) was a German-Catholic author and astrologer who specialized in historical fiction novels of notable Roman Catholic Saints and different periods of the Bible, after an audience with the Pope where he was told to "write about the history and mission of the Church in the World."Fact|date=August 2008

Life

Born in Berlin to a poor family and Catholic upbringing, de Wohl was forced by his mother to assume an apprenticeship to a banker when he was only 17. However, in 1924, at the age of 21, he was fired. In 1935, he moved to London, England as an objector to the Hitler regime. There are some 'writings' that claimFact|date=August 2008 he had a wife named Alexandra, who supposedly fled to Santiago, Chile, claiming to be a Romanian princess and was known as "La Baronessa." This could not be further from the truth. His wife of 15 years was Ruth Magdalene Lorch, Lady Commander of the "Order of the Holy Sepulchre" of whom Louis de Wohl had the title of "Knight Commander of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre". He had a tenure as an astrologer for the British intelligence agency MI5 during World War Two. His MI5 file was released in early 2008, and as reported in the Independent newspaper, he was recruited initially as an informant because he was casting horoscopes for people of interest to MI5. However, it was believed that Hitler was strongly influenced by astrology, and hence might be likely to choose 'lucky' astrological dates for major ventures. He prospered, reaching the rank of captain, although some of his handlerswho? disapproved of him strongly.

He began writing as early as the age of 7 having his teachers applaud him on his ability. At the age of 8 he wrote the play "Jesus of Nazareth" because he didn't like how Jesus was portrayed by some books he read. Who was to know that 40 years after that he would write "The Spear" which brought him international acclaim and started the road to being one of the greatest Catholic authors of all time.

The Cardinal of Milan, Ildefonso Schuster, came to de Wohl after reading some of his writings telling him "Let your writings be good. For your writings you will one day be judged."Fact|date=August 2008 He then knew that he had to write for God.

Even today Louis de Wohl's books are widely read. His non-fiction work, "Founded on a Rock: A History of the Catholic Church" is often required reading for RCIA students.

He has written books on St. Benedict, St. Francis of Assisi, Joan of Arc, Constantine I just to name a few.

He wrote some novels in the German language before he fled to England in 1935 but he felt they were of 'small significance compared to the novels he wrote for the glory of God'.

He died in Switzerland in 1961 shortly after finishing his final work, "Founded on a Rock".

List of Works

*"I Follow My Stars", 1937
*"Secret Service of the Sky", 1938
*"Common-sense Astrology", 1940
*"Strange Daughter", 1946
*"The Living Wood" (Emperor Constantine and St. Helena), 1947
*"Throne of the World" (Attila the Hun and Pope Leo I), 1949
*"Imperial Renegade" (Emperor Julian the Apostate and St. Athanasius), 1950
*"The Restless Flame" (St. Augustine of Hippo), 1951
*"The Golden Thread" (St. Ignatius Loyola), 1952
*"The Stars of War & Peace", 1952
*"Set All Afire" (St. Francis Xavier), 1953
*"The Second Conquest", 1954
*"The Spear" (St. Longinus), 1955
*"Saint Joan: The Girl Soldier" (St. Joan of Arc), 1957
*"Citadel of God" (St. Benedict of Nursia)
*"David of Jerusalem" (King David)
*"Founded on a Rock: A History of the Catholic Church"
*"The Glorious Folly" (St. Paul the Apostle)
*"The Joyful Beggar" (St. Francis of Assisi)
*"The Last Crusader" (Don Juan of Austria and The Battle of Lepanto)
*"Lay Siege to Heaven" (St. Catherine of Siena)
*"Pope Pius XII: Shepherd to the World"
*"The Quiet Light" (St. Thomas Aquinas)

References

*cite book | last=Tuck | first=Donald H. | authorlink=Donald H. Tuck | title=The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and Fantasy | location=Chicago | publisher=Advent | pages=134 | date=1974|id=ISBN 0-911682-20-1

External links

* [http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/03/03/hitler.horoscope.ap/index.html Article on de Wohl: "UK hired astrologer in WWII fight"]
* [http://www.catholicauthors.com/de_wohl.html Autobiographical writing -- Catholicauthors.com]
* [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/revealed-how-mi5-recruited-an-astrologer-in-plot-to-outwit-hitler-790876.html "de Wohl's MI5 file released"]
* [http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/mar/04/nationalarchives.secondworldwar?gusrc=rss&feed=uknews The Guardian: "Star turn: astrologer who became SOE's secret weapon against Hitler"]