Fr David Strong SJ, The Australian dictionary of Jesuit biography 1848-2015, Second Edition, 2017:
Koenig, Walter

German chaplain; born Herford, Westphalia, 7 November 1881; died Bad Godesburg, Germany, 22 April 1965, aged 83.

Walter Koenig, a very fine, straight, tall, upstanding man, was the son of a very religious couple. His father was an architect in Herford. There were seven children, and Walter showed talents in drawing and painting and was encouraged by his father to study architecture.

He attended university, but soon the conflict between pleasing his father and his own wish to become a priest resulted in a nervous breakdown. After the second semester he left the university and told his father that he was unable to continue with his studies. His father was devastated. The two became estranged and only at the end of his life was their relationship restored. Eventually his father agreed that he could study philosophy. At the university, however, he was advised to study modern languages and so enrolled in English, French, German and geography in order to become a teacher.

His mental health could not cope with the pressure and his doctors suggested military service as a cure. Afterwards he continued with his studies. Again the pressure became too much, and after seeking advice from a friend, he took weekly Holy Communion. His life changed after that, and he was able to finish his studies successfully.

After an excellent examination result he started teaching, but when the First World War broke out he immediately was called up as a translator and ration officer. He marched to France and was part of the slaughter of Verdun. Half the division was lost and although he survived unharmed, his strength was broken. This was the reason why he was chosen to care for the prisoners.

His wish to enter the priesthood never left him; if anything during his time at war it became stronger. Even his father changed his opinion and after talking to Cardinal Hartman of Cologne, Koenig entered the Jesuit house of studies at Innsbruck, and studied theology, being ordained on 3 December 1922.

Koenig was sent as a spiritual teacher to the episcopate high school in Opladen. He recalled this time as his most satisfying work with students and noted their spiritual awareness compared to those of a state school. However, a call by God to the religious state remained strong. He first considered entering the Benedictines; then the Society of Jesus presented itself; probably he had been influenced by his Innsbruck experience.

He entered the Society, 17 April 1929, at the age of 48, and became a teacher for nine years at St Aloysius' College, Bad Godesberg. When the Nazis closed this college, Koenig was invited by the English provincial to teach at Mount St Mary's, England. These were happy days, even after war broke out, until the German troops entered Belgium and Holland. This forced the English government to place all Germans in camps. They were then transported to various foreign parts and Koenig was sent to Australia. His treatment on the ship and later in the Australian camp at Hay, NSW, was unusually harsh. Authorities thought him to be a secret Nazi. Luckily he could prove himself otherwise due to a very critical article against Hitler, which he had written and published in England. He endured his harsh treatment very well.

Sheer luck had him released from the camp. An Australian soldier, being told that he was a priest, informed the archbishop of Sydney. As a result, the archbishop contacted the Jesuit provincial and between them Koenig was released on 15 June 1943 and sent to become spiritual father at Loyola College, Watsonia, where he also lectured the juniors and philosophers in modern languages and philosophy, and gave amusing but sincere domestic exhortations. He was greatly admired by the scholastics who were fascinated by his heavy German accent, despite his fluency in English. He claimed that these years were among his happiest.

When the war finished he used his influence and connections to help Jesuits and relatives in Germany. He became one of the most successful benefactors of his province. The Australian province provided some financial assistance to the German provinces.

Koenig returned to Germany in 1950 and was stationed at Immaculata College, in Westphalia, teaching English, French and geography. In 1953 he became seriously ill. After he recovered he could not continue teaching and was sent to Bonn to help with confessions. He had the added advantage of being able to hear confessions in different languages. Later he returned to St Aloysius' College in Bad Godesberg where he became very ill and died.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)