DOLD, ALBAN

Liturgist and historian; b. Villingen (Baden), July 7, 1882; d. Munderkingen (Württemberg), Sept. 27, 1960. After secondary studies at Freiburg im Breisgau and Seckau in the Steiermark he entered Beuron in 1902, making his profession Oct. 5, 1903. Upon completing studies in philosophy at Maria Laach and theology at Beuron, he was ordained Sep. 22, 1908. In 1917, having served as a field chaplain in World War I, he took over the Palimpsest Institute founded in 1912 at Beuron. Dold improved the method developed by R. Kögel, OSB, of St. André near Bruges, for fluorescence-photography of parchment codices that had been used twice for writing. As an organ for publication he founded the series, "Texte und Arbeiten: Beiträge zur Ergründung des älteren lateinischen und christlichen Schrifttums und Gottesdienstes," in which he himself edited 22 works, partly with co-workers. All told, his life's scholarship embraces 133 contributions, the greater part of which were articles in different scholarly periodicals. Dold mastered what he had begun as a self-taught man; in recognition of his learning he was presented with an honorary doctorate in philosophy from the University of Fribourg (Switzerland), and one in theology from the University of Tübingen. Having been gifted with a knack for practicality, untiring endurance, and the enthusiasm of a self-made scholar, he dedicated his energy to reproducing and commenting on liturgical and scriptural palimpsests and fragments.

Bibliography: s. mayer, Beuroner Bibliographie, 1863–1963 (Beuron 1963) 38–50.

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