Christians worldwide mourn the late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.
Josef Mundigl, who was born in Hubenstein, has known him since his priestly studies in Freising.
The former Erdinger town pastor, spiritual adviser and most recently papal prelate has always kept in touch.
We spoke to the 93-year-old about his late friend.
Erding –
Mr. Mundigl, what are your personal memories of Benedict XVI?
He was a world figure, one of the greatest scientists among the greatest scientists - not only a theologian but also a philosopher.
He trained many students who are now in good standing as Ratzinger students.
And then he was overwhelmed as Pope.
He was not a strong man, health was not his forte.
He was a friendly, lovable person who could stand a joke.
He knew me and had to endure a joke.
And he was a model priest.
Where did they get to know each other?
In Freising while studying, where he was already a professor and I was a student with him.
I wanted and was allowed to learn a lot from him.
What merits does he have for the district of Erding?
He was twice on the district pilgrimage in Maria Thalheim and twice in Erding.
I took him to Thalheim and to Erding in 1978 for the city's anniversary, where the St. John's Church was reopened after renovation.
Normally the auxiliary bishop of Soden would have come.
I asked him for his understanding because I wanted Ratzinger, who had been to Freising twice but never to Erding.
The then mayor Gerd Vogt and I postponed the anniversary by a week so that he could come to the opening - and he came.
He held the church and preached - wia da Deife, really great.
He also attended the Heilig Blut church school with me – and the girls' secondary school.
With his help I managed to build the gym there.
As a cardinal, he had the last word.
In 1978 and 1988 Ratzinger was a cardinal celebrant at the pilgrimage service in Thalheim.
Is the criticism of Benedict XVI. justified in your opinion?
My God, who doesn't make mistakes?
There is always criticism, a) of the church in general and b) of the foremost figures in the church.
I liked him, that's what matters to me.
He was my teacher and we all went to his lectures.
We've skipped other professors before.
Everyone wanted to be with him.
He spoke like printed.
Could he have done more to modernize the Church?
Naturally.
But today another pope is here, and he doesn't do it right either.
You have always been critical of celibacy, while Benedict XVI. has defended.
I still am today.
For me, celibacy is the greatest obstacle on the way to the priesthood.
But you could talk and argue with him about it.
As head of the church, he didn't just have the Germans under him, it wasn't that easy.
But he was always open and humane with people.
Some didn't understand him.
In some things he was very strict and narrow.
But he was always able to justify it and back it up theologically - what he wanted and what the church is.
Did you also meet Ratzinger later?
Yes, I've been to Rome a couple of times where I've seen him.
Also once with friends from Erding, where he invited me to dinner alone.
I ate a normal meal with him behind the thick walls of the Vatican, a hamburger.
We had a very good relationship.
We always wrote to each other.
It was a great experience, a wonderful connection to be on first-name terms with the head of the church.