The holy card presented here is the funerary card for Herrn Joseph Ratzinger, the father of Pope Benedict XVI.  Joseph Ratzinger, Sr., was a police officer who bitterly resented the Nazis, resulting in demotions and harassment for all the family.

As his holy card states,  he was born March 6, 1877, and died on August 25, 1959.

Translation of the Contents of Funerary Card:

Remember in prayers

my dear husband and  our good father,

Mister Joseph Ratzinger,  Policeman i.R. (im Ruhestand/in retirement)

Born on 6th March 1877 in Rieckering

near to Schwanenkirchen Niederbayern

Died on 25th August 1959 in Traunstein

For your believers, our Lord, life is not taken

away;  it´s only in a new shape. When this

shelter (Herberge) of  our  way on earth will be

disintegrated into dust (earth), there is prepared  

an eternal home in heaven.

This is an unusual addition to Papal Artifacts and a treasured memento of the father of our Holy Father, Benedict XVI.

We are grateful to Elfriede Klar of Esch, Germany, for her assistance in this translation.