Editing Saint Boniface (section)

===Celebrations in Germany: 1805, 1855, 1905===
[[File:1905 boniface coin.jpg|thumb|Medal minted for the Boniface anniversary in Fulda, 1905]]
The first German celebration on a fairly large scale was held in 1805 (the 1,050th anniversary of his death), followed by a similar celebration in a number of towns in 1855; both of these were predominantly Catholic affairs emphasizing the role of Boniface in German history. But if the celebrations were mostly Catholic, in the first part of the 19th century the respect for Boniface in general was an ecumenical affair, with both Protestants and Catholics praising Boniface as a founder of the German nation, in response to the German nationalism that arose after the Napoleonic era came to an end. The second part of the 19th century saw increased tension between Catholics and Protestants; for the latter, [[Martin Luther]] had become the model German, the founder of the modern nation, and he and Boniface were in direct competition for the honor.<ref>{{cite book|first=Siegfried|last=Weichlein|chapter=Bonifatius als politischer Heiliger im 19. und 20. Jahrhundert|title=Bonifatius: Vom angelsächsischen Missionar zum Apostel der Deutschen|editor1-first=Michael|editor1-last=Imhof|editor2-first=Gregor K.|editor2-last=Stasch|location=Petersberg|year=2004|pages=219–34|publisher=[[Michael Imhof Verlag]]|language=de}}</ref> In 1905, when strife between Catholic and Protestant factions had eased (one Protestant church published a celebratory pamphlet, Gerhard Ficker's {{lang|de|Bonifatius, der "Apostel der Deutschen"}}), there were modest celebrations and a publication for the occasion on historical aspects of Boniface and his work, the 1905 {{lang|de|Festgabe}} by Gregor Richter and Carl Scherer. In all, the content of these early celebrations showed evidence of the continuing question about the meaning of Boniface for Germany, though the importance of Boniface in cities associated with him was without question.<ref>Nichtweiß 283-88.</ref>