Georg Ratzinger Georg Ratzinger Georg Ratzinger PA (born 15 January 1924) is a German Catholic priest and musician, known for his work as the conductor of the Regensburger Domspatzen, the cathedral choir of Regensburg, Germany. He is the elder brother of Pope emeritus Benedict XVI (Joseph Ratzinger). His great-uncle was the German politician Georg Ratzinger. Ratzinger was born in Pleiskirchen, Bavaria to Joseph Ratzinger, a police officer, and Maria Ratzinger, née Peintner. He has a younger brother, Joseph, who later reigned as Pope Benedict XVI from 2005 to 2013, and a sister, Maria. Early in his life he showed musical talent, playing
Joseph Ratzinger as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Joseph Ratzinger as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Joseph Ratzinger was named by Pope John Paul II on 25 November 1981 Cardinal-Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, formerly known as the Holy Office and, especially around the sixteenth century, as the Roman Inquisition. He became both Archbishop of Munich-Freising and a cardinal in 1977. He resigned as archbishop in early 1982, in light of his new duties as Prefect. While continuing to be Prefect, Ratzinger was promoted within the College of Cardinals to become Cardinal-Bishop of Velletri-Segni in 1993, and became