Johann Baptist Anzer (1851–1903) joined the mission house in Steyl in October 1875, shortly after it had been opened by Arnold Janssen. He thus belongs to the founding generation of missionaries from Steyl and remained faithful to the cause of the new foundation through the initial difficulties and conflicts.
In March 1879, he travelled with Joseph Freinademetz to China and started its first mission. They took over their first station in the province of Shandong at the beginning of 1882. Anzer was ordained a bishop (Apostolic Vicar) in 1886 and took care of the organisation of the new vicariate. Because of his ambivalent character and hasty pacts with secular powers, he was accused of a pronounced thirst for honour, exaggerated self-esteem, an authoritarian leadership style and a lack of religious spirit and regular sense of duty.
The aim of this biography is to comprehensively honour Anzer and his life’s work, his achievements and his personality, and to do him historical justice. For it cannot be denied that he is one of the greatest German personalities in Chinese mission history.