Gerhard Schaffran

Gerhard Schaffran (4 July 1912, in Leśnica, Górny Śląsk – 4 March 1996, in Dresden) was Papal consistory[clarification needed] and Auxiliary bishop of Görlitz, Capitulary vicar [de] of Breslau for the see of Görlitz and Bishop of Dresden-Meissen.

In 1949/50 Schaffran decided to move to the German Democratic Republic, where in 1952 he became rector of the catechist seminary in Görlitz.

Auxiliary Bishop Friedrich Maria Rintelen of Magdeburg and Hugo Aufderbeck of Erfurt assisted in the consecration.

In September 1970, Gerhard Schaffran was appointed Bishop of the diocese of Meißen, which became Dresden-Meissen in 1979 and whose seat was moved from Bautzen to Dresden in 1980.

A high point of his career was organising the only Catholic Conference in East Germany, which took place in Dresden from 10 to 12 July 1987.