Bismarck’s Failure: the Kulturkampf by Heather Statton.

The second half of the 19th century was a turbulent time: the peak of European nationalism, colonialism and imperialism. It was a time of magnificent cultural achievements, of the industrial revolution. Boundless belief in progress spurred on by inventions, discoveries and innovations in technology, production, medicine, agriculture, transportation and communications media. It was a time of upheavals in society caused by the workers' movements.
The European powers were busy dividing up almost the entire world among themselves. It was the time of Karl Marx, Friedrich Nietzsche and Charles Darwin.
Beginning in 1871, the Catholic Church in Germany was caught up in the Kulturkampf of Bismark's new German Empire. New exclusion laws constantly and drastically curtailed the activities of priests, religious orders and Catholic associations.
Arnold Janssen resigned from the school board in Bocholt over an idolatry issue. This allowed him to concentrate on missionary work.