Hermann Volk was born in
Steinheim to Franz Volk, an
upholsterer, and his wife Catharina Josepha Kaiser. He received his early education in Steinheim and
Hanau, and then entered the
seminary in
Mainz, where he studied
philosophy and
theology for four years. Volk was
ordained to the
priesthood by Bishop
Ludwig Maria Hugo on 27 April 1927. He then did
pastoral work in
Mainz, serving as a
chaplain in
Alzey (1927–1931) and in
St. Ignaz (1932–1935). From 1935 to 1938 he studied at the
University of Fribourg in
Switzerland, from where he obtained his
doctorate in philosophy, with a
thesis entitled:
Die Kreaturauffassung von Karl Barth, and his
doctorate in theology, with a thesis on:
Emil Brunners Lehre von der ursprünglichen Gottesebenbildlichkeit des Menschen. Volk was an assistant of a
vicariate in
Gau-Odernheim from 1940 to 1941, when he was named
Vicar of
Nidda, where he would then serve as
pastor from 1942 to 1945. In 1943 Volk obtained his
habilitation in
dogmatic theology from the
University of Münster, with a work entitled:
Emil Brunners Lehre von dem Sinder. He then served as
assistant professor (1945–1946) and
professor (1946–1962) of theology, and
rector (1954–1955) at the University of Münster. He was raised to the rank of a
domestic prelate of his holiness on 25 February 1962. ==Episcopate==