Reaction: Joseph Ratzinger left Munich in 1981 after Pope John Paul II told him: "Munich is important, the world church is more important." Yesterday his appointment brought his friends and foes out of the woodwork.
One of his greatest enemies is Hans Küng, a former theology professor at Tübingen University. He was Cardinal Ratzinger's mentor, but in 1979 it was the cardinal who withdrew Mr Küng's licence to teach as a result of his anti-Vatican line on ecumenicism and the infallibility of dogma.
Mr Küng called the choice of pope a "gigantic disappointment for all who had wished for a reforming, pastoral pope.
"I don't think it's decisive whether Ratzinger is a transitional pope. A pope can move things for the good or the bad in three years." Fr Martin Bialas, a schoolfriend of Cardinal Ratzinger, told Munich's Abendzeitung that the new Pope is writing another book. "That's his way of relaxing." Munich bishop Engelbert Sieber said: "I think that the world has yet to learn a lot about the charisma of this brilliant speaker."
Thaddäus Kühnel of Munich has known the new pontiff for 23 years. The two have been on holiday together and he is a regular visitor to the Vatican, bringing deliveries of Bavarian white sausage. He worried yesterday this era of close contact might be over.
"We haven't had such a theologian since Thomas Aquinas. He's not as conservative as everyone says. He is a humorous person who is close to people," he said.
This morning Mr Kühnel is driving to Rome, despite a foot injury, his car packed with Bavarian delicacies.
