Pope Benedict XVI, who is the oldest pope for more than a century, was born in 1927 into a traditional farming family in Bavaria, Germany, although his father was a policeman.
The BBC's Ray Furlong in Berlin said Cardinal Ratzinger's election as pope would generate amazement and enthusiasm in Germany as well as concern among those who had hoped for a more liberal pontiff.
The future pope's studies at seminary were interrupted by World War II and his supporters say that his experiences under the Nazi regime convinced him that the church had to stand up for truth and freedom.
A close friend and confidante of Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI is also known as a fellow conservative.
For more that 20 years he was head of the congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith in the Vatican - the Vatican's guardian of orthodoxy.
Analysts say his papacy is sure to continue John Paul II's strongly traditional interpretation of the Catholic faith, including opposition to abortion, homosexuality, priestly marriage and women priests.