“Prison”, “hell”, “concentration camp”: The final report shows the full extent of the sexual abuse at the world-renowned Regensburg Domspatzen. A heavy task for the Rapporteur, the Prosecutor Ulrich Weber.
Watch the Video
01:26
Final report on child abuse at the Regensburger Domspatzen
Arbitrariness and pressure, and harsh punishment. As a lawyer, Ulrich Weber (article photo), describes Domspatzen decades of practiced abuse in Preschool Regensburg, he cites statements from the Victims. “Prison,” he says, “hell” or “concentration camp”. Many of the discussions in the review of the “the worst time of your life”.
Document the horror
Seven years ago, the known sexual violence rocked by multiple cases in Church institutions in Germany. It began with the Berlin Canisius-Kolleg, a Jesuit school. Other examples of religious institutions or parishes, followed. A few months later, the Domspatzen, the famous choir of Regensburg came into view. Over the years, the diocese did have a hard time with an honest view and the enlightenment. Until 2015, the Jurist Ulrich Weber started in the order of the diocese of systematic work. He submitted his final report. Well 440 pages of factual clarification, and at the same time a document of horror.
Physical and sexual violence
Accordingly, 547 victims in their shield are classified as “highly plausible”. 500 of them suffered physical violence, 67 sexual violence. Weber says that he sees “no reason” to correct him in January 2016 called “the dark figure of a total of 700 Victims down”. Some of the victims were already deceased, others did not want to stir this dark Chapter of your life.
The Junior choir of the Regensburger Domspatzen at a Festival in Würzburg
The Assaults on the boys ‘ choir should have, especially in the 1960s and 1970s. Until 1992, there had been, according to the Victims of continuous violence.
Culture of silence
The excesses of violence had been obscured by a “culture of silence,” says Weber. Generally speaking, one must assume that almost all of the responsibility was at least a half-knowledge of the incidents. Overall, it was 49 Accused.
No matter whether or not 547 or up to 700 cases of abuse at the Domspatzen is the biggest such scandal in the Catholic Church in Germany. The enlightenment lasted much longer than, for example, in the case of the Jesuit schools, is also a big name. Almost incredibly, it seems as if Weber at the launch of the report called “Director of music R. and Bishop, M.”.
R and M
Until 1994, Georg Ratzinger, as a Director of music head of the Choir; today, 93-year-old priest is Benedict’s brother, the Emeritus Pope. And until the middle of 2012, Gerhard Ludwig Müller, Bishop of Regensburg. Then, the now 63-Year-old rose to the prefect of the Roman congregation for the doctrine of faith and was later, the cardinal would. The Job as a faith Keeper he is, by the way. At the beginning of July, Pope Francis dispensed with his further services.
Georg Ratzinger (l) and his brother, Pope Benedict in 2005 at the Domspatzen
Georg Ratzinger gave in 2010, to have decades ago, even slaps distributed. The work-up of the scandal, after decades, he referred to 2016 as the “madness”. The final report accuses him of “looking the other way’ and failure to Intervene, despite knowledge”. There are physical violence, sexual violence, Ratzinger knew nothing. At least as significantly, the judgment on cardinal Müller, the Bishop “has a clear responsibility for the strategic, organizational, and communicative weaknesses of the work”.
The editorial recommends
Comment: good practices in education at the Regensburger Domspatzen
The world-famous boys ‘ choir is the largest violence – and-abuse scandal in the Catholic Church in Germany. The final report has now been given a good example, says Christoph Strack. (18.07.2017)
Ex-Domspatz Probst: “I have found my peace”
Alexander Probst was as a child in the rain Burger miss Domspatzen needs. On the occasion of the final report, which will be presented this Tuesday in Regensburg, he is looking back in the DW-interview – without anger. (18.07.2017)
Compensation for abuse victims in the Domspatzen
Alone the Numbers, the lists between the report of the sexual and physical abuse are frightening. 422 victims have been from the ranks of the Regensburg choir boys. (12.10.2016)
Every third Domspatz has experienced violence
Stroke, blows, beatings, rapes – this is far more members and students of the world-famous Regensburger met boys ‘ choir, as previously assumed. Still today, the Former want to talk to her suffering of the soul. (08.01.2016)
It was under his successor, Rudolf Voderholzer, after initial Hesitation, different. To reports, since the end of 2014 concern the direct communication with Victims and public words for “positive momentum,” says Weber.
Regensburger Church landscape
So also the place of presentation of the enlightenment the results of such Wisely chosen seems. The press conference has been loaded in a conference room, the Continental Arena, the new stadium of the local football club. It is located on the outskirts of the city, a good three kilometres from the Cathedral, beyond the motorway. But there are – in the a direction or the other, just a few steps or a short walk up to the Meadow on which the then-Pope Benedict during a visit to his Bavarian homeland in 2006, a major fair celebrated, and up to that lecture hall at the University of Regensburg, the head of the Church held a worldwide respected speech and the issue of violence grazed. Violence in Islam, not in the Church.
And the house of the then Professor Joseph Ratzinger in the near Pentling, walked out from Regensburg in the world and in the Church of the ascension to the office of the Pope is hardly far more. In the middle between these places, the word.
After all the years of his “peace” found: victims of abuse, Alexander Probst, at a press conference
Satisfied Reactions
And there are certainly positive signals. Several victims of the press conference to follow, they show up in the connection, satisfied with the (albeit late) work-up of the abuse. Alexander Probst, released in 1968 as an eight-year-old Boy to the Domspatzen and sexually abused, says then, given the total number and the dimensions of the abuse cases he can feel “real vibration”. But he had found his peace. And Peter Schmitt, a year later, Domspatz and beatings witnessed, sums up the choir have changed in the past few years. Today, there is a well developed concept of preventive measures.
Also from the abuse of the Federal government, Johannes-Wilhelm officer Rörig, get the scouts this Tuesday praise. The now-path model “is”, he told the Catholic news Agency. Now, he also hope for an apology from cardinal Müller.
300 applications for compensation
For workup, also compensation. The first 50 victims received after the appropriate request, between 5000 and 20,000 euros. 450,000 euros were paid several million to be. Until the end of the year, the majority of available of 300 applications to be processed. Not all of the victims were at all a request, explains Barbara Seidenstücker, from Regensburg, an education researcher and expert on youth involved in the competent body of the diocese.