“Much too unspecific”

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"From the point of view of those affected, in my estimation, nothing has changed with today," says Oliver Vogt. The head of the Institute for Prevention and Reappraisal of Sexualized Violence criticizes the bishops on the abuse ie.

Interviewer: Do you know why it took so long for the bishops to agree on principles for payments to abuse victims?

Oliver Vogt (Director of the Institute for Prevention and Reappraisal of Sexualized Violence): The question of these so-called recognition services and the catch with it covers a very wide range of topics. This is a matter of principle. In the past, there were already clear recommendations from the German Bishops' Conference on how to proceed in these cases. But of course, through the template that came up last fall and that was created by this working group, a rather high standard has been set for the whole ies in this area. This had to be sorted and evaluated first. Now it seems that there is at least a commitment to these basic ways and directions.

Interviewer: These principles include, for example, a continued comprehensive offer of talks, information and accompaniment for those affected. But it is also about the material achievements. These are all voluntary payments, or?

Vogt: That's right, because there is no right to compensation or recognition benefits. Therefore one will remain further with the freiwilligen achievements. But with the paper – this is how I understand the result of the consultations – they say very clearly: "We will go this way and will continue to pay these benefits to those affected."

Interviewer: Individually determined one-time payments are to be made to the victims. And an independent body is to review the central determination of recognition figures. What does that look like then?

Vogt: This is one of the questions, which unfortunately has not been clarified in the course of the present Assembly. The paper and findings are very general and contain little specifics. That's why it's difficult to say what the next steps will be. This also includes the questions that, from my point of view at least, cannot be answered at present: How will this body be put together? Who decides who participates there? What will be the procedures? These are all things that are currently at least still unclear and which, according to the decision taken in the last few days, will only be specified in the fall.

Interviewer: So there is an agreement without concrete consequences?

Vogt: I ame that now again a working group, however composed, will deal with the questions that now need to be clarified. Why this has not happened in the interim between the first and the current interception, I can not say. This working group must now clarify the questions. It must clarify what the procedures will be like. It has to evaluate all this and then present it to the next plenary assembly so that a final decision can then be made.

Interviewer: What does this agreement by the bishops' conference mean for a victim of abuse? In what kind of a different position than the day before yesterday is one thereby?

Vogt: First of all, one is in no different position than the day before yesterday. And this is also what will once again weigh heavily on those affected with the statement and the results that have now been published, because there are precisely no concrete results. One does not know how one has the possibility to participate in the new procedure in the future. It is not clear whether a new application must be made again and how to deal with applications that have already been decided so far. That is, from the point of view of those affected, in my estimation, nothing has changed with today's events.

Interviewer: Victims' associations have long warned that a regulation must finally be made. So, in their eyes, the principles that have now been agreed upon are not sufficient?

Vogt: The principles are sufficient and describe a correct way. The procedure had to be developed and it has to come to other procedures and also to other payments. My criticism is that it is simply taking too long again and that these principles are good, but far too unspecific. In the end, they do not bring the clarity that is expected by all sides, so that the procedures can be handled promptly, well and in the interest of those affected.

Interviewer: So this procedure, this re-examination of the claims, can mean for the victims that they have to go through everything again?

Vogt: I hope not. I hope that a procedure will be agreed upon in which at least those persons who have already told their story and made their application in a German diocese or to a religious order will not have to go through the whole procedure again, including the description of the deed. In my view, this will be one of the essential points to be considered in a new procedure. Those affected should not again be put in the situation of being exposed to the risk of traumatization.

The interview was conducted by Uta Vorbrodt.

Neo-Nazis suddenly cause trouble in Sulfeld, Schleswig-Holstein, last fall. Pastor Steffen Paar begins to get involved. His efforts have set things in motion in the village.

When Pastor Steffen Paar returns from his vacation last fall, he almost doesn't recognize his congregation. Neo-Nazis cause trouble in Sulfeld and have even beaten up a woman. Many residents of the 3.000-inhabitant villages in Schleswig-Holstein are afraid. The evangelical clergyman does not hesitate for long and begins to get involved. Among other things, it is thanks to his efforts that the situation has calmed down somewhat three months later. But no one in the village will forget what happened so quickly.

Attempt by far-right network

In order: In October, stickers with right-wing extremist slogans were suddenly emblazoned on signs, street lamps and bus stops in Sulfeld. As it turns out, a group around the neo-Nazi Bernd T, who is considered ready for violence, is behind it. behind, who shortly before moved back to his hometown, the nearby town of Bad Segeberg. He is trying to establish a right-wing extremist network and has gathered some supporters around him to do so, according to security authorities. Three of them live in Sulfeld at the time. When villagers organize a cleanup to scrape off the stickers, one of the neo-Nazis shows up. He sprays irritant gas in a man's face and knocks out a woman. The village falls into a kind of paralysis of shock.

When Paar learns of this, he publicly condemns the acts on the Facebook page of his church congregation. He writes to the e-mail address given on the stickers and offers the neo-Nazis a talk. One morning, he finds a sticker on his parsonage as well. On Reformation Day, the pastor pleads in his sermon for a tolerant and open society. Afterward, police say, some 250 Sulfeld residents marched through their village in a public walk to show they will not be intimidated. When they return to the church, the tires are slashed on four cars in the parking lot.

Talks with frightened villagers

Couple is not discouraged. He will speak at a rally in Bad Segeberg and serve hot drinks at the Sulfeld marketplace under the slogan "Brown coffee instead of brown sentiment". At the same time, he conducts pastoral counseling talks with frightened villagers.

For Paar, getting involved was not a big question. The 39-year-old, who styles his hair up and wears colorful sneakers, was previously considered a contrarian in his church. Some time ago, he already made a name for himself with the "Pastor to go" campaign, in which parishioners were able to "borrow" him for house and garden work, for example. The professedly homosexual clergyman made headlines when he married his life partner. On the door of the parsonage where they live together, there is now a colorful sign saying "Colorful not brown".

For his commitment against the right, he has received support from many people in Sulfeld, but also from his regional church. Even from Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) there was praise via Twitter for the commitment of the Sulfelder, who have organized numerous other actions since the incidents in October. However, Paar has also received criticism from the village. "Some people have said to me: You're going too far out on a limb." However, this did not deter the pastor: "As a church representative, I see it as my responsibility to show very clear edges," he says. Although he could not convert the right-wing extremists. "But I can provide clarity by calling a spade a spade, and help overcome fears".

Concert with Sebastian Krumbiegel

Despite several requests from Paar, there is no meeting with the neo-Nazis. Although Bernd T. back to him, and the two even make an appointment. "But he canceled that one half an hour before," the pastor reports disappointedly. Couple chats with other right-wingers on the internet instead. "That helped me understand their attitude," he says. "I still do not share this ideology, but these people have the same concerns as we do: the family, the children, their own well-being."

In the meantime, one of the three neo-Nazis is in custody because he was involved in a brawl elsewhere; another woman has moved away from Sulfeld. "A follower of the scene continues to live here, but is not conspicuous," says Paar. In the village in the meantime a "healthy serenity" had returned.

A reason to retire, however, he said, was not. In his sermons, Paar wants to continue to promote peaceful coexistence. In February, he plans a concert in his church under the motto "Colorful Future" with Sebastian Krumbiegel, the singer of the band "Die Prinzen". He would also like to organize regular discussion meetings. "A lot of things have come up in the village as a result of dealing with the ie of right-wing extremism. People who didn't know each other before suddenly talk to each other. I would like to continue this."

Archdiocese of Cologne presents legal opinion Thursday on diocese's handling of sexualized violence by church staff. Archbishop Rainer Maria Cardinal Woelki will receive the report from the authors.

The investigation into cases from 1975 to 2018 focuses on how diocesan officials dealt with sexual abuse of children or vulnerable adults by priests and church personnel. According to the information, the expert opinion is based on personnel files, documents and conversations with officials.

The expert's report, which will be handed out on Thursday to Woelki as well as to the advisory board of those affected and made available to the interested public, should lead to personnel consequences depending on the results. First consultation results and possible consequences from the investigation want to Archbishop Woelki in the coming week, on 23. March, communicate. From 25. March is in addition in the archiepiscopal conference house a further, before with another Kanzlei in order-placed and so far unpublished appraisal for interested ones to lie out. For this a pre-registration is necessary. The Archdiocese of Cologne and our site will broadcast the press conference on Thursday at 10.00 o'clock live.

Postponed, cancelled, newly prepared

Those affected, the faithful and employees in the diocese, as well as the general public, had to wait around a year for the publication of an expert opinion on the Archbishopric of Cologne. The presentation of possible deficits or violations of church law and official duties in dealing with abuse cases, originally announced for March 2020, was first postponed and then canceled. The cooperation with the originally commissioned law firm was terminated, a new law firm was commissioned.

Concerns regarding the right of expression

The archbishop had justified his decision not to publish the expert opinion, which had initially been commissioned from the Munich law firm Westpfahl Spilker Wastl, with evaluations by other lawyers and law firms. These had urged expression-legal doubts and referred among other things to possible complaints of functionaries mentioned by name. Qualitative and methodological deficiencies in the reappraisal were also criticized. The Munich law firm, which was and is also active for other dioceses in dealing with abuse, had repeatedly contradicted the criticism. Since the fall of 2020, the Cologne law firm Gercke and Wollschlager prepared a new independent expert opinion.

The archbishop's decision and also his handling of criticism from society, the priesthood and parishes caused criticism and opposition. In addition, the archdiocese had to deal with accusations of cover-up in addition to accusations of lack of transparency and procrastination.

Expert opinion already handed over to the public prosecutor's office

Meanwhile, criminal lawyer Bjorn Gercke has already handed over the legal opinion on the responsibility of bishops, vicars general and other executives in the abuse scandal in the Cologne archdiocese to the Cologne public prosecutor's office. He had forwarded the expert opinion before the publication announced for today, Thursday, said Gercke on Monday evening in the WDR local time from Cologne. Already during the investigation phase in the past months there had been a constant exchange with the prosecution authority.

The public prosecutor's office had already received an interim report some time ago. The previously unpublished expert opinion of the Munich criminal law firm, which the archdiocese had withdrawn from the mandate because of alleged methodological errors, is also available to the Cologne public prosecutor's office. Cologne Archbishop Rainer Maria Woelki will receive the expert opinion at the same time as the public, Gercke said on WDR.

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