Abuse scandal in the diocese of Fulda: 230 cases since the Second World War!

Abuse scandal in the diocese of Fulda: 230 cases since the Second World War!

On June 17, 2025, an independent commission presented its comprehensive report on sexual abuse in the diocese of Fulda. This shocking document details more than 230 cases of sexual abuse since the end of World War II. How daily news According to reports, around 120 people affected and 37 suspected perpetrators were identified. This is just the tip of the iceberg, as the commission estimates there are 239 criminal sexual acts, but the actual number could be even higher.

What is particularly shocking is that of all these cases, only 23 resulted in criminal charges. More intensive investigations took place in 29 cases. The commission sharply criticizes the Catholic Church for its failures, which led to inadequate information and inadequate protection of those affected until 2010. According to the report, the alleged perpetrators were shown leniency until the turn of the millennium, while the suffering of those affected was systematically ignored. Instead, parishes often stood behind the accused.

Processing cases of abuse

The church's attitude only changed in the late 1990s. Auxiliary Bishop Johannes Kapp, who was responsible for personnel from 1977 to 2003, looks back and recognizes the pain of those affected, even if the suffering was only officially recognized in 37 cases. The total compensation amounts to 513,000 euros, with only eight people receiving therapeutic support from the church. The Bishop of Fulda, Michael Gerber, publicly apologized and admitted the diocese's guilt.

The commission, made up of lawyers, former criminal investigators and other experts, worked independently of the diocesan leadership. But her work was anything but easy. Difficulties in studying records arose because the Catholic Church lacked uniform standards for record keeping. The scandal surrounding the cover-up of cases of abuse is now 15 years old, but the investigation continues. In 2018, a comprehensive investigation into sexual abuse of minors in the Catholic Church in Germany was launched.

Rising numbers and challenges

A current interim report from the diocese of Fulda shows that the process of coming to terms with sexual abuse is moving slowly but steadily. Accordingly, the number of suspected perpetrators rose from 34 to 57, including priests, deacons and lay people in pastoral ministry. How hessenschau.de According to reports, 15 of these perpetrators are multiple perpetrators. The number of victims affected climbed to 119, an increase compared to 111 in the previous report.

The commission is investigating cases of abuse from 1946 to the present and plans to review more than 1,800 files from the past decades. The aim is to be able to make concrete statements at the end of the investigation about those responsible and the frequency of abuse among various bishops.

In a broader context, it is clear that other religious communities are also working intensively to address sexualized violence. The Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), for example, is pursuing the establishment of procedures for recognition payments and is working on the creation of independent processing commissions. This was done in a Joint declaration which was signed in December 2023.

Coming to terms with sexual violence in both the Catholic and Protestant Churches remains a challenge, and the voices of those affected must continue to be heard in order to achieve lasting improvements and a good handle on dealing with these serious issues.