An independent report on abuse in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cologne, prepared by lawyer Bjorn Gercke of the firm Gercke Wollschlager and released 18 March 2021, after the archdiocese withdrew an earlier, unpublished report from a different law firm over disputed methodology. The 800-page report covers 1975 to 2018 and documents 314 children, mostly boys under 14, abused by 202 identified perpetrators, along with 75 breaches of duty by eight living and deceased officials: Cardinal Joseph Hoffner responsible for 8 of them, Cardinal Joachim Meisner for 24, about a third of the total. The report formally cleared the sitting Cardinal, Rainer Woelki, of legal wrongdoing while incriminating other officials, including the then Archbishop of Hamburg, Stefan Hesse, who had previously served in Cologne.
Facts
Documented Findings
Accused DocumentedThe report's own count of identified perpetrators across the period it examined. Victim EstimateThe report's own tally: 314 children, mostly boys under 14, across the 1975 to 2018 period it examined. Key FindingThe report identified 75 breaches of duty by eight living and deceased officials handling abuse cases, unevenly distributed: Cardinal Joachim Meisner alone accounted for 24, about a third of the total, and Cardinal Joseph Hoffner for 8. The report formally cleared the sitting Cardinal, Rainer Woelki, of legal wrongdoing while incriminating other officials, including the then Archbishop of Hamburg, Stefan Hesse, who had previously served in Cologne. 2 Inquiry Profile
Kind of RecordChurch-Commissioned Report 1 JurisdictionArchdiocese of Cologne, Germany 1 Commissioned ByRoman Catholic Archdiocese of Cologne, investigation conducted by lawyer Bjorn Gercke of Gercke Wollschlager 1 Publication Year Period Covered, From Connections
Associated With
Source Lawyer: New Report on Abuse in Cologne Will Incriminate Church Officials (National Catholic Reporter)
Belongs to Tradition
Source Lawyer: New Report on Abuse in Cologne Will Incriminate Church Officials (National Catholic Reporter)
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Sources
1. Lawyer: New Report on Abuse in Cologne Will Incriminate Church Officials (National Catholic Reporter)
2. Cologne Catholic Church Failed in Handling Sex Abuse Claims, Report Finds (BishopAccountability.org)
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