DW: How the church protected priests who abuse children

German Catholic dioceses have a history of transferring priests accused of sexual abuse abroad, a practice more widespread than previously known, according to a Deutsche Welle investigation. At least 47 priests facing allegations were sent overseas by German dioceses, with some cases involving knowledge of the accusations prior to transfer.

The survey of 27 dioceses provides the first comprehensive overview of this practice. In 20 instances, dioceses were aware of the accusations before relocating the priests. In other cases, they claim no prior knowledge or that no records existed. The investigation does not cover priests transferred by religious orders rather than dioceses.

Lawyer Bettina Jansen, who has worked on studies of abuse cases for the Catholic Church, described this as a "pattern." She stated that "sending abroad happened despite known problems." Jansen believes the Catholic Church relied on its international network to deal with problematic priests in Germany, with organizations like religious and humanitarian groups facilitating their movement. This, she argues, enabled the cover-up of crimes and the continuation of sexual abuse.

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sending abroad happened despite known problems.

One previously unknown case from the Archdiocese of Bamberg involved a former boarding school director and priest accused of abuse in 1976. Despite knowing about the accusations, church officials approved his transfer to a German Catholic community in Namibia instead of reporting him to state authorities. A spokesperson for the Archdiocese called the action "wrong," noting that such a move would be unthinkable today due to implemented measures.

According to the investigation's findings, priests with a history of sexual abuse were most frequently sent to distant countries, particularly South America, which was mentioned in 20 cases. The oldest recorded case dates back to Nazi Germany, while the most recent are from the 2010s. It appears that overseas church communities were not always informed about the accusations against these German priests.

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