The diocese of Augsburg now wants to pay compensation of 150,000 euros to a person affected by sexual violence. The diocese previously did not want to follow a recommendation from the Independent Commission of Bishops.
“The whole thing really affected me,” says Hans-Joachim Ihrberger. He sounds exhausted. “Everything that happened back then is back. All the memories. As if it were yesterday.”
The man who was subjected to sexual violence by a priest over the years during his childhood is sitting in a wheelchair. He has had two heart attacks and three strokes. Any excitement is bad for him.
The last few months have therefore been particularly stressful. In December, the diocese of Augsburg refused to pay out compensation amounting to 150,000 euros. WDR and tagessschau.de reported exclusively about it. On Tuesday, the diocese of Augsburg announced that it had been able to clarify “all outstanding procedural and communication issues” with representatives of the Independent Commission for Recognition Payments (UKA) – and would now pay after all.
Procedure not yet completed
The Catholic German bishops have appointed the Bonn-based commission to decide on compensation for people who have experienced sexual violence at the hands of priests. The diocese of Augsburg has now announced that the commission’s responsible rapporteur in this specific case assessed the negative psycho-social consequences for those affected as very serious. “This means that the Diocese of Augsburg has to recognize new, additional circumstances in this case,” said the press office of Augsburg’s Bishop Bertram Meier.
Hans-Joachim Ihrberger says he is happy that the whole thing is now over. But he couldn’t really be happy about the 150,000 euros. At the beginning of the year he wanted to give up; things were going very badly for him. The worst thing is that the diocese is now acting as if he had misunderstood the rejection of the payment.
A spokesman for Bishop Meier told the in December WDR said the process was not yet completed. The WDRThe “Church and Abuse” research team was the first to report on a letter that Ihrberger had received from the diocese of Augsburg. It says: “After intensive internal consultations, most recently with (…) Bishop Dr. Bertram Meier, it must be announced that the Diocese of Augsburg cannot agree to this (…) recognition.”
Abandoned by the church
Johannes Norpoth, spokesman for the Advisory Board for those affected by the German Bishops’ Conference, had already assessed this as a clear rejection at the time. In an interview with the newspaper, Norporth welcomed the fact that the bishop now wanted to pay after public pressure WDR. It was always clear that Catholic payments would increase if state courts were also affected would award larger sums.
But that is exactly what the diocese is questioning, even after the announcement on Tuesday. A press release states that the dynamization of the fixed payments “needs to be discussed further at the level of the German Bishops’ Conference.”
Norpoth, spokesman for those affected, criticizes: “This shows very clearly that the diocese of Augsburg has no interest in real, active repentance, but rather wants to steal away as much as possible.” Norpoth demands that the system of payments outside of court proceedings must be preserved. “It is the only way for the many victims who are barely able to speak to receive recognition.”
The person affected, Ihrberger, is now receiving his compensation. The price he had to pay for this is high. He feels let down by the Catholic Church once again.