Anti-abuse initiative demonstrates against Archbishop Gänswein

Not only did more than 400 paying listeners turn up for the reading of Georg Gänswein's book "Nothing but the Truth": At the book presentation of Pope Benedict's former private secretary, there was also a demonstration before the reading.

An Upper Bavarian initiative against sexual abuse in the church demonstrated before a reading by the long-time papal private secretary Georg Gänswein in the pilgrimage town of Altötting.

Demonstration at Gänswein's book presentation

At the book presentation of the former private secretary of Pope Benedict, Georg Gänswein of "Nothing but the truth" gathered not far from the pilgrimage chapel in Altötting about two dozen members of various initiatives demanding that the abuse scandals be dealt with. According to the organiser, security had to be increased for preventive purposes. For a short time, a police patrol car was also seen among the demonstrators on the forecourt of the congress centre. The demonstrators behaved peacefully and there were no riots.

Initiative "Sauerteig" urges abuse clarification

The demonstration was called for by the initiative "Sauerteig" - a group from Garching an der Alz. Among other things, the group holds the late Pope Benedict jointly responsible for the cases of abuse in the case of Peter H. in Garching an der Alz and demands more clarification from the church. The members of the group distributed leaflets on Saturday and emphasised "that Joseph Ratzinger's knowledge of the abuse is also part of the truth", as the spokesperson of the initiative, Rosi Mittermeier, said.

The initiative calls for better processing of cases of sexual abuse in the church and higher compensation for those affected: "It's time for compensation that does justice to the true extent of the damage." Mittermeier said: "The fact that church child abuse happened with the knowledge and acquiescence of the highest officials up to the former Pope Benedict is now undoubtedly proven and a shattering part of the truth."

The Peter H. case is before the Traunstein Regional Court

The Upper Bavarian town of Garching an der Alz, where the "Sauerteig" initiative originates from, has come into particular focus in the debate about sexual abuse in the Catholic Church because the archdiocese had transferred a convicted repeat offender there - and the priest abused children there again.

When asked by BR about the accusations of the demonstrators, Gänswein himself replied that, in his opinion, a thorough investigation was already being carried out. The Traunstein Regional Court wants to deal with the case of Peter H. in the context of a civil suit. The proceedings at the Traunstein Regional Court were postponed because it has not yet been clarified who will succeed Ratzinger after his death.

Gänswein himself did not appear among the demonstrators before the beginning of his reading. However, there were sporadic arguments between the demonstrators and visitors to the reading. One of them called the demonstration an "impertinence" and shouted, "Shame on you!"

Gänswein chats about the details of Vatican life

During his book presentation, the late Pope's long-time private secretary called life in the Vatican "quite normal". It is a place where - like everywhere else - "people work, laugh, eat, make mistakes". "The Vatican is a world like everywhere else," said Gänswein, only the clothes are different ("the higher you climb, the longer they get") - and "the walls are not as thick as you think". However, for decades at 10 p.m. and now at midnight, the last entrance accessible by car was closed by the Swiss Guard. Anyone arriving later had to ring the bell. "Then the door was unlocked and the number plate written down."

The Vatican is "ancient", Gänswein said. "So not only the walls, but also the people." And the "friendliness" that is very common there is what he appreciates most there, he said. "One is internationally occupied in a small area."

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