One of the most influential Catholic clerics in Germany of the post-Conciliar era found to be a wolf in shepherd's clothing

"There were clear indications that Franz Hengsbach was a perpetrator"

A study lists further allegations of abuse against the former Bishop of Essen, Franz Hengsbach. Researchers consider the accounts plausible in at least four cases.

A study on sexual abuse by the late Bishop of Essen, Franz Hengsbach, has brought further suspected cases to light. Researchers from the commissioned institutes stated during an interim report presentation in Munich that 66 people had come forward following a call for interviews in late 2024, and that a total of four reported cases of abuse could be classified as "well-substantiated and plausible."

"There were clear indications that Franz Hengsbach was a perpetrator," said researcher Helga Dill. Previously, two possible instances of abuse dating back to the 1950s and 1960s had been known. Hengsbach in 1988: Allegedly committed repeated acts of sexual violence against minors

The Bishop of the Ruhr—highly respected for many years—allegedly committed sexual violence against young girls in three separate instances between the 1950s and the 1980s; a possible assault on a boy is considered "consistent in its description," researchers stated. Hengsbach allegedly groped girls' breasts and forced a 16-year-old to engage in sexual acts, among other things. In the late 1960s, he reportedly asked a young person preparing for confirmation to sit on his lap in the sacristy and "slide back and forth."

"A sexual offender—no ifs, ands, or buts"

"Hengsbach was a sexual offender—no ifs, ands, or buts," said Johannes Norpoth, a spokesperson for the victims. The Church must face the consequences and limit the power within its structures.

"In at least three cases of sexual violence against young women, it must be assumed that the events occurred exactly as the victims described them," acknowledged the current Bishop of Essen, Franz-Josef Overbeck. For many decades, the victims were not believed, he said.

Overbeck also admitted to his own failures regarding the case: for years, he had withheld information received from Paderborn in 2011 concerning abuse committed by Hengsbach. He had underestimated the situation, he said, because he could not have imagined that a bishop was "capable of such terrible acts." This was a misjudgment that delayed the process of addressing the issue.

The researchers also speak of the bishop's "destructive abuse of power over subordinate clergy." According to witness testimony, Hengsbach learned of instances of sexualized violence on several occasions but reacted defensively and took no action against the accused. Potential complicity and behavior that shielded perpetrators will be investigated as the study continues through autumn 2027.

Hengsbach, who was appointed cardinal in 1988, was long considered one of the most influential Catholic clerics of the post-war era. However, after the allegations came to light in 2023, the Catholic Church distanced itself from him. A monument to Hengsbach in front of Essen Cathedral was removed; a memorial for abuse victims is now planned for the vicinity.

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Cathcon: The Federal Minister of Labour, Norbert Blüm wrote at the time of his death, "He didn't just preach about togetherness, he practiced it."  The Cardinal was a Conciliar bishop of the highest order, attending all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council. He advanced during the time of Pope John Paul II because of his work on German-Polish relations.