Germany
Fifty years after the Munich massacre
By Jeffrey Salkin — September 5, 2022
(RNS) — The massacre at Munich, 50 years ago, came to define my life and my calling.
Vatican puts brakes on German church reform proposals
By Associated Press — July 21, 2022
ROME (AP) — The statement marked the second time the Holy See has weighed in publicly to rein in progressives in Germany.
Germany: Over 2,700 antisemitic incidents reported in 2021
By Associated Press — June 28, 2022
BERLIN (AP) — The German government's commissioner to combat antisemitism, Felix Klein, called the number of incidents — more than seven per day — frightening.
‘A dear friend’: Syrian carves model of Cologne cathedral
By Kirsten Grieshaber and Daniel Niemann — June 21, 2022
COLOGNE, Germany (AP) — Alkhudr, who is Muslim, said he developed such a close connection to the Catholic cathedral that at some point it felt like the building became a part of him.
German federal court rejects bid to remove antisemitic relic
By Geir Moulson — June 14, 2022
Despite the defamatory nature of the original statue, “the legal system does not demand its removal,” the federal court said.
Insurers suddenly raise stakes on German churches’ sex abuse response
By Tom Heneghan — May 19, 2022
(RNS) — One of Germany’s biggest trade associations, representing 10 million insured people, has given victims of sexual abuse a powerful ally with deep pockets and highly paid lawyers.
German church urges quick decision on divisive archbishop
By Associated Press — March 9, 2022
BERLIN (AP) — Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki, the archbishop of Cologne, said that he had offered his resignation to the pontiff after returning from a monthslong ‘spiritual timeout’ last week.
German Cardinal Woekli offers resignation on return from timeout
By Geir Moulson — March 2, 2022
(AP) — The Archbishop of Cologne has created division over his handling of clergy sexual abuse cases.
Former pope was at meeting where pedophile priest discussed
By Associated Press — January 24, 2022
BERLIN (AP) — Retired Pope Benedict XVI has acknowledged that he did attend a 1980 meeting at which the transfer of a pedophile priest to his then-diocese was discussed, saying an editorial error was responsible for his previous assertion that he wasn’t there. Authors of a report on sexual abuse between 1945 and 2019 in […]
Report on sexual abuse in German diocese faults retired pope
By Geir Moulson — January 20, 2022
BERLIN (AP) — A long-awaited report on sexual abuse in Germany's Munich Archdiocese on Thursday faulted retired Pope Benedict XVI's handling of four cases when he was archbishop in the 1970s and 1980s.
In eastern Germany, pastors push for shots despite protests
By Kirsten Grieshaber — December 28, 2021
CHEMNITZ, Germany (AP) — Lutheran pastors across Saxony have used their sermons to promote vaccines as the most efficient way to end the pandemic.
Cologne Catholic church holds penance service on sex abuse
By Kirsten Grieshaber and Daniel Niemann — November 18, 2021
The German Catholic Church’s handling of sexual abuse reports has caused a crisis in Cologne, where the archbishop, Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki, has taken a “spiritual timeout" on the advice of Pope Francis.
Neo-Nazi’s burial in Jewish gravesite causes stir in Germany
By Kirsten Grieshaber — October 13, 2021
Several German news outlets have reported that known Holocaust denier Henry Hafenmayer was buried Friday at the Stahnsdorf cemetery just outside of Berlin. His ashes were interred in the plot where Max Friedlaender, a German-Jewish musicologist, was buried.
Merkel meets pope and receives farewell tribute from Draghi
By Associated Press — October 7, 2021
Merkel herself has called this her farewell bilateral trip to Italy as chancellor, and her unusually long 45-minute papal audience and glowing tribute from Draghi indicated her Roman counterparts wanted to pay their respects, too.
Hybrid Religions for Peace conference puts focus on climate, conflict, coronavirus
By Eric J. Lyman — October 4, 2021
(RNS) — Religions for Peace, the annual international interfaith conference, began Monday in a new hybrid format after virtual meetings in recent years due to the coronavirus pandemic.
