Child abuse at Pope Benedict's brother's choir and German schools

A former member of the boys' choir of the Regensburger Domspatzen school in the state of Bavaria claims he was abused at the school that runs the choir in the 1960s. The school was headed by the pope's brother Georg Ratzinger from 1964 to 1994.

The charges at the cathedral boys' choir in Regensburg, the Benedictine monastery school at Ettal and a Capucian school in Burghausen surfaced after abuse cases emerged at Jesuit schools around the country rocked Germany last month.

Pope Benedict's brother, Rev Georg Ratzinger, 86, led the choir from 1964 to 1994. He told the public radio Bayerischer Rundfunk he did not know of any abuse cases at the "Regensburger Domspatzen" (Regensburg Cathedral Sparrows) choir.

The Diocese of Regensburg, where the pope taught theology at the university from 1969 to 1977, said there were no ongoing abuse cases and it would launch an inquiry into all charges from the past.

According to a statement, by the diocese one priest had abused two boys sexually in 1958 and was sentenced to two years in prison. Another clergyman received 11 months in jail in 1971 for abuse. Both men have since passed away.

The statement said three men alleged to have suffered sexual abuse, beatings and humiliation at boarding schools lindked to the choir in the early 1960s. The diocese said it was investigating these cases and more could be revealed.


Read more

Abuse At Pope's Brother's Choir, More German Schools New York Times 
Pope's brother's choir faces abuse claims The Associated Press
Pope's brother's former school is linked to sex abuse Deutsche Welle