Thursday, February 04, 2010

Jesuit teachers at top German school admit sexually abusing boys

A Jesuit teacher confessed yesterday to sexually abusing boys at a top German school, further engulfing the country’s Roman Catholic Church in a scandal over the mistreatment of dozens of pupils in its care.

Almost 30 alleged victims have come forward with claims against three Jesuit staff, saying that they were abused in the 1970s and 1980s at Canisius college in Berlin, alma mater of some of the country’s political, business and academic elite.

Peter R and Wolfgang S left the school in 1981 and 1979 respectively while the third alleged perpetrator, named as Bernhard E, 70, was suspended from the Jesuit order yesterday after admitting one case of sexual abuse. Three further victims made claims against him. Mr S, a former gym teacher, 65, now living in Chile, has confessed to the allegations and last week wrote an open letter of apology to victims, while Mr R has denied the allegations.