Emmanuel Thomas l Wednesday, April 26, 2023
COLOGNE – A German regional court ruled on Wednesday that tabloid newspaper Bild is prohibited from publishing certain statements about the Archbishop of Cologne, Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki.
The cardinal had filed a lawsuit against an online report from Bild concerning passages that violated his general right of personality.
Bild had reported on the promotion of a controversial priest who had had sex with a 16-year-old prostitute and about allegations of abuse against him.
According to Woelki, Bild falsely claimed that when the priest was appointed city dean of Dusseldorf in 2017, he was aware of the priest’s personal file and police warnings. Woelki submitted a corresponding affidavit.
“Due to the dishonourable nature of the statements” Woelki had to prove in court that he knew the content of the documents when he decided on the promotion of the priest. However, the defendants – publishing house Axel Springer SE and a reporter – didn’t succeed in providing these facts.
Woelki appeared in court underlining the fact he hadn’t known about the priest’s file.
Even the hearing of two witnesses did not confirm the specific evidential questions, the chamber ruled. The verdict can be appealed at the Cologne Higher Regional Court.
