Clergy Sexual Abuse: German Regensburg Boys' Choir Opens to Girls After a Millennium

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] One of the oldest choirs in the world, the Regensburg Domspatzen Boys' Choir in Germany, will open its doors to girls after more than 1,000 years since its founding.

According to the Associated Press on the 15th (local time), the Catholic school that operates the Regensburg Domspatzen Boys' Choir decided to recruit new female members starting from the 2022-2023 academic year.

Founded in 975 in Regensburg, Bavaria, the Regensburg Domspatzen Choir has been operated exclusively with boy choir members until now.

However, the new female choir members will belong to a separate girls' choir organization distinct from the existing boys' choir. The name of the new choir has not yet been decided.

The female members must attend the middle and high school established for the choir.

The choir stated, "The new female members will receive the same benefits as the existing boy members and will create their own unique sound."

The boys' choir will maintain its existing identity.

Currently, there are 431 students enrolled in the school affiliated with the choir, two-thirds of whom live in dormitories known for their strict discipline.

The Regensburg Domspatzen Choir has built its reputation by performing worldwide, including at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.

However, the choir came under scrutiny after it was revealed in 2017 that more than 500 members had been sexually abused by clergy from 1945 to the 1990s.

The sexual abuse allegations drew particular attention because the choir was led for 30 years by Father Georg Ratzinger, the brother of former Pope Benedict XVI and a respected clergyman.

Father Ratzinger, who passed away last year, responded that he was unaware of the sexual abuse occurring at the time.

In Germany, choirs composed exclusively of boys have existed since the medieval period, but the Berlin and Cologne Cathedrals established girls' choirs in the 1980s.

In 2019, a 9-year-old girl applied to join the Berlin Cathedral Boys' Choir but was rejected and subsequently filed a lawsuit; however, the court ruled in favor of the cathedral.

The court ruled that in this case, the artistic freedom of the choir was more important than gender equality.