Former pastor in Bad Freienwalde: Shocking allegations of abuse!

Former pastor in Bad Freienwalde: Shocking allegations of abuse!

The case surrounding a former pastor of a Protestant parish in Bad Freienwalde is causing great excitement and horror. He faces allegations of sexual abuse of teenagers. The Evangelical Church of Berlin-Brandenburg-Silesian Upper Lusatia (EKBO) has now confirmed these allegations. In its community newsletter, the parish church council said it was “deeply shocked” by the incidents and emphasized the severity of the situation, which has unsettled many people.

The allegations first became public in March 2024 and immediately led to church disciplinary proceedings. As rbb24 reports, the priest was immediately released from his duties. Since October 1, 2025, he has been in retirement, being allowed to exercise his ordination rights only with the approval of the consistory.

Investigations and status of proceedings

The situation comes to a head because the priest himself denies the allegations and refers to the continuation of the disciplinary proceedings, which, he believes, have been discontinued. In fact, in two public prosecutor's investigations against him, the proceedings were discontinued due to a lack of suspicion without any charges being brought. Despite these legal considerations, the credibility of the allegations remains under scrutiny.

In addition, the focus is on another case that highlights an earlier issue of sexual abuse by a former pastor in the Evangelical Reformed Church. Here, too, a victim reported sexual violence from the 1980s. As reformiert.de reports, the Evangelical Reformed Church has initiated disciplinary proceedings and commissioned an external specialist lawyer to examine the allegations. Manuela Feldmann, who has been responsible for the prevention of sexual violence since the beginning of the year, encourages other victims to come forward and thus contribute to raising awareness.

Education and prevention

The need for clarification is emphatically emphasized by press spokesman Ulf Preuß. The case highlights the importance of creating a safe space within the church to prevent future attacks. Once the investigation has been completed, the EKD disciplinary court will decide what measures will be taken.

The entire situation casts a shadow on the church structures and how they deal with allegations of sexual violence. The hope remains that we will learn from the experience and strengthen appropriate preventative measures. It is extremely important for those affected to be heard and receive the support they deserve.