CORRECTIV - Akten des Missbrauchs: Die Geschichte eines organisierten Verbrechens im Vatikan | Filmscreening und Gespräch

Marcus BensmannandAnna Kassin aretwo of the authors of this journalistic thriller, which chronicles an investigation into guilt, power, and abuse.

A network of cover-ups. A registry that shouldn’t exist. And a trail leading right to the heart of the Catholic Church. What begins as local research into individual cases of child abuse develops into a global manhunt and a search for secret Vatican letters. From the Ruhr region to France, Italy, Portugal, the U.S., Colombia, and Australia. With each new file, the suspicion grows: At the heart of the Vatican lies a unique registry that points the way to an archive that collects and stores information on clerical abusers worldwide. Some have been convicted, many remain unknown, and their responsibility is often covered up. It is a system that prioritizes protecting perpetrators and maintaining power over the suffering of millions of victims of sexual abuse. At its center stands one of the Church’s most influential figures: the German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, later Pope Benedict XVI.

Marcus Bensmanntakes his time, talks to people, listens, finds sources and witnesses, and offers a different perspective. Since 2014, he has worked as a senior reporter for CORRECTIV and has investigated, among other things, the downing of Flight MH-17, the financing of the AfD, and adulterated cancer drugs from the Alte Apotheke. Bensmann also played a leading role in the multi-award-winning CORRECTIV investigation “Secret Plan Against Germany.” When he’s not focusing on Russia, the AfD, or the Pope, he enjoys listening to opera and playing chess.

Anna Kassinis a reporter for CORRECTIV’s Berlin investigative team. She gained her first journalistic experience in radio and television. Before joining CORRECTIV, she worked for *Die Zeit* and ARD-aktuell (Tagesschau, Tagesthemen, Tagesschau24) and completed an internship on the ZDF talk show “Markus Lanz.” She studied journalism and corporate communications in Berlin. Her reporting focuses on topics such as sexual abuse, corruption, and politics.

Moderator:Eric Marr

In cooperation with the Catholic Forum of Thuringia