German monument protectors accuse dioceses of ignoring building warnings

Steffen Skudelny, head of the German Foundation for Monument Protection (Deutsche Stiftung Denkmalschutz), has accused the leadership of Catholic dioceses of ignoring warnings from their own construction experts regarding the preservation of church buildings.

Skudelny noted that delays in responding to structural concerns make the preservation of historical monuments increasingly difficult. He emphasized that monument protectors are generally tolerant of repurposing churches—such as converting them into workshops or other uses—provided the original substance of the building is not destroyed.

Since 2015, approximately 1,000 religious buildings in Germany have been repurposed, sold, or demolished. Within the Catholic Church, the Diocese of Essen has seen 131 churches abandoned since 2000, while the Diocese of Trier has seen about 60 buildings profaned since 2015. Skudelny suggested that the need for new usage models should have been addressed decades ago to avoid the current pressure on decision-makers.