As of: March 8, 2024, 3:55 p.m
By: Christiane Mühlbauer
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Pastor Heinrich Soffel has been head of the Bad Tölz deanery since March 2021, which also includes the Wolfratshausen and Miesbach areas.
The Munich native previously worked in parish churches in Lower Bavaria for 15 years.
© pröhl/A
The regional church council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria announced its decision on Friday that Dean Heinrich Soffel (58) can no longer perform his duties in the Bad Tölz deanery district and in the Bad Tölz parish.
Bad Tölz – The reason given is a “sustained disruption”.
As reported, Soffel has no longer been allowed to hold office since the beginning of 2023 due to the investigations.
There were “intensive attempts at mediation and discussions with those involved on site,” according to a press release from the regional church.
There was a “comprehensive investigation” by a lawyer from the regional church office.
The decision is not a disciplinary procedure.
“There are no disciplinary or criminal allegations.” “Sustained disruption” describes persistent disagreements or conflicts in the church service that affect the exercise of the service.
“It was and is not a question of guilt.”
Regional bishop: “Conflict could not be resolved”
When asked by our newspaper, the new regional bishop Thomas Prieto Peral refers to a church council meeting in April 2022, which discussed the dispute over the care of school children and the reception of refugees from Ukraine in the parish hall.
The reporting on the controversial decisions “caused the conflict to escalate even further.”
The church leadership tried to mediate early on, but the attempts were not responded to.
“Despite many discussions, the conflict could not be resolved.
The relationship between those involved remained broken.” That’s why there should now be a new start.
“The human resources department will look for a possible new assignment with Mr. Soffel.” However, it is pointed out that there is the possibility for Soffel to appeal against the decision.
Soffel: “Tölz is not a divided community”
In a telephone conversation with our newspaper on Friday, Soffel appeared “irritated”.
He had no knowledge of the decision in advance.
He has not been allowed to work for 390 days.
“I would like to stay in Bad Tölz,” says Soffel.
“Tölz is not a divided community.” Soffel describes the said church board meeting in April 2022 from a different perspective.
Although this meeting was “difficult” and there were “emotional discussions”, the decisions were then made unanimously.
Fire protection requirements played a decisive role in the question of refugee accommodation.
As reported at the time, after the meeting, listeners contacted our newspaper with allegations against Soffel.
The 58-year-old believes that the conflict was then “exaggerated.”
The dean feels he has been treated unfairly
At the beginning of 2023, the “sustainable disruption procedure” was initiated by the regional church council.
Since then, Soffel has no longer been allowed to perform any official duties.
“Both the church council and the deanery committee have said that they do not want this procedure,” says Soffel.
Only five people and the then regional bishop, now state bishop Christian Kopp, attempted it.
Soffel feels he has been treated unfairly.
The 58-year-old also complains that he was not spoken to during the investigation.
“I wrote emails but got no response.” The regional bishop’s situation report was refuted by witnesses.
Soffel confirms that mediation has been suggested.
“When I agreed, the answer suddenly came: It’s far too expensive.”
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Anonymous inflammatory letter in October 2022
The pastor sees himself as a victim of a campaign.
In October 2022 there was an anonymous inflammatory letter against him in Tölz.
Finally, members of the church council intervened “because this is bullying,” says Soffel.
“I am suspected here of having done bad things.
This is not true at all.” He is also very offended by the way the church treats him.
This is “not good form” for an employer.
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Regional church rejects allegations
The regional church rejects Soffel's allegations.
The decision was made at the meeting on February 20, 2024, and Soffel's lawyer was informed of this in writing on February 21.
He then commented on this in a multi-page letter, says Philipp Bäumer, personal advisor to regional bishop Thomas Prieto Peral.
His predecessor, Christoph Kopp, attempted to speak to Soffel several times during the proceedings.
“Mr. Soffel could have called back at any time,” says Bäumer.
This is just one example that shows “how deadlocked the situation in Tölz is”.
The shop steward on the church council supports Soffel
Sandra Büttner is a shop steward on the Tölzer church council, which consists of ten volunteers.
According to her assessment, there were conflicts on an interpersonal level.
“Personally, I appreciate Mr. Soffel and enjoyed working with him,” says Büttner.
But she knows that “it didn’t work out so well everywhere.
Unfortunately, the conflicts could not be resolved.” These were “internal issues”.
“Something would have bubbled up, which then acted as a catalyst.”
Future unclear
And what happens now?
For Soffel, the transfer decision is a “declaration of bankruptcy by the regional church”.
He will now “wait for the next letter”.
The regional church announces that the two deputy deans, Pastor Florian Gruber from Wolfratshausen and Pastor Erwin Segel from Miesbach, will take over the representation in the deanery, which includes around 30,000 Protestants in twelve parishes.
In technical jargon they say that Soffel is “put on hold”.
“That means he can apply for jobs on his own initiative,” says Philipp Bäumer.
You offer to support him in this.
Soffel continues to receive his salary, which he has done since the proceedings began.
“We take great care to ensure that all of Mr. Soffel’s rights are protected.” The 58-year-old will not stay in Tölz as he would like.
The process showed that the relationship was so broken that remaining in the deanery was not a good prospect for anyone involved, Bäumer told the Tölzer Kurier.