# Walter Mixa

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{{Short description|Bishop of Augsburg from 2005 to 2010}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| honorific_prefix = 
| name             = Walter Mixa
| title            = [Bishop of Augsburg](/source/Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Augsburg)
| image            = Bischof Walter Mixa 2008.jpg
| image_size       = 220
| caption          = Walter Mixa (2008)
| predecessor      = [Viktor Josef Dammertz](/source/Viktor_Josef_Dammertz)
| successor        = [Konrad Zdarsa](/source/Konrad_Zdarsa)
| diocese          = [Augsburg](/source/Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Augsburg)
| term             = 16 July 2005 – 8 May 2010
| religion         = [Roman Catholic](/source/Catholic_Church)
| consecration     = 
| birth_date       = {{birth date and age|df=y|1941|4|25}}
| birth_place      = [Königshütte](/source/K%C3%B6nigsh%C3%BCtte_(Silesia)), [Silesia](/source/Silesia)
| death_date       = 
| death_place      = 
| buried           = 
}}

thumb|260px|Coat of arms of Walter Mixa

'''Walter Johannes Mixa''' (born 25 April 1941) is a German prelate of the [Catholic Church](/source/Catholic_Church) who is the [Bishop of Augsburg](/source/Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Augsburg) and [Ordinary Emeritus of the Bundeswehr](/source/Military_Ordinariate_of_Germany).<ref name=Spiegel>{{Cite news |url=https://www.spiegel.de/panorama/gesellschaft/ruecktrittsgesuch-angenommen-vatikan-entfernt-mixa-aus-bischofsamt-a-693720.html |title=Vatikan entfernt Mixa aus Augsburger Bischofsamt |publisher=[Der Spiegel](/source/Der_Spiegel) |date=8 May 2010 |language=de}}</ref> He resigned as bishop of Military and Bishop of Augsburg on 8 May 2010 at age 69 after accusations he severely beat children at a [Schrobenhausen](/source/Schrobenhausen) orphanage in the 1970s and misappropriated the orphanage's funds. Mixa reportedly sexually abused minors, including an altar boy; the Office of Public Prosecution opened investigation which it closed, citing insufficient evidence. He was also accused also of sexually abusing seminarians between 1996 and 2005.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/7843929/Walter-Mixa-German-bishop-and-ally-of-the-Pope-faces-new-child-abuse-allegations.html |title=Walter Mixa, German bishop and ally of the Pope, faces new child abuse allegations |publisher=The Telegraph |date=21 June 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | title=Bishops Accused of Sexual Abuse and Misconduct - BishopAccountability.org | url=https://www.bishop-accountability.org/bishops/global-list-of-accused-bishops/#Germany | access-date=2025-07-13 | website=www.bishop-accountability.org}}</ref>

== Biography ==
Mixa was born in [Königshütte](/source/K%C3%B6nigsh%C3%BCtte_(Silesia)), [Silesia](/source/Silesia) (today Chorzów, Poland). His family [fled](/source/Flight_and_expulsion_of_Germans) to Western Germany at the end of [World War II](/source/World_War_II). Mixa passed his [Abitur](/source/Abitur) in 1964 and studied Catholic theology in [University of Dillingen](/source/University_of_Dillingen) and [University of Fribourg](/source/University_of_Fribourg). He was ordained in 1970 in [Augsburg](/source/Augsburg) and thereafter he studied for his doctorate at the [University of Augsburg](/source/University_of_Augsburg). From 1973 to 1996 he also worked as a religion teacher in Schrobenhausen. In 1975 Mixa became a parish priest in Schrobenhausen and [bishop of Eichstätt](/source/Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Eichst%C3%A4tt) in 1996. In August 2000 Mixa was appointed Catholic Military Bishop of the [Bundeswehr](/source/Bundeswehr) by Pope [John Paul II](/source/John_Paul_II). In July 2005 Mixa became Bishop of Augsburg.<ref>[http://www.zeit.de/newsticker/2010/4/21/iptc-bdt-20100421-354-24595050xml Porträt: Walter Mixa] [Die Zeit](/source/Die_Zeit) {{in lang|de}}</ref> On 21 March 2012 he was appointed a Member of the [Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Health Care Workers](/source/Pontifical_Council_for_the_Pastoral_Care_of_Health_Care_Workers) by [Pope Benedict XVI](/source/Pope_Benedict_XVI).<ref>{{Cite press release |publisher=[Holy See Press Office](/source/Holy_See_Press_Office) |access-date=13 January 2019 |date=21 March 2012 |language=it |title=Rinunce e Nomine 21.03.2012 |url=http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2012/03/21/0167.pdf}}</ref>

=== Beliefs ===
Mixa is described as being conservative and close to [Pope Benedict XVI](/source/Pope_Benedict_XVI).<ref name=times>[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article7082705.ece ''German bishop accused of beating orphaned girls'', Timesonline]{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> According to ''[The Times](/source/The_Times)'' newspaper, Mixa is outspoken and "has railed against the German Government for making "birth machines" out of women"<!-- Mixa's original statement from 22 February 2007 in German [http://www.bistum-augsburg.de/ba/dcms/sites/bistum/dioezese/mixa/aktuell.html?f_action=show&f_newsitem_id=7363] --> and has "compared [abortion](/source/abortion) to the [Holocaust](/source/The_Holocaust)"<!-- contested: [http://www.bistum-augsburg.de/ba/dcms/sites/bistum/bischof/aktuell.html?f_action=show&f_newsitem_id=9770] -->. He has also condemned [Israel](/source/Israel)'s treatment of Palestinians in the [Occupied Territories](/source/Occupied_Palestinian_territories) and has said of the 2010 child abuse scandal that "the sexual revolution of the 1960s is at least partly to blame for this".<ref name=times/>

=== Abuse allegations ===
In March 2010 he was accused of [physical abuse](/source/physical_abuse) by five ex-pupils of a children's care home, where Mixa served as a visiting priest in the 1970s and 1980s.<ref name=times/><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/papal-ally-accused-of-ritual-beatings-1932764.html |access-date=13 January 2019 |publisher=[The Independent](/source/The_Independent) |title=Papal ally accused of "ritual beatings" |first=Tony |last=Paterson |date=1 April 2010}}</ref> He denied the allegations. Further accusers have come forward and the bishop says that he cannot remember any of them.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.thelocal.de/society/20100403-26305.html |title=Bishop Mixa can't remember his accusers - The Local |website=thelocal.de |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100405005556/http://www.thelocal.de/society/20100403-26305.html |archive-date=5 April 2010}}</ref> In April 2010 Mixa stated that he cannot exclude having slapped children 20–30 years ago<ref>{{Cite news |title="Ich kann Ohrfeigen nicht ausschließen" |publisher=[Bild](/source/Bild) |url= http://www.bild.de/BILD/news/2010/04/16/bischof-mixa-schliesst-nicht-mehr-aus/kinder-geschlagen-zu-haben.html |date=16 April 2010 |language=de |access-date=22 April 2010 |archive-date=19 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100419140328/http://www.bild.de/BILD/news/2010/04/16/bischof-mixa-schliesst-nicht-mehr-aus/kinder-geschlagen-zu-haben.html |url-status=dead}}</ref> saying he was "sorry for causing many people grief", though, according to [BBC](/source/BBC), he didn't explain what exactly he meant.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8633086.stm |title=German Bishop Mixa issues apology after beatings claim |date=20 April 2010 |publisher=[BBC](/source/BBC)}}</ref>

On 21 April 2010 he offered his resignation to [Pope Benedict XVI](/source/Pope_Benedict_XVI),<ref>{{Cite news |first=Markus |last=Günther |url=http://www.augsburger-allgemeine.de/Home/Nachrichten/Bayern/Artikel,-Bischof-Mixa-reicht-Ruecktrittsgesuch-beim-Papst-ein-_arid,2126697_regid,2_puid,2_pageid,4289.html |language=de |title=Brief an den Papst - Bischof Mixa reicht Rücktrittsgesuch ein |publisher=[Augsburger Allgemeine](/source/Augsburger_Allgemeine) |date=21 April 2010}}</ref> and the Vatican removed Mixa as Bishop of Augsburg on 8 May.<ref name=Spiegel/><ref>{{Cite press release |access-date=12 January 2019 |url=http://m.spiegel.de/panorama/gesellschaft/ruecktrittsgesuch-angenommen-vatikan-entfernt-mixa-aus-bischofsamt-a-693720.html |language=it |title=Rinunce e Nomine, 08.05.2010 |publisher=[Holy See Press Office](/source/Holy_See_Press_Office)}}</ref> Benedict XVI met with Mixa on 1 July and confirmed his acceptance of Mixa's resignation. The [Holy See Press Office](/source/Holy_See_Press_Office) reported that Mixa "confirmed having committed errors and mistakes, which caused a loss of confidence and made the resignation inevitable".<ref>{{Cite press release |publisher=[Holy See Press Office](/source/Holy_See_Press_Office) |access-date=13 January 2019 |date=1 July 2010 |url=http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2010/07/01/0437/00999.html |language=it |title=Comunicato della Sala Stampa circa L'Udienza Concessa dal Santo Padre al Vescovo Emerito di Augsburg, S.E. Mons. Walter Mixa, 01.07.2010}}</ref>

=== Appearance for the AfD ===
In January 2019, he attended an event sponsored by city councilman Eberhard Brett, a member of Germany's far-right [AfD](/source/Alternative_for_Germany) party, to discuss the role of Muslims in German society. The former Bishop Mixa spoke to around 35 listeners.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.katholisch.de/artikel/20302-bischof-mixa-sprach-bei-afd-empfang-in-stuttgart |title=Bischof Mixa sprach bei AfD-Empfang in Stuttgart}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |access-date=13 January 2019 |url=https://www.stuttgarter-zeitung.de/inhalt.afd-empfang-im-stuttgarter-rathaus-frueherer-bischof-mixa-mahnt-masshalten-beim-moscheebau-an.a020d1a8-ed07-42a4-961b-c96603e933f6._amp.html |first=Josef |last=Schunder |date=11 January 2019 |title=Früherer Bischof Mixa mahnt Maßhalten beim Moscheebau an |trans-title=Former Bishop Mixa advises modesty in mosque construction |language=de |work=[Stuttgarter Zeitung](/source/Stuttgarter_Zeitung) |archive-date=14 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190114044433/https://www.stuttgarter-zeitung.de/inhalt.afd-empfang-im-stuttgarter-rathaus-frueherer-bischof-mixa-mahnt-masshalten-beim-moscheebau-an.a020d1a8-ed07-42a4-961b-c96603e933f6._amp.html |url-status=dead}}</ref> After heavy criticism, a planned appearance by former Bishop Mixa at an AfD event were cancelled. The diocese of Augsburg said that further appearance would be "expressly rejected and not approved" by Bishop [Konrad Zdarsa](/source/Konrad_Zdarsa) and his vicar general Harald Heinrich.<ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://www.welt.de/newsticker/news1/article193410581/AfD-Nach-Kritik-kein-Auftritt-von-Alt-Bischof-Mixa-bei-AfD.html
|title=AfD - Nach Kritik kein Auftritt von Alt-Bischof Mixa bei AfD}}</ref>

== Notes and references ==
{{Reflist}}
{{Commons category}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-rel|ca}}
{{Succession box
| before = [Viktor Josef Dammertz](/source/Viktor_Josef_Dammertz)
| title  = [Bishop of Augsburg](/source/Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Augsburg)
| years  = 2005 – 2010
| after  = [Konrad Zdarsa](/source/Konrad_Zdarsa)
}}
{{S-end}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mixa, Walter}}
Category:1941 births
Category:Living people
Category:Roman Catholic bishops of Augsburg
Category:People from Chorzów
Category:Clergy from the Province of Silesia
Category:University of Fribourg alumni
Category:University of Augsburg alumni
Category:Members of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Walter Mixa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Mixa) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Mixa?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.