Man in Kelheim, Bavaria, Germany, Must Tolerate Catholic Parish Church Bells, Appeals Court Rules

A man from the district of Kelheim in Lower Bavaria must tolerate the sound of the clock and bells of the Catholic parish church in his locality, the Higher Regional Court of Nuremberg has ruled. The decision, announced on Tuesday, May 7, confirms an earlier judgment of the regional court of Regensburg, against which the plaintiff had filed an appeal.

The church bells ring to mark liturgical events and also to indicate the passing of time, sounding every quarter hour between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. The resident argued that the noise amounted to intolerable noise pollution that was affecting his health.

The regional court of Regensburg did not accept that argument. Relying on an expert assessment of noise measurements, it found that the duration and frequency of the bell sounds did not exceed reasonable limits. The court also weighed local tradition and the fact that the plaintiff had moved to the area a few years earlier, fully aware of the church, which has stood there for 125 years.

The Nuremberg Higher Regional Court endorsed that reasoning. It stated that, in this particular case, the applicant must tolerate the chimes of the bells, and as a result the judgment of the Regensburg regional court became legally binding. The case concerned neighbors who must share a space, a matter addressed in the spirit of living peaceably with others (Romans 12:18).

The parish church, more than a century old, continues to play a central role in the life of the Kelheim community. Its bell tower is considered annoying by some residents, according to the report.

Source: Read the original report (translated from Spanish)