The rally in the city centre was organised by the Aachen Diocese Council for Victims of Abuse.
The fact that the diocese has successfully claimed the statute of limitations in two lawsuits for compensation for pain and suffering has been criticised in particular.
The protest event under the motto "A reason to be ashamed" was supported by the Diocesan Council as a representative of the Catholic laity and by several Catholic associations.
Bishop Helmut Dieser of Aachen took part in the event and discussed with critics.
Banners read "Let the judges decide" or "Take responsibility". Manfred Schmitz from the council of those affected said that the diocese had long denied any official liability. And now it is saying that it is too late to claim compensation for pain and suffering. He appealed to the diocese to enter into out-of-court negotiations with the victims of abuse.
Anita Zucchetto-Debour from the Diocesan Council called on the decision-makers in the diocese to listen more to those affected.
A representative of the Catholic Women's Community of Germany (kfd) demanded that the diocesan leadership remain true to its moral words. The impression had been created that the diocese was concerned with money and not with those affected.
The latter defends the procedure
The latter, who is also the abuse commissioner of the German Bishops' Conference, defended the behaviour of the diocese in court at the weekend. He said that the diocese had to consider each case individually when it came to claims for compensation for pain and suffering.
In both cases, he had to take into account the decision of two bodies: the Property Council and the College of Consultors, which consists of the cathedral chapter. As a bishop, he is bound by their votes in legal transactions including compensation for pain and suffering of over 100,000 euros.
Christof Wellens from the Property Council of the Diocese of Aachen had explained that the invocation of the statute of limitations served to protect the diocese from claims that could no longer be resolved.
The claimants were of an advanced age and would have had sufficient time to assert their claims in good time. When this statement was quoted at the rally, the participants protested against it with whistles.
The chairman of the Independent Commission for the Reappraisal of Sexualised Violence in the Diocese of Aachen (UAK), sociology professor Thomas Kron, criticised the diocesan committees.
He said that those affected had not had enough time because they had not been able to talk about the abuse for a long time.
Meanwhile, Bonn canon law expert Norbert Lüdecke also criticised the diocese.
The institution, which had "delayed clarification by covering up for a long time", was now continuing to flee from responsibility with a "final stroke tactic", Lüdecke told the "Rheinische Post" (Tuesday).
In July, the lawsuits filed by the two victims of abuse were dismissed by the Aachen Regional Court.
Both plaintiffs want to appeal and have applied to the Cologne Higher Regional Court for legal aid.
A decision is still pending.