Some half a million children were abused in children’s homes run by the church in Germany in the 1950s and 60s. Beatings,psychological mistreatment and physical abuse were commonplace,and many victims are still dealing with the after-effects of the experience today.They’re calling on the church to recognize the injustice inflicted upon them and for adequate compensation. The church has been slow to respond. One of the first apologies has come from the Protestant-Lutheran Church in Lower Saxony.