Berlin - Catholic bishops in Germany attacked the Vatican Tuesday over the re-admission to the church of an ultra- traditionalist who denies evidence of the Holocaust, with one German cardinal demanding "a high-level apology."

Last week, German-born Pope Benedict XVI ended the 21-year excommunication of Argentina-based Richard Williamson and three other bishops to heal a schism with the 600,000-strong Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX).

Cardinal Karl Lehmann, a former chairman of the German bishops' conference, told SWR public television in Germany the pope's decision to re-admit Williamson had been "a disaster for all Holocaust survivors."

Lehmann, who is bishop of Mainz, called for the Vatican officials who managed the re-admission to be disciplined and for the pope to reiterate that Holocaust denial was not a minor sin.

He did not elaborate on who should issue the "high-level apology," but said in remarks recorded Monday that the church must singlemindedly continue its dialogue with Jews.

Another of Germany's 27 chief bishops, Franz-Josef Bode of Osnabrueck, said the Catholic Church could not tolerate a Holocaust denier in its midst, but he also defended the pope. He said Benedict had sought to make peace, but had been badly advised.

In remarks quoted Monday, the archbishop of Hamburg, Werner Thissen, also accused Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos, the Vatican official who oversaw the return of the SSPX to the church, of "sloppy" work on the case.

Thissen said the coincidence of Williamson's remarks with the end of the rift had been "dreadful."

German Jewish leaders have condemned the pope over the move. Charlotte Knobloch, president of the Central Council of Jews, said last week she would not accept Benedict's assurance of his solidarity with Jews until Williamson had been disciplined by the church. (dpa)