1984: Resigned as Bishop of Strasbourg, being replaced by Msgr. Charles-Amarin Brand
1984–1998: Very active during his retirement, he wrote several books and appeared often in the news media. He died two days before his 90th birthday.
Bibliography
By Léon-Arthur Elchinger :
Urgence du vrai, Cri d'un évêque - Mame, collection Religion
Je plaide pour l'homme - Fayard, collection Religion
Liberté d'un Evêque - Centurion
David contre Goliath aujourd'hui - Fayard, collection Christianime
Risquer la vérité, les racines de l'avenir - Fayard, collection Christianime
L'âme de l'Alsace et son avenir - La Nuée Bleue
Paroles pour la France - Salvator
Controversy
In April 1981, Elchinger remarked at a press conference, "I consider homosexuality a sickness." This prompted the concentration camp deportee, Pierre Seel, to write an open letter to the Bishop on 18 November, and to speak publicly for the first time about his experiences and wartime abuses he had faced as a homosexual.