German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius on Tuesday strongly condemned a slew of serious conduct violations brought to light in one of the country’s elite paratroop regiments.
“The reported cases of right-wing extremism, sexual misconduct and drug use in Zweibrücken are shocking,” Pistorius told dpa in Berlin.
They stand in stark contrast to the fundamental values of the Bundeswehr, he said, referring to Germany’s Armed Forces.
The military said it has dismissed several soldiers following investigations into Parachute Regiment 26 in the town in the western state of Rhineland-Palatinate and has announced further action.
The public prosecutor’s office is investigating 19 soldiers. However, Pistorius expressed dissatisfaction with how the local military leadership initially responded to the reported cases.
Although an investigation was launched immediately and the entire matter was thoroughly clarified with harsh consequences, there were still shortcomings, he said.
“What is unacceptable is that the misconduct was apparently not immediately recognised as such on site and therefore not pursued with the necessary consistency. That must be ruled out,” Pistorius said.
New precautions to be implemented
The minister expressed gratitude to the Inspector of the Army, Lieutenant General Christian Freuding, for taking immediate action to prevent the misconduct from continuing.
Freuding will bundle these measures into an action plan for the airborne forces and ensure that they are implemented, he added.
“My priority now is, first, to ensure that the individual incidents continue to be thoroughly investigated and, second, if further allegations are confirmed, that the cases are punished with the full force of the law,” said Pistorius.
“Thirdly, trust in the military leadership on the ground must be restored.”
More than 200 incidents reported
The national daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reported earlier that investigations had been ongoing for months into Parachute Regiment 26 in Zweibrücken, focusing on right-wing extremism, sexual misconduct, violent rituals and drugs.
Dozens of members of the regiment had been accused of sexual abuse and harassment of women, with at least 30 accused of political extremism and anti-Semitism in relation to more than 200 incidents.
The newspaper reported Hitler salutes and the existence of a Nazi Party on the basis of inside information.
Women had been subjected to exhibitionism and made to listen to pornographic jokes and rape fantasies, it reported.
It must be clear that extremism, sexual misconduct and drug use have no place in the armed forces, Pistorius said.
“It is equally important that there should be no fear of reporting incidents – or even a misguided sense of solidarity with those who cross every line.”
A safe space must be guaranteed at all times, where those affected feel secure when reporting incidents of this kind, the minister emphasized.
Courtesy: Dpa
