The Chairman of the Defense Committee in the Bundestag, Thomas Röwekamp (CDU), looks behind them Right-wing extremist and sexist incidents among the paratroopers in Zweibrücken, West Palatinate structural problems. The extent and time period of the sexual assaults, right-wing extremism and drug abuse revealed “that the internal leadership and duty of care of superiors have failed,” Röwekamp told the Editorial Network Germany (RND).
In addition, it is “obvious” that the willingness to report is due to fear of personal and professional consequences such attacks and incidents “suffers significantly”. It is hard to imagine “that these incidents could remain unnoticed or without consequences by the unit’s leadership over such a long period of time,” said Röwekamp.
The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung had reported at the end of December that the 26 Paratrooper Regiment in Zweibrücken had been under investigation for months. Next to Right-wing extremism and sexualized misconduct is therefore also about violent rituals and drugs. There was a “right-wing extremist, openly anti-Semitic clique” in Zweibrücken, the newspaper reported, citing regimental insiders. Women in the force experienced exhibitionism and had to listen to rape fantasies. There were “Hitler salutes and an alleged Nazi party”.
“Significant cultural and systemic deficiencies”
The CDU politician Röwekamp is therefore calling for, in addition to criminal and official prosecution, measures to ensure “that incidents of this type are reported and punished by superiors.” Because the facts and allegations known so far went far beyond the misconduct of individual soldiers and revealed “significant cultural and systemic deficiencies” in the affected unit and its leadership, said Röwekamp.
The incidents damaged the company’s reputation Bundeswehr and the soldiers. “And they jeopardize the willingness to to put yourself at the service of our troops” said Röwekamp.
Again Mirror reported, The Bundeswehr currently has 55 suspects. More than 260 interrogations have taken place so far. An internal document of the Bundeswehr according to that
Mirror The Bundeswehr is investigating, among other things, the head of a company because he is said to have pointed a partially loaded pistol at the faces of two soldiers from a distance of three meters.
The investigation was triggered by reports from female soldiers of the 26th Paratrooper Regiment to the Bundestag’s Armed Forces Commissioner in June. Several soldiers have already been released.
