Bundeswehr: Armed Forces Commissioner holds Pistorius responsible for dealing with sexual assaults

After SPIEGEL's research into alleged sexual assaults in the Bundeswehr's Medical Regiment 1 in Weißenfels, the Bundestag's Armed Forces Commissioner Henning Otte called for clarification and called on Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD). "The generally increasing number of reports of sexual misconduct in the Bundeswehr must be a clear mandate for the employer to take action and must be made a matter for the boss," Otte told SPIEGEL.

The case could turn into a major new scandal for Pistorius. On the sidelines of a visit to the “Spartan Arrow 2026” anti-aircraft exercise in Crete, the defense minister said that such cases “unfortunately” happen again and again. In each individual case, one must sanction the entire range of possibilities - "those who commit the crimes, but also those who suppress them, who do not report them, who do not prosecute them." Everything will be done to arrest every perpetrator and at the same time to better protect those affected.

»The allegations from Weißenfels are serious and must be clarified comprehensively, consistently and transparently. If the evidence of sexual abuse of power, the exploitation of official dependencies or drug abuse is confirmed, this would also have to have criminal consequences," said Otte. Special protection must apply to underage soldiers. A culture is needed in which those affected are heard, protected and supported.

According to SPIEGEL information, the investigation in Weißenfels is far from over. Because of the explosiveness of the allegations, the Bundeswehr wants to interview all female soldiers who have served in the medical regiment in the last two years in order to get a complete picture of the situation in the association. Investigators said the research could take several months.

On Wednesday, Deputy Inspector General Nicole Schilling and the Commander of the Bundeswehr's Central Medical Service, Chief Medical Officer Ralf Hoffmann, informed the Bundestag Defense Committee in a confidential meeting about the status of the investigation. They are currently targeting ten accused from a platoon of the regiment. Allegations of sexual misconduct are being investigated. However, no details or processes were discussed at the meeting.

According to the briefing, the Bundeswehr is also investigating the misuse of narcotics, threats and suppression of complaints. According to SPIEGEL information, at least one of the female victims who were said to have been pressured into sex was underage at the time of the crime. Those doing military service can join the troops before the age of 18 with the consent of their parents; Weapon training is postponed until adulthood.