Berlin Prosecutor’s Office Drops Sexual Assault Investigation of Rammstein Singer – Liberation

For lack of sufficient evidence, the court announced on Tuesday, August 29, the termination of the investigation launched in mid-June against the vocalist of the German band Till Lindemann.

“The assessment of the available evidence (…) and the examination of witnesses did not allow it to be established that the accused had sexual relations with women without consent”, wrote on Tuesday, August 29, the Berlin prosecutor’s office in its opinion on Till Lindemann, vocalist of the band Rammstein. Thus, the German justice announced the completion of the investigation launched in mid-June against the artist, against whom a number of allegations of sexual abuse have been brought forward.

The case began at the end of May with the testimony of a 24-year-old Irish woman. A young woman accused the band’s singer and lyricist of drugging and raping her after a concert that month in Lithuania.

Other young women subsequently testified, describing more or less the same scenario. Fans could be seen in the front rows of concerts. And even filmed or photographed so that Lindemann could then choose his prey. Behind the scenes, several women chosen as leader of Rammstein claim they were drugged before being attacked by the 60-year-old singer.

In its June 10 issue, Der Spiegel magazine published an article about German metalheads which stated that “around Rammstein leader Till Lindemann predation system pervert groupiewhen collecting numerous testimonies from interested parties.

Threats from Rammstein lawyers

Since June in Germany, several celebrities have launched a donation campaign in support of victims who dared to speak up. “We have received many messages (from victims) who feel threatened by the warnings from Rammstein’s lawyers,” then the actress Nora Tschirner, the new star of German cinema, came to mind.

In several countries, protests over the case led to protest demonstrations before concerts. In Germany, parties that usually take place after the cancellation of Rammstein shows are cancelled. But the band continued their European tour, which began on May 20.

Till Lindemann, the colossal Leipzig-born baritone, has often found himself at the center of controversy. In 2019 for the video of the same name GermanyHe was accompanied by members of the group dressed as concentration camp prisoners. One is about to be hanged, the other has a Star of David. “red line crossing Felix Klein, head of the anti-Semitism department in the government at the time.

In 1998 their clip stripped, cover of a clip of a Depeche Mode song selected in a clip from the film stadium gods Leni Riefenstahl, Nazi propaganda classic published in 1938. Already after the scandal, in an interview in 2006, singer Till Lindemann said that he was tired of this kind of reference.

Lindemann’s first victory over the press

After June and the sexual abuse revelations, the singer at the head of the music industry giant secured his defense by paying the best lawyers in the country. And, in particular, challenging the press polls conducted in early June by the magazine Der Spiegel or even daily Süddeutsche Zeitung.

On Friday, August 23rd, the District Court of Hamburg had already ruled in favor of the group that banned Spiegel and other targeted media to publish articles claiming that Lindemann “would use (…) drugs or alcohol in order to have sexual relations with women and perform acts on women.” The court ruled that no “There is not enough evidence to support the suspicions.” The magazine did not even mention the alleged conflicts over this issue between Till Lindemann and Christian “Flak” Lorenz, also accused of sexual assault. Der Spiegel, Süddeutsche Zeitung or radio Norddeutscher Rundfunk declared their desire to continue the legal battle by seizing other powers.