The parliamentary commissioner for the armed forces, Henning Otte, has issued a stark call for expedited action from the German Ministry of Defence following the recent scandal surrounding systemic sexism within the 26th Airborne Brigade in Zweibrücken. The incident, revealing deeply entrenched issues of sexual harassment and discrimination, has reignited scrutiny over the Bundeswehr’s handling of such sensitive matters and its commitment to creating a safe and respectful environment.
Otte emphasized that a military where all soldiers – male and female – can serve with dignity, respect and security is not merely a matter of legal compliance, but fundamentally a reflection of the institution’s values. He stressed the critical need for affected individuals to trust that their experiences will be taken seriously and that they won’t face stigma or isolation when reporting misconduct. He underscored the importance of ensuring every instance of sexualized misconduct is reported, thoroughly investigated and met with consistent consequences.
While acknowledging a reported increase in instances of violations against sexual self-determination – attributed in part to heightened awareness and increased transparency – Otte cautioned that a significant “shadow number” of unreported cases likely remains. This assessment reinforces the urgency of the long-promised “dark field study” on sexualized misconduct within the armed forces. Initially recommended over a year ago by Otte’s predecessor, Eva Högl and subsequently commissioned by the Ministry, the study’s progress has been frustratingly slow.
The Ministry tasked the Bundeswehr’s Center for Military History and Social Sciences to conduct a scientific investigation into the causes, extent and consequences of such behavior as early as 2024. However, according to reports from the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND), the project currently exists only as a preliminary outline, with planned surveys not slated to begin until later this year.
Otte’s demand for the study’s swift completion highlights a growing political pressure on the Defence Ministry to demonstrate concrete action. Critics argue the current lack of a comprehensive analysis hinders the development of targeted and effective preventative measures. The delayed study raises serious questions about the Ministry’s prioritization of addressing what appears to be a pervasive and damaging cultural problem within the armed forces, potentially undermining morale, operational effectiveness and the overall integrity of the Bundeswehr. The lack of transparency surrounding the study’s timeline and methodology further fuels concerns and calls for greater accountability.