A mid‑January raid at the University of the Bundeswehr Hamburg was carried out following internal investigations by the Bundeswehr. The Defense Ministry said the search was prompted by suspicions of unlawful handling of narcotics under the German Narcotics Act. It is alleged that students may not only have consumed but also distributed drugs. The case is currently being investigated by civilian prosecutors and remains under Bundeswehr‑internal scrutiny.
New allegations of illicit drug dealings have surfaced, so several individuals are now presumed to be involved. Based on early findings, the Bundeswehr has already taken initial disciplinary “immediate action” steps. In a statement, the Ministry reiterated that “any illegal handling of narcotics has no place in the Bundeswehr” emphasizing that such conduct fundamentally contradicts the military’s ethos and values. The Bundeswehr is enforcing a zero‑tolerance policy in all aspects-disciplinary, legal, and procedural.
Simultaneously, the ministry is re‑examining reports of potentially humiliating initiation rituals that may have taken place at the Hamburg university in the past. It described rituals as varied and capable of fostering integration and identity, provided they respect good morals, decency, and the rights of participants. They must not be physically abusive, exclusionary, or discriminatory. Violations would be pursued under service law and could amount to criminal offenses under the Military Criminal Code; any evidence of misconduct is thoroughly investigated and, if substantiated, met with strict penalties.
The ministry did not disclose further details about these new allegations. In the previous year, it had come to light that soldiers at the Hamburg Bundeswehr University had behaved inappropriately, including reports that a young officer had lowered his pants when an American female soldier entered the communal kitchen and that pornographic material was viewed.