CDU criticism of Pistorius
Bundeswehr general retired after “kiss affair”.
October 28, 2023, 12:52 a.m
A case of sexual harassment is currently affecting the Bundeswehr and politics: A general finds himself at the mercy of a “kissing affair” in which statement stands against statement. There is therefore criticism from the CDU about a hasty decision by Defense Minister Pistorius.
The previous commander of the Bundeswehr’s Internal Command Center, Major General Markus Kurczyk, has been placed into temporary retirement by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. According to information from the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” (SZ) in Bonn, he received his discharge certificate from Inspector General Carsten Breuer. A spokesman for the Ministry of Defense confirmed this to the “SZ”. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius had previously ordered this.
This was preceded by an allegation of sexual harassment on the sidelines of the Invictus Games in the Merkur Game Arena in Düsseldorf. A soldier accuses Kurczyk of kissing him twice on the cheek against his will in a business lounge on the sidelines of the closing ceremony of the Invictus Games on September 16th. Kurczyk recently vigorously denied this in the “Neue Zürcher Zeitung” and only spoke of a hug. They would have hugged each other like men hugged each other. He complains that the Defense Ministry has made him “a plaything for irresponsible whistleblowers and scandal-seeking editors.”
Kurczyk has been in the Bundeswehr for 40 years, served in Afghanistan and is a recipient of the Bundeswehr Cross of Honor. A new regulation for “dealing with sexuality and sexualized misconduct” has been in force in the Bundeswehr since September – it plays an important role in this case. The CDU defense expert Roderich Kiesewetter told the “SZ” that it is important to approach such allegations particularly sensitively and discreetly “and to clarify them completely before making a hasty judgment.” A leave of absence until clarification is a sensible option, but he does not consider an early retirement – without waiting for the clarification – to be a good sign of leadership, said Kiesewetter, referring to Defense Minister Pistorius.
The presumption of innocence applies particularly to such accusations. False accusations or hasty convictions can mean the complete destruction of a career in the Bundeswehr. “In addition, a hasty condemnation tends to increase mistrust in the troops and weakens camaraderie,” emphasized Kiesewetter and said with regard to the retirement: “That shows weakness in leadership, not strength.”
The Ministry of Defense did not want to comment on the background to Pistorius’ decision; for legal reasons, they generally do not comment on possible disciplinary investigations and related details, said a spokesman for the “SZ”. However, according to Section 50 of the Soldiers Act, the Federal President can decide to place career officers of the ranks mentioned there into temporary retirement at any time. “This generally happens at the request of the Federal Minister of Defense.”