Lawyers reject allegations – DW – 06/09/2023

Rammstein singer Till Lindemann rejects allegations
him back. The 60-year-old is now leaving his interests to a lawyer
represent. This was announced by the Berlin lawyers Simon Bergmann and Christian Schertz on Thursday.
“Serious allegations against our client were made by various women on social networks, especially on Instagram, Twitter and YouTube,” it says. “It has been repeatedly claimed that women are at Rammstein concerts
Anesthetized using knockout drops or alcohol to enable our client to perform sexual acts on them. Without exception, these allegations are untrue.” The lawyers announced legal consequences. “We will take immediate legal action against all allegations of this type
take action against individuals.”

Rammstein tour continues

Despite the numerous allegations against Rammstein singer Till Lindemann for sexual assault, the band’s European tour continues. This Wednesday (June 7, 2023) marks the start of a total of seven planned German concerts in Munich, where Rammstein will be performing on four evenings in the Olympic Stadium. As things stand at present, the tour should go ahead as planned as long as the public prosecutor’s office does not officially investigate the band and their frontman.

According to numerous statements by those affected, he is said to have “ordered” young women from the audience behind the stage in order to have sex with them before, during and after the show. Some of the women say they were drugged. The selection of the young women was carried out by the self-appointed “Casting Director” Alena Makeeva, who invited the girls to the alleged pre- or after-show party.

Makeeva fired, law firm commissioned, awareness concept

According to consistent media reports, the band has since parted ways with Makeeva. The Russian citizen has worked for the band for about four years. Makeeva should be denied access to the concerts in the future.

The band’s management has also hired a law firm to investigate the allegations. And she announced an awareness concept for the four Munich concerts, said a spokesman for Olympiapark München GmbH. After that, six employees should keep an eye out for abnormalities in the stadium in connection with the security. There should also be a safe space area where those affected can withdraw.

Thoughtfulness and “Shock”

Reports from the band’s environment are of depressed mood, thoughtfulness and also “shock stiffness”. It seems unclear to those involved how the band should be able to perform under the public pressure. There are already consequences for the upcoming concerts. In the so-called “Row Zero”, the security area immediately in front of the stage, there should no longer be any groups of guests. For the past four years, small groups of mostly very young, often conspicuously dressed women have been seen on the right and left edge of the stage.

The concept for the after-show parties has also changed, according to people close to the band. There should no longer be two parties – a big one for fans and band, a small one for Lindemann and the women, where the alleged assaults are said to have taken place. The new concept will also affect the invitation for Rammstein fans who like to take selfies with the musicians on such occasions. That is now “stupid for everyone”, Lindemann is quoted as saying.

Politicians have also gotten involved and are calling for an increased security concept for the Rammstein concerts and other major events.

Against “patriarchal mockery”

Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth fundamentally condemned attacks in culture: “Patriarchal mockery and sexual assaults no longer have any place in the music industry, or in art and culture in general and anywhere else,” said the Greens politician to the German Press Agency in Berlin . She welcomes the courage of many young women to speak openly about their sometimes traumatic experiences.

The German Federal Family Minister Lisa Paus has called for concrete changes from the music industry. “Sexual assaults happen in all walks of life. A lot of people meet in one place at festivals or concerts, and alcohol and drugs are often added, which lowers the inhibition threshold of the perpetrators and can make the victims disoriented.” This is not new, but we must talk about how young people in particular can be better protected.

She invites the music industry to join the “Together Against Sexism” alliance, a broad alliance of politics, business, administration, media, culture and civil society. The Federal Association of the Concert and Event Industry (BDKV) was open: The association is in talks with the ministry “to advance this important process together,” said a spokesman.

Till Lindemann himself is still silent – and recently deleted his Instagram profile.

bw/nf (with dpa)