Accusations of abuse of power and sexual assault against singer Till Lindemann, the leader of industrial metal band Rammstein, are increasing, recalling the beginnings of the #MeToo affair in the United States. As was the case with American film producer Harvey Weinstein (since convicted of rape), we can no longer speak of “isolated cases”. After the testimony of an Irish fan, Shelby Lynn, who recounted on social networks the attack she experienced during the group’s last concert in Vilnius, Lithuania, accusations are multiplying against the leader of the German-speaking group the most famous in the world (more than 20 million albums sold).
The case gained momentum after the publication, this June 2 in the morning, of the investigation of the very serious daily Suddeutsche Zeitung and German public television (ARD) with dozens of testimonies collected from abused and manipulated young women who claim to have had the same experience as Shelby Lynn. The investigation reveals a recruitment system allowing the artist to satisfy his sexual appetites with girls selected on social networks. The young women – sometimes several dozen – were invited to come backstage where they were offered alcohol, sometimes cocaine, to animate the “after”.
A certain “Alena M.”, a former groupie hired by Rammstein, was in charge of picking off women according to Lindemann’s “criteria”. The young women, whose age was never asked, were contacted on Instagram, Facebook but also on site, during concerts, to come backstage. “All our witnesses always tell the same processexplains Daniel Drepper, head of the investigation unit. A witness said that she had clearly been offered sex with Lindemann during a concert in exchange for a passage backstage.he adds.
“Everything happened quickly and violently”
If some women were prepared for the idea of a possible sexual relationship, others were not expecting it. They were surprised by the violent attitude of the singer. “It’s still a 60-year-old world star, multi-millionaire, who speaks to young girls aged 21 to 22 who adore him”insists Daniel Drepper to underline the responsibility of the singer.
Cynthia A. (pseudonym), then 22, recalled at a concert in 2020 that Till Lindemann had waved her over to join him backstage. He wanted him “show something”. She says she was taken to an adjoining room for a sexual encounter she couldn’t refuse. “I thought then, ‘Oh my God, this hurts, let’s hope it’s over soon,’ she testifies. Everything happened quickly and violently.” Another says that she lost consciousness in the singer’s hotel room and that, coming to her senses, Lindemann asked him if he could “continue”. “I didn’t even know what he wanted to talk about”she testifies.
The investigation unit was cautious and scrupulous. He obtained statements from all these young women under the seal of anonymity but also under oath to prove his good faith in court. He made sure that the witnesses did not know each other before their statements. So far, no complaints have been filed against Lindemann. “As always, women are reluctant to take the plunge for fear of the consequences”notes Daniel Drepper.
Germany’s most famous band
The scandal falls very badly for Rammstein as the group embarks on a European tour. More than 240,000 people snapped up concert tickets in a matter of days for his next four dates at the Olympic Stadium in Munich this month. The group is due to perform at the Stade de France on July 22. “Rammstein is currently Germany’s top cultural export product”recalls the Suddeutsche Zeitung.
Rammstein’s livelihood is provocation. Just the name of this rock band founded in 1994 by musicians from East Germany smells of sulfur. It is taken from the name of a German city (Ramstein with a single “m”) where the biggest disaster in the history of air shows occurred in 1988 on an American base (71 dead and 1,000 injured ). The group was also originally called “Rammstein Air Meeting” (Rammstein Flugschau).
With each new video, the members of the group go one step further in the taboo-breaking register. In 1998, for their music video Stripped, they had used excerpts from films shot during the 1936 Olympics by Adolf Hitler propagandist filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl. In 2009, the video Pussy had been banned for those under 18 for scenes deemed pornographic. Finally, the title deutschland in 2019 (Germany) notably features musicians dressed in striped outfits worn by inmates of Nazi concentration camps. A staging that has been viewed for more than 317 million times on YouTube.
