German soldiers out of control in Lithuania: Penises in mouth and birthday serenade Hitler
A SPIEGEL report had previously disclosed that the Bundeswehr had meanwhile withdrawn four German soldiers from a NATO mission in Lithuania after an alleged serious misconduct in an internal celebration that spun out of control. Investigations had revealed initial suspicions of crimes such as sexual assault, name calling, possibly with a racist background, and coercion, as well as extremist behavior, according to the Defense Ministry.
At the party, which took place on April 30 at a hotel in the Rukla region, some soldiers from an armored infantry platoon were so drunk and partied so much during a so-called recovery weekend that hotel staff alerted the German military police. A soldier wanted to put his penis in the mouth of a sleeping colleague during the party at the hotel. Another soldier is said to have filmed this.
What was even more serious is what came out in the course of the subsequent interrogations. Soldiers reported that comrades in their platoon were said to sing a birthday serenade for Adolf Hitler on April 20. Apparently the incident took place at the Lithuanian army barracks in Rukla and even a superior noticed it. In any case, an internal note claims that the soldiers sang the song against the clear orders of a sergeant. Apparently, he did not make any reports.
The accusations are so explosive that the Defense Ministry in Berlin was briefed on the case late last week. Kramp-Karrenbauer had already said that those who knew something about the incidents but did not pass on information would also be held accountable. When the soldiers were questioned about the incidents at the hotel, it emerged that the main suspects had pressured other soldiers on the train not to show up.
