Till Lindemann takes action against anti-Rammstein petition

This week Rammstein is playing in the Berlin Olympic Stadium. The concerts have been planned for a long time, but the serious allegations of abuse against singer Till Lindemann put the performances in a different light.

After a Berliner started a petition to have the performances canceled, Lindemann is now taking legal action against the collection of signatures “No stage for Rammstein”. t-online was given exclusive access to the documents.

The law firm Schertz Bergmann, which legally represents Till Lindemann, has sent a warning to Campact e.V. Campact organizes online campaigns and petitions, the collection of signatures was published on the platform, and the association supports the petition.

Rammstein in Berlin: “Concerts have to be canceled”

The reason for the legal action against the petition is formulations with which the law firm and its prominent client do not agree. Although the petitioner is free to take a critical look at Rammstein and Lindemann, this does not justify the “preparation and dissemination of untrue and defamatory factual allegations”, according to the law firm.

In detail, it is about passages that are contained in the text of the petition. In it she addresses the allegations against the Rammstein singer. Till Lindemann is said to have sexually abused young women at concerts in rows and systematically. For this reason, the Rammstein concerts would have to be canceled according to the petition. Berlin must not become a place for sexual abuse, there must be consequences, it is said. It cannot be that Till Lindemann can be celebrated in Berlin. According to the petition, a Rammstein concert is not a safe place.

Lindemann’s law firm explains that, on the one hand, every sexual act was done with consent. Furthermore, the evidence for such claims would be lacking. The naming of Lindemann as a “perpetrator” represents a prejudice. The frontman of Rammstein has not been convicted, it applies – as always until proven otherwise – the presumption of innocence. The investigation is ongoing.

In the letter to Campact, the law firm asked them to sign the cease-and-desist letter by July 7, otherwise they would go to court. The club deliberately let this date pass.

As t-online learned, Campact did not sign the cease-and-desist declaration. On the other hand, the association has followed up with legal help. “In our opinion, your client’s claims do not exist,” the association said. Only an “evaluative summary of undisputed facts” was made. In addition, as the reply letter makes clear, formal approval by Rammstein fans does not rule out abuse. The reason for this is the system with which Lindemann allegedly had young women fed.

Lindemann “ruthlessly exploited the power granted”

The decisive factor is that Lindemann “ruthlessly exploited the power bestowed on him as an adored artist” in order to persuade young women to have sex with him. It is therefore legitimate to speak of Lindemann as the perpetrator. Not necessarily in the criminal sense, but as a beneficiary of an abuse system.

Britta Häfemeier, the initiator of the petition, said to t-online: “Behind the cease and desist declaration is a system that wants to silence women. I won’t let that intimidate me.” Lindemann and the law firm should put their energy into clarifying the allegations. The managing director of Campact, Felix Kolb, is still behind the petition, as he says. “We consider it our duty to support the courageous people who have spoken out publicly about the incidents at Rammstein concerts and are demanding consequences. This also includes not being banned from using clear words.”

The Rammstein concerts will take place on July 15, 16 and 18 in the Olympic Stadium. With Campact refusing to sign the cease and desist letter, the dispute is likely to end up in court. The petition has a target of 75,000 signatures, Sunday night almost 70,000 had already come together. However, it is questionable whether the petition will be successful even if it achieves its goal. Berlin’s Senator for the Interior, Iris Spranger, had refused to accept the collection of signatures in person.

Rammstein drummer Christoph Schneider denies the allegations