The German general Markus Kurczyk, 58, has been suspended after being reported by a soldier whom he allegedly tried to force to kiss him on the mouth. The high command temporarily removed from his activities has not publicly offered its version of the events, but according to Der Spiegel, Kurczyk, air force officer with 40 years of service under his belt -including several years in the Afghanistan war, is the person most responsible for Internal Leadership center in Koblenz of the German Army, a body intended to instil within the armed forces the culture of 21st century leadership, including good military conduct.
It all happened at the beginning of the month, when Kurczyk allegedly tried to kiss a soldier against her will during the celebration of the Invictus Games in the city of Düsseldorf, whose founding sponsor is Prince Harry. This is a sports tournament focused on military veterans injured in the act of service.
At the moment an investigation has been opened based on the accusations of sexual harassment, reported Der Spiegel, which assures that the alleged victim has not been identified.
The incident comes at a delicate time for Bundeswehrthe German army, since the Ministry of Defense recently published new regulations that address cases of sexual harassment in the armed forces, considered a “serious and intolerable attack on the dignity and bodily integrity of the person affected,” according to reveals Der Spiegel.
It is not the first complaint that arises in the german armed forces about sexual harassment. Eva Högl, responsible for the military institution before the Bundestag, has documented in the past several cases in which investigations were blocked or omitted completely. In 2022, Högl received 34 complaints and 357 reports of alleged sexual crimes in the ranks of the army.
