By Karina Moessbauer
The federal police initiate disciplinary proceedings against speed skater Claudia Pechstein (51). It is checked whether she has violated the Civil Service Act.
Reason: Pechstein had given a speech in a federal police uniform at a CDU convention in mid-June. However, according to the police service regulations, “service clothing may not be worn at political events”, as stated in a letter (available to BILD) at the initiation of the procedure.
The federal police continue to write that there was no “permission or permission to wear the uniform”.
► It is also criticized that Pechstein did comment on “general political issues” (e.g. asylum policy), but did not make it clear that this was a “purely personal opinion”.
Pechstein now has two weeks to comment orally and four weeks to comment in writing.
Pechstein did not want to comment on the situation when asked by BILD, citing the ongoing proceedings. According to BILD information, she is being represented by a lawyer. The Ministry of the Interior and the Federal Police also declined to comment.
However, some CDU politicians protect the athlete. “Pechstein has rendered outstanding service to our country as a successful athlete. With her statements on stage, she spoke from the heart of a large part of the population. Of course you can argue about the uniform, but I think it is questionable whether a disciplinary procedure is really necessary to clarify it,” said Thuringia’s CDU boss Mario Voigt (46) BILD.
“A disciplinary procedure must take into account that Claudia Pechstein, as a courageous, strong woman and great athlete, is a role model for young women in Germany. Sanctions are superfluous. A clarifying conversation about the limits of wearing a uniform at political events is sufficient,” said the Berlin CDU politician Burkard Dregger (59) to BILD.
Did Pechstein have permission?
Claudia Pechstein herself had stated that she had consulted both a federal police union representative and a supervisor prior to the appearance. She was therefore free to appear in uniform.
“Ms. Pechstein has not reported her appearance to the currently responsible superiors, i.e. neither the hundred management nor the department management,” says a letter from the Ministry of the Interior at the request of the Greens, about which RND reported.
Controversial statements
At the CDU convention, Pechstein called for the more consistent deportation of refugees whose asylum applications have been rejected. This increases public safety, because not being able to use public transport “without anxious looks” is one of the problems that particularly affect older people and women.
Improvements in public safety should be more important “than thinking about putting a gender asterisk or whether a concert can still be called a ‘German recital’ or whether it’s still allowed to order a gypsy schnitzel,” said Pechstein on stage.
Her speech had triggered mixed reactions. While CDU leader Friedrich Merz (67) described her as “brilliant”, other CDU representatives were more distant. Yvonne Magwas (CDU), Vice President of the Bundestag, described the speech to Spiegel as “far too general and populist”. There was also criticism from the SPD and the Greens.