Recommendations of the Editorial team
In the so-called “Ulmen-Fernandes affair”, the legal battle continues to gain momentum. According to consistent reports in German news channels, the Berlin media lawyer Christian Schertz, on behalf of his client, actor Christian Ulmen, has applied to the press chamber of the Hamburg Regional Court for an interim injunction against the “Spiegel” publishing house.
This was confirmed by the court’s press office. With Easter approaching, there is currently no decision in sight.
Ulmen objects to central allegations
At the center of the application are several points of reporting on the allegations made by Ulmen’s ex-wife Collien Fernandes. Ulmen particularly objects to the claim that he created and distributed deepfake videos of Fernandes. In addition, the application is directed against the suspicion that he repeatedly committed physical attacks and seriously threatened his ex-partner. From Ulmen’s point of view, a specific statement regarding the summons and cancellation of a court date in Mallorca was also misrepresented.
After days of silence, Ulmen’s law firm is questioning Fernandes’ entire allegations.
The “Spiegel” publishing house has now been given the opportunity to comment. Similar to the affair surrounding Rammstein singer Till Lindemann, which was also accompanied by a cover story in the Hamburg news magazine, the case is likely to drag on for a while.
The Itzehoe public prosecutor’s office is investigating at the same time
The legal dispute was triggered by reports of allegations that Fernandes is said to have reported in Spain. This involves, among other things, allegedly manipulated intimate recordings. At the same time, the Itzehoe public prosecutor’s office is investigating suspicions of stalking. Ulmen denies all allegations – the presumption of innocence applies.
By going to the Hamburg regional court, Ulmen is sending a clear signal against parts of the media portrayal. Whether this actually results in a “rollback” in public perception depends not least on how the court assesses the disputed points – and how “Spiegel” reacts to it.
In the last few days it became known that the court in Palma de Mallorca had declared itself not competent under Spanish jurisdiction following Collien’s complaint. The case was transferred to Schleswig-Holstein.
