The book publisher Kiepenheuer & Witsch separates from its author Till Lindemann. The reason is probably less in the current reports of abuse of power by the Rammstein singer against women backstage in Vilnius and elsewhere, but in a “gross breach of trust” related to a book that the 60-year-old published with them – and what he did afterwards with this book. One has “knowledge of a porn video in which Till Lindemann celebrates sexual violence against women and in which the 2013 book published by Kiepenheuer & Witsch ‘In silent nights’ plays a role,” it says. So the point is that the KiWi book was used in an immoral context.
Furthermore, KiWi writes that although artistic freedom is being defended, Lindemann has crossed a line that makes it impossible to distinguish between artists and people. The full publisher statement:
It is with shock that we have followed public allegations against Till Lindemann in the past few days. Our sympathy and respect goes to the women affected.
In the course of the current reporting, we became aware of a porn video in which Till Lindemann celebrates sexual violence against women and in which the book “In still night” published by Kiepenheuer & Witsch in 2013 plays a role. We see this as a gross breach of trust and a reckless act against the values we represent as a publisher.
We defend the freedom of art with full conviction. Through Till Lindemann’s actions that humiliate women in the aforementioned porn and the targeted use of our book in a pornographic context, the separation between the “lyrical I” and the author/artist, which we so staunchly defended, is mocked by the author himself.
From our point of view, Till Lindemann exceeds immovable limits in dealing with women. We have therefore decided to end our collaboration with Till Lindemann with immediate effect, as our relationship of trust with the author has been irretrievably broken.
Cologne, June 2, 2023
Kerstin Gleba
Not all users praise the publisher for this step, which took place ten years after the book of poems was published. “Don’t you read the books you publish?” writes one. Another for it: “Better late than never.”
We are ending the collaboration with Till Lindemann https://t.co/Jaazhn951E #Till Lindemann #Rammstein pic.twitter.com/RfXllNsUyg
— KiWi_Verlag (@KiWi_Verlag) June 2, 2023