Herzfeld calls for swift clarification of abuse allegations
The state's deputy equal opportunities commissioner, Helga Herzfeld, has spoken out in favor of a swift investigation into the alleged sexual assaults at the Erfurt Theater. "It is still important that the allegations in connection with the Erfurt Theater are cleared up quickly," Herzfeld told dpa when asked. The reaction was coordinated with the actual state commissioner Gabi Ohler, according to Herzfeld.
The city council did not wish to comment on how it dealt with the local equal opportunities commissioner, who had made the allegations public. "We are not aware of any further details regarding the dispute between the city leadership and the municipal equal opportunities officer in Erfurt. As reports suggest that employment law proceedings are underway, we will not comment on this - as is customary in ongoing proceedings."
The city's Equal Opportunities Officer, Mary-Ellen Witzmann, has now been dismissed without notice after being "recalled and placed on leave" at the end of October. This was preceded by a dispute with the city leadership: Witzmann had made public to a newspaper that there were allegations of sexual assault and abuse of power at the theater.
Lord Mayor Andreas Bausewein (SPD) then accused her of acting on her own authority, among other things. The city administration has now also commissioned a law firm to investigate the allegations of abuse. The city is responsible for the theater.
A lawyer representing Witzmann in the dispute with the city administration has confirmed that, among other things, he has already filed an employment protection lawsuit against Witzmann's dismissal without notice at the Erfurt labor court.
The city administration's approach to the matter has already led to much criticism, including from politicians. The city council factions of the CDU, Left Party, Greens and Mehrwertstadt wrote in a joint statement: "We will scrutinize the handling of the equal opportunities officer. (...) It is incomprehensible to us why the Equal Opportunities Officer was dismissed after being suspended."
In light of the ongoing investigation, it would be beneficial for all Municipalities to establish clear policies on how to handle allegations of social affairs misconduct, particularly in theaters. The dismissal of the Equal Opportunities Officer in Erfurt has led to a debate about the proper handling of such incidents, highlighting the need for a unified approach across different cities.
Source: www.dpa.com
