Christiane Ernst-Zettl

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Christiane Ernst-Zettl (* 1970 in Löbau ) is a staff sergeant in the medical service of the German Armed Forces, who became known in 2005 for her pacifist attitude during the war in Afghanistan and is involved with the Darmstadt Signal . In 2008, the Humanist Union awarded her the distinction "Upright Walk" for her attitude .

Life

Joined the Bundeswehr

Christiane Ernst-Zettl was expatriated from the GDR in 1984 . She was initially a specialist in health care. In 1991 she joined the Bundeswehr medical service with a higher rank . In 1998 she became a professional soldier . Ernst-Zettl took part in the Bundeswehr's foreign missions in Bosnia ( SFOR ) and Kosovo ( KFOR ). Since 2002 she has been working in the Medical Office of the Bundeswehr (SanABw) in Munich. She is married.

Afghanistan mission

She came to Afghanistan on February 24, 2005 (until April 27, 2005) as part of the 7th ISAF contingent . In April 2005, according to her supervisor's instructions, she was supposed to take off her Red Cross symbol and carry out identity checks on Afghan women in front of the Camp Warehouse near Kabul. She refused, referring to international humanitarian law , which forbids the use of non-combatants for operational tasks. As a result of her refusal, she was questioned about her refusal for several hours and was finally removed from the security service. In addition, she received a disciplinary fine of € 800 and was sent back to Germany. Since 2005 she has been a member of the Darmstadt Signal working group .

Legal course

Due to the violation of international humanitarian law , Ernst-Zettl lodged a complaint with the Troop Service Court in Munich. This was rejected because she had reported the incident to her disciplinary superior three days earlier and, due to the lack of a response, had consciously exploited the situation to “abuse her rights to the detriment of a comrade” and disrupt the service.

Another complaint about procedural errors and the issuance of orders contrary to international law remained unanswered for several months and resulted in an application to the competent Federal Administrative Court (BVerwG). Its 1st Military Service Senate in Leipzig rejected the applications as inadmissible (BVerwG 1 WB 58.06, 64.06). The court ruled that despite the orders and instructions that were contrary to international law, the defense complaint procedure was not intended to “review the actions or the orders or decrees of superiors or departments of the Bundeswehr in general”, but that an appeal would only be possible if “his The request or his complaint is about a violation of his rights or a violation of managerial duties towards him ". Ultimately, the proceedings were discontinued because of formalisms.

Critical appraisal

Various media saw the lack of support and punishment of Ernst-Zettl as a dangerous legal direction, as on the one hand the orders were found to be contrary to international law, but on the other hand a refusal of these orders was punished. Humanitarian international law is binding for soldiers through the Central Service Regulation (ZDv) 15/2. Some media do not understand that a refusal of orders that are contrary to international law is punished and the resulting complaints are rejected.

For her pacifist commitment, she was awarded the “Upright Walk” award by the Humanist Union in 2008 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Wolfgang Killinger: “Upright gait” 2008 for Christiane Ernst-Zettl. In: Humanistic Press Service , January 31, 2008 (No. 3730)
  2. ↑ Interview with Christiane Ernst-Zettl. In: Muslim Market , March 19, 2007
  3. ↑ a b Jürgen Rose: Service at arms instead of people. In: Friday , January 4th, 2008
  4. ↑ Georg Löwisch: A soldier does not want war. In: taz , June 30, 2007
personal data
SURNAME Ernst-Zettl, Christiane
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German military, medical sergeant in the Bundeswehr and pacifist
DATE OF BIRTH 1970
PLACE OF BIRTH Löbau