Uncovering More Allegations: Several Women Accuse Green Politician Gelbhaar of Inappropriate Conduct
- Author: Kerstin Herrnkind
- Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes
Politician Gelbhaar of the Greens faces new allegations from multiple women. - Increasing Number of Women Harassing Green Politicians in Aggressive Manner
In the world of politics, victories often masks defeats and defeats sometimes feels like victories. This could resonate with the ongoing trial of Berlin's Green politician, Klara Schedlich, aged 25, in the Hamburg Regional Court.
The backstory: Schedlich had accused her Green party colleague, Stefan Gelbhaar, of inappropriate behavior towards her. She first spoke about this in an interview with broadcaster RBB, later confirming under oath. Gelbhaar, she claimed, had complimented her appearance and invited her for coffee via Instagram and other platforms. It's worth noting that Schedlich was 19, while Gelbhaar was 42 at the time of these alleged incidents.
In March of this year, the press chamber of the Regional Court imposed a ban on Schedlich to repeat certain statements from her RBB interview, threatening a fine of up to €250,000 or six months in prison if she failed to comply. Schedlich appealed this decision, leading to a public hearing in courtroom B 355 of the Hamburg Regional Court today, attended by national media.
The tussle between Schedlich and Gelbhaar spans years.
"A Persistent Pattern"
The first public allegations of sexual harassment against Gelbhaar surfaced in December 2024. These claims, voiced just before the federal election, led Gelbhaar to relinquish his safe seat and ultimately lose his direct mandate. The Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (RBB) reported extensively on the matter at the end of December, drawing upon sworn statements and anonymous tips. One of these sworn statements was made by Klara Schedlich.
In early January 2025, Gelbhaar's lawyers, along with Berlin's "Tagesspiegel," reported that key allegations were fabricated. A Green district politician even produced a fake sworn declaration. The public prosecutor's office is currently investigating the matter. The RBB acknowledges significant errors in its reporting. The main witness ("Anna K.") did not exist in reality. Gelbhaar is now demanding €1.7 million in damages from the RBB.
However, during today's court proceedings, Schedlich's lawyer, Dr. Rebecca Richter from Berlin, produced a stack of new sworn statements from women who also claim that Green politician Gelbhaar behaved inappropriately towards them.
Richter stated, "What Klara Schedlich experienced is not an isolated incident. It's a pattern." The women were young and came from Gelbhaar's professional circle. "Their encounters were always in a party setting, always professional, and always with young women. You can find parallels in all the EVs [sworn statements]." The women do not know each other and couldn't have coordinated their statements, Richter explained.
"Everything is Denied"
Gelbhaar's lawyer reacted with visible annoyance. "Everything is denied. There is no pattern. This is just stirring up sentiment." Unfortunately, in the matter itself, no concrete evidence can be determined from this.
Klara Schedlich, who had traveled from Berlin, recently shared details about how the disputed affidavit came to be. The RBB was investigating whether Gelbhaar had behaved inappropriately towards women. A journalist asked her if she knew any affected individuals. Schedlich felt uncomfortable that Gelbhaar denied knowing what they were talking about, as she had already complained about his behavior to the Green Party's ombudsman years ago. The journalist requested an affidavit.
"I was told to describe what led me to go to the ombudsman," Schedlich said in court. This is the reason for her affidavit. "I was led to believe it was unlikely to go to court. I didn't have a lawyer at the time." She never intended to imply that Gelbhaar constantly bombarded her with messages.
The regional court expressed frustration with the fact that the contact was mutual.
"The chamber was not present"
The judge spoke kindly to Schedlich, making it clear that the decision to impose a cease-and-desist order in March was justified, and that Schedlich's appeal would likely not succeed. This was due to legal reasons, regardless of the truth of the statements. Whoever makes a statement must be able to prove it. In practice, this can be difficult. "The chamber was not present. It weighs what it has." The chamber simply "could not form a final conviction." This does not signify that the chamber does not believe her.
It seems likely that Klara Schedlich will lose in court, even if she decides to appeal to the higher regional court. The cease-and-desist order will likely stand. Gelbhaar has secured his victory - for now. However, the new affidavits from other women pose a persistent threat to Gelbhaar. The case may not be over yet.
- Stefan Gelbhaar
- RBB
- Berlin
- Walter Benjamin
- Regional Court of Hamburg
Insights:
Information regarding recent allegations of sexual harassment involving multiple women and Green politician Stefan Gelbhaar is currently unavailable. To stay updated on this issue, it is essential to refer to reliable news sources or official statements from the Green party or relevant authorities.
- The Commission has also been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of the environment, considering the ongoing trial of a Green politician, Klara Schedlich, who inappropriate conduct allegations against her colleague, Stefan Gelbhaar.
- In the realm of health-and-wellness, discussions on women's health issues often resonate with larger societal concerns, as seen in the court proceedings involving Klara Schedlich, who testified against Green politician Gelbhaar's inappropriate behavior.
- In the general-news landscape, the continuing saga of Green politician Gelbhaar and his alleged inappropriate conduct towards multiple women unveils another layer of crime-and-justice complexities, demonstrating the need for science to further investigate the long-term psychological impacts on victims in similar situations.
