Germany disbands elite special forces

The German Defense Minister disbanded a group of special forces on Wednesday, claiming that a climate of right-wing terrorism had been enabled to flourish behind a “wall of secrecy.”

Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer told reporters that “toxic leadership” in the organization was found to have fostered an radical right-wing mentality within certain members of the Kommando Spezialkraefte or KSK.

Some of the 70 soldiers in the unit will be distributed among the other three combat companies of the KSK, while “those who have made it clear that they are part of the problem and not part of the solution must leave the KSK,” she said.

The training and deployment of the organization as a whole is being scaled back as the investigation of extremism continues and reforms are being implemented.

At a moment of greater worry, Germany has not done enough to counter right-wing populism within its Bundeswehr military in general.

Kramp-Karrenbauer noted, though, that she thought the restructuring was the best course of action rather than the dismantling of the whole organization, adding, “We need the KSK.

“The vast majority of men and women in the KSK and the Bundeswehr as a whole are committed to our constitution, with no ifs or buts,” she said.

The KSK was formed as an army unit in 1996 with a focus on counter-terrorism operations and hostage rescue from hostile areas. It has served in Afghanistan and the Balkans, and its operations are kept secret.

Military authorities have been looking into the unit after a coalition of public German broadcasters reported in 2017 that leaders of the Hitler party were saluting Hitler, listening to right-wing extremist songs, and taking part in a game involving the tossing of a pig’s head. In January, the military announced that 20 soldiers were accused of being right-wing extremists.

In May, Brig. Gen. Markus Kreitmayr, the leader of the unit, assured the soldiers that he would not accept violence in the ranks.

That month, Kramp-Karrenbauer set up an investigative commission to investigate the KSK and recommend reforms, after a stockpile of guns, explosives and ammunition had been discovered in one of the alleged terrorist homes in Saxony, which she said showed a “new dimension” to the issue.

She said the inquiry found “significant shortcomings” in the record keeping of the unit and that there were numerous missing items, including weapons and explosives. It was not known if the equipment had been used, left behind during deployments, or stabbed, she added.

“We can’t rule out all of these because we can’t,” she said.

A general inventory, including all KSK equipment and supplies, has been ordered.