Rammstein keyboardist faces allegations of sexual misconduct, no formal complaints filed
Two additional women have recently approached German newspapers NDR and Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ) with accounts of alleged inappropriate behavior by Christian ‘Flake’ Lorenz (56), the keyboardist for Rammstein. But, none of the women have chosen to pursue legal action at this time.
One woman recounts an incident from 2002, when she was 17 years old. After meeting frontman Till Lindemann (60) during a book signing event for his work “Messer”, she later joined Lindemann and Lorenz at a bar in Berlin. Subsequently, Lindemann invited her to Lorenz’s country house in Brandenburg, separate from her friends. Despite initially misrepresenting her age as 22, she eventually revealed the truth upon arrival.
According to her statements to the newspapers, Lindemann and Lorenz provided her with drinks, resulting in an extreme dryness in her mouth and an overwhelming feeling of confinement. While Lindemann dozed off, the woman found herself in a different room, lying in bed, where Lorenz engaged in sexual activity with her against her will.
Corroborating her account are witnesses from her social circle who confirm that she previously shared this experience using identical descriptions. Furthermore, the woman possesses diary entries, records of visits to a psychologist, and photographs to substantiate her claims. Interestingly, despite this distressing encounter, her admiration for Lindemann persisted, leading to a brief affair with the band’s frontman in the subsequent months.
Another woman recounts an incident from 1996 when she was 22 years old. Following a concert, she attended a hotel party involving Lindemann, Lorenz, and drummer Christoph Schneider (57). The following morning, she woke up unclothed on the hotel room floor, next to Lorenz, with a sensation of immense pain in her abdomen. However, she cannot recall the exact details of the night or definitively attribute the sexual encounter to Lorenz.
Legal representatives for Lorenz and Schneider vehemently deny these allegations. Lindemann, on the other hand, has refrained from addressing specific inquiries concerning the matter. These recent accusations compound the previous claims made against the German band. Multiple women have accused Lindemann of overstepping boundaries, alleging drugging and subsequent invitations to after-parties. Some women have expressed fear during these gatherings, and reports of sexual acts have emerged. Lindemann staunchly refutes all allegations of misconduct.
This development marks the first instance in the high-profile Till Lindemann case where Lorenz has been implicated. Shielding his personal life from public scrutiny, Lorenz, whose nickname “Flake” originated during his youth, has been divorced and remarried, and he is a father to several children. In a Märkischen Allgemeinen Zeitung interview seven years ago, he openly discussed the influence of alcohol, stating, “When I was drunk, the consequences of sex didn’t matter to me.” However, he acknowledged the importance of consuming alcohol in moderation to maintain control. Presently, Lorenz has entirely renounced alcohol.
Drummer Christoph Schneider, mentioned in one woman’s account from 1996, released an Instagram statement about a month ago, partially distancing himself from Lindemann’s actions. He conveyed deep shock over the recent allegations, suggesting that while no criminal activity may have occurred, there were likely incidents that he personally deemed inappropriate, despite their legal permissibility. Schneider also emphasized the distinction between Lindemann’s private gatherings and the band’s official after-parties.
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