Recruit Hazing Trial

Details of the alleged abuse came to light more or less by chance. A junior soldier sat down for a coffee break with his new unit and casually told some stories about his time in basic training. His tales shocked one of his superiors who immediately passed the information on to the public prosecution office.

"What happened was that a night operation was set up," Wolfgang Schweer, the senior prosecutor for the court case, explained. "The drill sergeants of the company ambushed, overwhelmed and chained up the cadets -- and took them into the barracks. There, some of the manacled soldiers were made to kneel down. Then, boot bags were put on their heads, so that they couldn't see a thing. Apparently they were also sprayed with water, and as I understand it, a field radio was used to subject one soldier to electric shocks."

According to the prosecutor's office, other soldiers had to carry tree trunks, or walk after their feet had been rubbed raw, until they could take no more.

Apparently the accused, a captain and 17 drill sergeants from the training barracks at the Coesfeld camp in northwestern Germany, took it upon themselves to subject their recruits to such treatment.

Extreme training for Special Forces only

The German military's training rules do not allow simulated hostage situations under normal circumstances. Even soldiers who are selected for dangerous service abroad should only undergo such training in special centers, and always under the supervision of a psychologist.

The Bundeswehr prides itself as an army based on democratic principles. What this means in practice is that military orders are not to be obeyed without question. Unlike in other armies, German soldiers should not carry out an order from a senior officer if it represents a violation of human rights.

"We need to make all soldiers -- at every level -- strong enough, so that they are prepared to resist when their dignity or rights are attacked without good reason," said Rolf Pappen from the internal affairs office of the Bundeswehr. "I expect that from any German citizen. But I expect that most of all from our citizens in uniform -- who are meant to put their own lives on the line when necessary, so as to protect the fundamental rights of other people."

The 18 training officers now facing charges have all been suspended from service. But it is far from certain that the trial will lead to convictions, even though the prosecutor's office is threatening the men with up to 10 years behind bars.

Previous trial collapsed on technicalities

The men have already been tried in a local court, and two details led to that trial's collapse: the accused claimed that their cadets could have stopped the exercise at any time by saying a particular code word, and apparently most of the cadets described the experience as the "high-point of their training." But the officers now have to defend themselves for a further 45 days in court.

Against the backdrop of photos appearing last year of German soldiers showing little respect for skulls they found in Afghanistan, and other comparable incidents, critics are warning that the German military is becoming more brutal, perhaps because of increasing service abroad.

Former Defense Minister Peter Struck has also voiced concerns that this could be the case. "Has the fact that our army has to deal with threats like hostage taking and brutal treatment from enemies like the Taliban and al Qaeda brought about this situation?" he recently asked in a Bundestag debate.

Ex-minister fears a change in culture

"Has this fact changed the awareness of the Bundeswehr so much, that some soldiers who have either experienced this or been afraid that it could happen while serving abroad, have actually started simulating these situations here at home?" Struck asked.

According to the prosecutor's office, all of the accused officers have served abroad, either in Afghanistan or the Balkans. They had all undergone hostage simulations in their special training and say they wanted to offer their recruits a similar experience in their basic training.