Rector of Salzburg Mozarteum is suspended at his own request
mainIt has emerged that Siegfried Mauser has been relieved of his duties in Salzburg after being charged with offences against two women in Munich. The alleged offences took place when he was head of the Munich Academy of Music. Mauser denies the charges.
It has further emerged that the complainants were not students but faculty members.
More here from Salzburg.
Readers may be interested in what Mauser’s lawyers have produced in defence of their client. The Muncher Abendzeitung writes:
Was bedeutet „sexuelle Nötigung“ im Strafrecht? Die Antwort findet man im §177 des Strafgesetzbuches: Jemanden mit Gewalt zu nötigen, sexuelle Handlungen an sich zu dulden, erfüllt diesen Tatbestand. Würde der Musik-Professor deswegen verurteilt, droht ihm laut Gesetz eine Freiheitsstrafe von mindestens einem Jahr.
„Unser Mandant bestreitet die Vorwürfe.“ Das sagen Mausers Anwälte Stephan Lucas und Alexander Stevens. Im AZ-Gespräch erklären die beiden, dass sie Eifersüchteleien an der Hochschule als Motiv hinter den Vorwürfen vermuten. […] Die Vorwürfe der Anklage seien zudem unterhalb der Erheblichkeitsschwelle und unter Umständen auch verjährt, argumentieren Stevens und Lucas. Zungenküsse und Begrabschen würden jedenfalls nicht für eine Verurteilung wegen sexueller Nötigung ausreichen.
What does “sexual harassment” mean in criminal law? The answer can be found in §177 of the [German] Criminal Code: coercing someone by force to tolerate sexual acts on him or her [ an sich], fulfills this fact. In case the music professor is convicted, he will be facing, according to the law, a sentence of at least one year.
According to Mauser’s lawyers Stephan Lucas and Alexander Stevens “our client denies the allegations”. In a conversation with the AZ [i.e. the Abendzeitung Münchner] both declare that they suspect jealousy at the university [Musikhochschule] as a motive behind the allegations. […]. In addition, Stevens and Lucas argued, the allegations were immaterial [literally ‘below the materiality threshold] and possibly also barred. In any case, French kissing [literally “tongue kisses”] and groping would not be sufficient for a conviction for sexual assault.