Skybird
01-20-11, 11:50 AM
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,14776027,00.html
http://www.thelocal.de/national/20110120-32543.html
Not nice, and some questions there.
The above English articles lack the details given in German press. A cadet fell to death when climbing up the mast. Unrest amongst the crew break out, many did noit want to climb anymore. It is said that climbing is voluntary (I ask: why? It is a sailship, isn't it, why do you go on a sailship if you do not will to set sails?), but officer put high pressure on young cadets, intimndiating them with threatend decommission. The captain of the GF asked two of the older crew cadets to mediate between the ships leadership and tghe crew. When they reported back to him, saying there was unrest and discomfort with the overtall regime, they were accused of mutiny and ordered to fly back to Germany, leaving the navy. At that time, the ships was already back to see. Then came the order from Germany to investigatze further, and to take an investigation team aboard, for that, the GF returned to Argentina. The two sailors plus twpo others were ordered to destroy/burn their written order to report back to Germany, the minsitry obviously did not wish to leave evidence that these orders ever had been given. At least one of them did not, presenting the letter to the liaison officer to the Bundestag. The whole affair is unclear, lots of smoke screens seem to be raised.
As regrettable as the death by accident of a cadet is, this could be no excuse to discontinue a training tour of the ship, instead young people wanting to become warriors and commanding officers in armed forces should take the opportunity to learn how to come to terms with it. Additionally, I wonder why young sailors who may volunteer for setting sails, but must not do it (at least by the rules), are even allowed on a sailship. They should be given the chance in the beginning to check if they can handle it and have the courage to go up there, and if they don't, okay, no hard feelings, but sorry, here is your coat and hat - bye. I do not know if for navy cadets wanting to become navy officers in the Bundesmarine, service on the GF is mandatory. I think it should not be, but should be a thing of interest only, voluntarily - our frigates do not use sails anymore, nor do our subs.
http://www.thelocal.de/national/20110120-32543.html
Not nice, and some questions there.
The above English articles lack the details given in German press. A cadet fell to death when climbing up the mast. Unrest amongst the crew break out, many did noit want to climb anymore. It is said that climbing is voluntary (I ask: why? It is a sailship, isn't it, why do you go on a sailship if you do not will to set sails?), but officer put high pressure on young cadets, intimndiating them with threatend decommission. The captain of the GF asked two of the older crew cadets to mediate between the ships leadership and tghe crew. When they reported back to him, saying there was unrest and discomfort with the overtall regime, they were accused of mutiny and ordered to fly back to Germany, leaving the navy. At that time, the ships was already back to see. Then came the order from Germany to investigatze further, and to take an investigation team aboard, for that, the GF returned to Argentina. The two sailors plus twpo others were ordered to destroy/burn their written order to report back to Germany, the minsitry obviously did not wish to leave evidence that these orders ever had been given. At least one of them did not, presenting the letter to the liaison officer to the Bundestag. The whole affair is unclear, lots of smoke screens seem to be raised.
As regrettable as the death by accident of a cadet is, this could be no excuse to discontinue a training tour of the ship, instead young people wanting to become warriors and commanding officers in armed forces should take the opportunity to learn how to come to terms with it. Additionally, I wonder why young sailors who may volunteer for setting sails, but must not do it (at least by the rules), are even allowed on a sailship. They should be given the chance in the beginning to check if they can handle it and have the courage to go up there, and if they don't, okay, no hard feelings, but sorry, here is your coat and hat - bye. I do not know if for navy cadets wanting to become navy officers in the Bundesmarine, service on the GF is mandatory. I think it should not be, but should be a thing of interest only, voluntarily - our frigates do not use sails anymore, nor do our subs.