LUXENBOURG: GERMAN ARMY'S CONSTITUTIONAL BAN ON WOMEN SERVING ON FRONTLINE RULED UNLAWFUL SEXUAL DISCRIMINATION BY EUROPEAN COURT

Record ID: 565816

  • Title: LUXENBOURG: GERMAN ARMY'S CONSTITUTIONAL BAN ON WOMEN SERVING ON FRONTLINE RULED UNLAWFUL SEXUAL DISCRIMINATION BY EUROPEAN COURT
  • Date: 11th January 2000
  • Summary: LUXEMBOURG (JANUARY 11, 2000) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. LV: EUROPEAN COURT OF JUSTICE 0.07 2. SV: TANJA KREIL ARRIVING 0.14 3. SLV/CU: JUDGES ENTERING (2 SHOTS) 0.31 4. CU: GIL CARLOS RODRIGUEZ IGLESIAS, PRESIDENT EUROPEAN COURT OF JUSTICE, READING VERDICT IN GERMAN 0.44 5. SV: TANJA KREIL SITTING DOWN AT MICROPHONES WITH BERNHARD GERTZ, HEAD OF GERMAN ARMY UNION 0.49 6. CU: JUDGE 0.55 7. WIDE: COURT AUDIENCE 0.59 8. WIDE: JUDGES 1.05 9. SLV: TANJA KREIL SITTING DOWN FOR PRESS CONFERENCE 1.14 10. SV: SOUNDBITE (German) BERNHARD GERTZ, HEAD OF GERMAN ARMY UNION, SAYING : "Tanja Kreil made legal history with this verdict. We are pretty sure this verdict plays an important role when it comes to emancipation and equal rights for women in Germany." 1.34 11. C/A: CAMERA CREW 1.41 12. SV: SOUNDBITE (German) TANJA KREIL SAYING : "I think there should be no exceptions because women can now take up a career in the German Army which before was impossible, meaning they can now be soldiers but they will also have to take up responsibilities. That means they cannot be excluded from peaceful missions." 2.08 13. WIDE OF NEWS CONFERENCE/KREIL ON MIOBILE PHONE/ COURT SIGN (4 SHOTS) 2.32 14. SLV: KREIL WALKING OFF WITH COUPLE 2.37 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 26th January 2000 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LUXEMBOURG
  • Country: Luxembourg
  • Reuters ID: LVAA2RFHQAPGE0MNRAMQM1E8GPI1
  • Story Text: The German Army's constitutional ban on women serving
    on the frontline amounts to unlawful sexual discrimination,
    according to a European Court ruling.

    The ruling on Tuesday (January 11) in favour of Tanja
    Kreil, a 23-year-old electrical engineer, has sweeping
    implications for Germany's conscript army and could force the
    European Union's biggest country to change its constitution.

    The court, the EU's highest legal body, ruled that women
    should be allowed to carry arms in the German military forces
    and said laws banning women from combat violated EU sex
    equality regulations.

    But the Luxembourg-based court added that some
    restrictions on women serving could be accepted.

    Bernhard Gertz, head of the German Army's union, said the
    decision had made legal history.

    Germany's postwar constitution specifically bars women
    from bearing arms.Even during World War Two, when young
    teenagers and elderly men were pressed into duty by the Nazis,
    women were exempted from any form of combat duty.

    Germany, like most EU countries, relies largely on
    conscripts.All German men are required to serve 10 months in
    the army after turning 18, but women are exempted.

    Women are currently allowed to serve in the army only in
    the medical services or as musicians.There are currently
    4,340 women in medical jobs while 60 are working as musicians.


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