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Director at the Max Planck Institute in Luxembourg gives up chairmanship after allegations of bullying

2021-01-27T20:16:31.553Z


An internal investigation by the Max Planck Society at the Luxembourg Max Planck Institute has apparently brought to light such serious problems that a director is giving up his chairmanship of the institute. Among other things, it concerns allegations of bullying and psychological harassment. 


An internal investigation by the Max Planck Society at the Luxembourg Max Planck Institute has apparently brought to light such serious problems that a director is giving up his chairmanship of the institute.

Among other things, it concerns allegations of bullying and psychological harassment. 

by Hristio Boytchev

The President of the Max Planck Society, Martin Stratmann, informed the institute's staff about this in a letter dated January 21.

First, Buzzfeed News Deutschland (part of Ippen.Media) reported exclusively on the bullying allegations and other problems at the institute in February 2020.

The allegations largely concerned a director of the Max Planck Institute Luxembourg for International, European and Regulatory Procedural Law (MPI).

They were based on reports from a whistleblower, conversations with employees and an internal survey at the institute, which indicated a heavily polluted working atmosphere and bullying experiences.

A former employee: spoke to BuzzFeed News about a “pure and exclusive fear culture” at the institute.

The reporting was then picked up by the Luxembourg and German media.

As a result, the MPG and the Luxembourg Ministry of Research, which finances the MPI, agreed not to fill an initially planned third director's position until further notice.

In addition, an internal investigation of the events was arranged.

Max Planck Society: "Reports on Psychological Harassment and Mobbing"

"As you all know, a crisis has built up in the institute, which in February 2020 also led to negative reports in various media," wrote MPG President Martin Stratmann to the workforce last week.

"A little earlier, a local survey had revealed considerable dissatisfaction with, among other things, the management practices and internal communication at the institute.

There were also reports of psychological harassment and bullying. "

(Here we are publishing the original of the letter from MPG President Martin Stratmann.)

In order to "assess the worrying conditions and the complaints raised and to bring the institute into calmer waters" a special representative was sent by the institute's administrative board, who in turn recommended a formal investigation by the "Internal Investigations" department.

"During the investigation, further defects came to light that had to be investigated," writes Stratmann.

The letter does not specify which deficiencies are involved.

The Max Planck Society keeps the concrete consequences secret

The MPG did not want to answer an inquiry about the findings and consequences of the investigation in more detail because, according to a spokeswoman, it is "a matter of confidential personnel matters".

The special representative of the board of directors will still hold talks with the employee representatives.  

On January 7, the Executive Committee formally heard the two directors of the institute, wrote MPG President Stratmann in his letter.

Thereafter it took "a series of steps" that it considered "necessary and appropriate".

The MPG also does not want to specify what steps are involved.

“You will surely understand that details cannot be disclosed for reasons of privacy protection,” Stratmann wrote to the employees.

More about the allegations against the Max Planck Society at BuzzFeed News Germany.

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2021-01-27

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