Rammstein sexual assault allegations: A timeline

May 25, 2023: "I'm the girl that was spiked at Rammstein," writes Irishwoman and Rammstein fan Shelby Lynn on the social media platform Twitter, since renamed X.

She followed up on this bombshell with photos, videos and a detailed account of her experience before, during and after the Rammstein concert in Vilnius, Lithuania, on May 22. She alleged her drink was likely spiked with a drug when she went backstage before the performance and that the band's frontman, Till Lindemann, reacted aggressively when she refused sex with him.

Lynn also posted photos of severe bruising on her body that she couldn't explain. She said she filed a complaint with the Vilnius police, who were to undertake a preliminary investigation.

May 28: Rammstein officially responds to the allegations on Twitter: 

"With regard to the allegations circulating on the internet about Vilnius, we can rule out the possibility that what is being claimed took place in our environment. We are not aware of any official investigations into this matter."

May 30: Some media reports allege that Till Lindemann raped Shelby Lynn. She clarifies on Twitter that she was not "touched" by the lead singer and asks the press to quote her allegations correctly:

"I'd like to clarify again. Till did NOT touch me. He accepted I did not want to have sex with him. I never claimed he raped me. Please read the entire Twitter thread for full context before making reports," she wrote.

June 2: New accusations are made against Till Lindemann in the German press, with sources describing a system whereby female fans are recruited for sex with the singer. Two women allege sexual assaults. After the allegations became known, the publishing house Kiepenheuer & Witsch (KiWi), which had published works by Lindemann, terminated its contract with the singer. 

June 3: A day later, the band issues another statement. "The accusations have hit us all very hard, and we take them extremely seriously," the band stated in an Instagram post. "We say to our fans: It's important to us that you feel comfortable and safe at our shows  in front and behind the stage."

"We condemn every kind of aggression and ask you: do not participate in public prejudices of any kind against those who have made the accusations. They are entitled to their views on things."

"We, the band, have a right too — namely not to be prejudiced."

June 5: German YouTuber Kayla Shyx recounts her experiences at a Rammstein concert in the summer of 2022 and describes the alleged recruitment system, dubbed "Row Zero." In the video, Shyx mentioned Russian-born Alena Makeeva, a self-described "casting director," who allegedly recruited young girls backstage on behalf of Lindemann. According to media reports, she had selected women via social media for "Row Zero," i.e., an exclusive area in front of the stage, and also for meetings with Lindemann. Shyx alleged she was approached by Makeeva, who invited her to an afterparty and selected her for a meeting with the lead singer. 

June 6: Rammstein distances itself from Makeeva und according to German media reports bars her from attending their further concerts. 

June 07-11: Rammstein holds four concerts in Munich's Olympic Stadium. Previously, politicians in the Bavarian capital had submitted a motion to examine whether Row Zero could be prohibited in some instances. Over 240,000 people attend the concerts, but there are also protests outside the venue.

June 14: Berlin's public prosecutors open an investigation against Till Lindemann following multiple claims of sexual assault.

June 15: The newspaper Die Welt publishes a statement by an event organizer who alleged that a room under the stage at Rammstein concerts known as the "Suck Box" hosts sexual acts between Lindemann and women recruited at the shows.

Meanwhile, Universal Music, which represents Rammstein's recorded music and publishing business, suspends marketing and promotional activities for the band. "The accusations against Till Lindemann have shocked us, and we have the greatest respect for the women who have spoken out so courageously in public in this case," the label says in a statement.

June 23: Police in Vilnius said they will not investigate the band over abuse allegations, stating that  "no objective factual evidence" was found during an examination of the incident.

Meanwhile, in Berlin, petitions demanding the cancellation of Rammstein's July concerts were signed by nearly 100,000 people.

June 26: Simon Bergmann and Christian Schertz, lawyers acting on behalf of Till Lindemann, say they had evidence that could exonerate their client regarding the bruising that Shelby Lynn documented. The lawyers quote the expert opinion prepared by the director of the Cologne Institute, Markus Rothschild, who says, "The documented injuries tend to speak for an accidental event."

June 26-27: The following night, unknown persons attack the headquarters of Rammstein GbR in Berlin-Reinickendorf, including smashing several windows. The next day, a confession letter for the crime appears on an internet platform.

July 10: Lindemann's lawyers take action against a petition seeking the cancellation of three Rammstein concerts in mid-July at Berlin's Olympic Stadium. They claim the petition contains untrue and defamatory statements that prejudge Lindemann as the perpetrator.

July 14: The Regional Court of Hamburg partially grants an application for an injunction by Lindemann against the news magazine Der Spiegel, which published allegations that "spiking," whereby narcotics are added to a drink, was employed to carry out sexual abuse.

July 17: Broadcaster NDR and the newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung report on accusations against another band member, keyboardist Christian Lorenz, known as "Flake." Two women accuse him of sexual assaults in 1996 and 2002. In one case, the woman is said to have been underage.

July 24: Till Lindemann obtains an injunction against Kayla Shyx at the Hamburg Regional Court. The 21-year-old YouTuber has to cut some statements from her video from early June, including the claim that girls were drugged at a Rammstein concert.

July 15: About 300 people take part in a demonstration outside Berlin's Olympic Stadium against the Rammstein concert taking place there.

August 4: Der Spiegel reports about a woman who is said to have had a sexual relationship with Till Lindemann in 2011. The woman declares that she was 15 years old at the time and signs an affidavit. At the time, she was the best friend of the daughter of a Rammstein member.

August 29: The Berlin public prosecutor's office closes the investigation against Lindemann, stating that initial investigations "did not provide any evidence" of the claims. None of the alleged victims spoke to the investigators.