Overview
- Regensburg prosecutors opened a new criminal investigation on Sunday into a retired teacher accused of unlawfully revealing Dienstgeheimnisse linked to the Flugblatt affair.
- The probe centers on claims that the teacher showed a printed copy of the contested Flugblatt and discussed disciplinary-committee details at an Abitur reunion in July 2023.
- Because of the criminal inquiry the school’s disciplinary proceeding against the pensioned teacher is suspended, and the Bavarian Kultusministerium authorized pursuing the service-secrets offense while Hubert Aiwanger did not file a private complaint.
- A previous criminal investigation into whether the same teacher passed the leaflet to the Süddeutsche Zeitung was closed in July 2024 for lack of evidence, a result complicated by the paper’s refusal to disclose sources and the suspect’s decision not to testify.
- If the disciplinary case finds against him the teacher could face pension cuts or full forfeiture, but authorities stress the presumption of innocence and the renewed probe could revive the political controversy that followed the 25 August 2023 Süddeutsche Zeitung report.