RAMMSTEIN Faces More Censorship Issues

After being censored for the pseudo mini-porn video that was “Pussy” and the controversies surrounding the single “Ich Tu Dir Weh” (I Hurt You) and a picture inside the album booklet displaying guitarist Richard Z. Kruspe spanking a chubby woman wearing only a mask, it seems that also two RAMMSTEIN live shows will be censored now.

In November the album Liebe Ist Für Alle Da got “indexed” by the German Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons, making it illegal in Germany for minors to purchase the album, or display it where it can be seen by people underage, effectively banning it from stores. At the time, keyboardist Christian Lorenz expressed surprise at the advisory board's “parochial sense of art” and regretted their apparent inability to detect irony.

Now, the German Family Ministry authorities will not allow the band to perform any songs that have been indexed on both their Dortmund shows. Furthermore, the ministry demands each band member to sign a “written explanation before the concerts, that the indexed songs will indeed not be played.” In case of violation, the band faces a fine of €10,000, per person. Public Order director Ortwin Schafer also stated that the Youth Protection Act will be put into force in conjunction with the police and “fans under 18 must be accompanied by parent or guardian of a person to attend the concert. Fans without a parent or guardian in attendance will be sent home.”

Both concerts, each with over 10,000 attendees, are both sold out. Though the organizers tried to downplay the situation: “We have received no request of the public order of Dortmund”, says Silvia Pape of “Concert Team NRW”. However, there were already telephone contacts. Pape: “Once we have something on paper, we will forward it on to the management and the band. The final decision lies with the guys. “