Public prosecutors in Buchs, Switzerland are conducting an investigation into Queer youth group leaders with a BDSM fetish for taking advantage of two 17-year-old boys. The men reportedly met the boys through their organization, Sozialwerk.LGBT+, which they co-founded in 2020 for at-risk LGBTQ+ youth.
The men, named by independent news outlet Reduxx as Holger and Björn Niggemann, first met the teenage boys after they joined the organization seeking support due to school bullying. At the time, Holger was a board member, and Björn was a business manager for the non-profit association.
In addition to 42-year-old Holger having sexual relations with both of the boys, anonymous testimonies given by over a dozen people involved with the organization allege that he and his husband had a “three-way sexual relationship” with one of the teens and once took him on vacation to Germany.
One of the minors involved admitted on social media that he was uncomfortable being in a relationship with both men, and expressed that he had been traumatized by the situation.
“I’m in a toxic, polyamorous relationship and it’s tearing me apart. [Holger] wanted us to be a polyamorous couple and I said OK, because I was willing to do anything just to be with him, even though I don’t even like his husband. He’s just taking advantage of me, nothing more. And I’m already traumatized by this shit. When this is over, I need to get my brain fixed.”
Holger’s sexual encounter with the other underage boy is confirmed to have taken place in a counseling room at the youth facilities in Buchs.
Speaking with the local news outlet Tages-Anzeiger, several board members expressed their disdain for the inappropriate polyamorous relationship the men had with one of the underage boys, calling it immoral and unprofessional.
Many of them also pointed out that the association had a “sexualized basic atmosphere” where adults often discussed sexual subjects with the youth. The facilities also reportedly kept several sex toys on the premises for the kids to explore, including dildos, leather straps, whips, and anal plugs.
Although most witnesses came forward anonymously, Daniel Huber, a former board member, reported the men to the police after Holger came to the board three days after resigning from his position, asking to be reinstated.
“For us, the behavior of the two is a total abuse of power, and the young people also felt that way,” said Huber. “I brought it up again and again. It is important not to look away from such behavior.”
The public prosecutor’s investigation into the Niggemann’s continues.
Holder’s social media history reveals he had previously justified his predatory behavior as “common” among youth workers.
In a post he made on Facebook in 2021, Holger outlined his sexual fetishes, including “puppy play,” where involved parties wear BDSM gear and role-play as dogs.
“A half-naked youth worker with a dog mask… something like that is disturbing and provocative. And that’s exactly why I chose this picture. The choice of image is about politics and not the politics of good taste,” reads the caption of a photo shared by Holger.
Continuing, his post claims that puppy play is a common practice among members of the LGBTQ+ community despite being a taboo topic.
“Dogplay, or puppy play, is very common in the queer scene. And yet, it is often a taboo topic because it comes from the BDSM scene and is always equated with sex. [But] this is more about role models,” he wrote.
“Animals have less value in our society. How we treat animal life, in slaughterhouses, factory farming and the like, is indicative of our attitude towards animals. Some of those opposed to marriage for all have taken this very stance, calling queers ‘pedophiles’ or comparing them to animals.”
This is not the first time Holger’s youth group has faced backlash. Last month, to promote International Transgender Day of Visibility, the organization shared a post referring to female anatomy as a “front hole.”
“Some trans men refer to their vulva as f*ck or front hole,” reads the caption. “Being a woman is often associated socially with the presence of a vulva. By renaming the vulva to the front or f*ckhole, trans men also express that they are a man and not a woman.”
