After a criminal complaint by the German Life Saving Society (DLRG), the Cologne police are investigating, according to the public prosecutor's office, against a DLRG supervisor on "suspicion of sexual harassment".
The man, until recently chairman of the DLRG local group "Cologne on the right bank of the Rhine," is said to have sexually molested several children and young people aged eleven to 14 and two carers during a leisure time in Spain in the summer.
The case had become public through reports in Deutschlandfunk, ARD and the "Süddeutsche Zeitung".
The man, who had previously attracted attention by crossing borders, is said to have had "extremely strange discussions" with the children and young people about sexual abuse and child pornography and allegedly too strict criminal laws, as well as making offensive comments on everyday situations.
He is also said to have become violent, for example by opening bikini tops for some girls.
According to the "Süddeutsche Zeitung", those affected did not retreat in shame like many victims of assault, but exchanged ideas, contacted their parents in Germany and successfully urged them to end their free time.
Ursula Enders, head of Zartbitter, a contact point for young victims of sexualized violence, said: "I've been here since 1978, but I've never seen such concentrated power in a group, that's impressive."