Major General Walter Spindler, former chief of Germany's Land Forces Training Command, offered a scathing criticism of German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen in the newspaper Stuttgarter Nachrichten on Wednesday.

Spindler was dismissed in April for his allegedly slow and incompetent investigation of physical, verbal and sexual abuse cases in the German Armed Forces' training units. Speaking to the Stuttgarter Nachrichten, he has now lashed out against Von der Leyen's handling of the scandal.

According to Spindler, the Ministry of Defense had harmed soldiers and individual army bases in a "generalizing, permanent and irresponsible" fashion.

The absolutism which von der Leyen attached to her accusations were without foundation, Spindler said.

Spindler described his own dismissal as reflecting an approach which was "tasteless", "undignified" and would "create distrust and plunge the Armed Forces into a crisis of loyalty and trust."

An administrative court in Sigmaringen, Baden-Wurttemberg is due to hear the claims of four soldiers who have brought a lawsuit against their dismissal during the military abuse scandal.

The four men were stationed in the Pfullendorf barrack and are accused of having participated in degrading hazing rituals. A ruling is expected for Thursday. Soldiers stationed in Pfullendorf have complained about sexual abuse and sadistic practices, including female soldiers being forced to perform pole dances.

The German Armed Forces have suffered from negative press following the revelation of degrading training practices in some barracks around half a year ago. An investigative report in January identified "grave deficits in leadership, training, education and administrative supervision."

In response, von der Leyen announced a thorough and systematic revision of abuse cases. The Ministry of Defense plans to increase administrative supervision and improve reporting and training mechanisms.