Berlin - German prosecutors on Thursday searched the Berlin office of a Social Democrat (SPD) education spokesman on suspicion of child pornography.

The 55-year old parliamentarian, Joerg Tauss, told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa he could not explain what prompted the search. "I'm calmly waiting," he said. "I can't understand it."

Tauss has been a member of the lower house or Bundestag since 1994 and is the SPD's parliamentary spokesman on research and education.

A former union leader, he is also SPD secretary general in the southern state of Baden-Wuerttemberg.

"I've been concerned about this scene [child pornography] for years," said Tauss, hinting that the investigation could have been conducted "out of revenge."

Another office used by Tauss in his electoral district in the southern city of Karlsruhe was also also searched after a parliamentary panel lifted his immunity.

Prosecutors said they launched an investigation at the end of February when there was "an initial suspicion" of the existence of incriminating pictorial material.

"This needs to be cleared up," said Ute Vogt, the chairwoman of Tauss' regional party association. "Until then we must apply the presumption of innocence." (dpa)