Germany Ends Military Conscription, and an Era - The New York Times The New York Times Europe |The Draft Ends in Germany, but Questions of Identity Endure Search Continue reading the main story BERLIN — Germany formally discontinued the draft at midnight on Thursday to make way for a smaller, tighter army that will draw people like Johannes Beckert and Steven Stadler, both volunteers signing up for duty at a sprawling, suburban recruitment center that once housed the East German military’s overseas espionage agency. The two men are part of a military evolution spanning more than half a century, from rearmament in the divided Germany of the 1950s through the cold war, which placed hundreds of thousands of young German soldiers on either side of the Iron Curtain, and on to a reunification that was not just geographic and political but also created a single army bonded by conscription. They are part, too, of a long-running German quest for antidotes to its Nazi past, ensuring that its military is subservient to the will of a democratic Parliament. About 5,000 German soldiers are part of the NATO-led campaign in Afghanistan, and even though 52 German soldiers have died there in the past nine years, Mr.

Stadler said, “It is an honor to serve your country and help people abroad.” Fear, he said as he prepared for a psychological aptitude test, would be the wrong word to describe his attitude to deployment in hostile terrain. Continue reading the main story “Respect is better,” said Mr. Stadler, who is 20. For his part, Mr. Beckert, 18, said that being a soldier would be a new and risky experience. “You have a lot of thoughts, but I think it’s worthwhile to do it,” he said while preparing for a physical. Advertisement Continue reading the main story The latest military changes have also raised broader questions that cut to the core of Germany’s enduring identity crisis: will Germany’s new force draw disproportionately on recruits from the former Communist east; will young Germans — men and women — be prepared to overcome postwar Germany’s deep aversion to militarism; and will the end of the draft create an army with fewer inhibitions about deployment alongside its NATO allies to the world’s trouble spots. West Germany introduced compulsory military service in 1957 for periods that varied between a maximum of 18 months and, toward the end, of only six months, said Lt. Col.

Kai Schlolaut, a Defense Ministry spokesman. From the beginning, conscription was seen as a constitutional means of averting the militarism of the past by creating “citizens in uniform” to bind the armed forces to the rest of society. Everyone had to serve. Indeed, Colonel Schlolaut said, some 8.4 million Germans served, either as conscripts in the Bundeswehr, as the armed forces are called, or in alternative civilian service, as helpers in old age-homes or charitable institutions. Then last year, the former Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg unveiled plans to reform the military, cutting it from its current levels — 220,000, along with 76,000 civilian support officials — to a maximum of 185,000 in uniform supported by 55,000 civilians. “We want a more flexible, more professional armed forces,” Colonel Schlolaut said. Germany is making the change years after its major allies have taken the same step, including the United States, which ended the draft in 1973.

The draft was technically suspended as of July 1 — under German law, to abolish it would have required rewriting the Constitution. The last draftees began six months of compulsory service in January, and some left their barracks for good on Thursday. The change to an all-volunteer army brought a shift of pace for Marion Krauskopf, the civilian director of Berlin’s recruitment center at the former military espionage base at Treptow-Köpenick in the southeast of the city, which once processed up to 150 draftees a day. Now, Ms. Krauskopf said in an interview, the figure is 20 or 30. In the past, women were excluded from conscription, although in recent years they have been able to volunteer for the military in other categories of service. So far, though, only a handful of the 171 soldiers recruited at Treptow-Köpenick for induction in July as volunteers are women, she said. Photo Johannes Beckert, 18, a recruit for Germany's newly all-volunteer army, during his medical examination with Dr. Margit Braband. Germany kept conscription much longer than its allies.

Credit Gordon Welters for The New York Times But gender seems to be less of an issue in the German debate than the origin of those who do volunteer. In a recent study, two experts said that while only 16 percent of the German population of 82 million lives in the former East Germany, easterners make up 30 percent of military personnel. Advertisement Continue reading the main story At the same time, said Michael Wolffsohn, a professor at the German Institute for International Security Affairs, and Maximilian Beenisch, a social scientist, easterners with higher educational qualifications were drawn to the military because of a lack of alternative opportunities in eastern Germany, where unemployment is higher than in the west. “In the final analysis, these figures touch the soul of the reunified Germany and evoke the problem of the fair distribution of opportunities and burdens,” they said. The imbalance could also mean that, proportionately, more easterners than westerners face the risk of being killed in action, their study concluded. “For inner-German matters, this risk, based on geographic origins, could be explosive.” For Germany’s allies, the shift to an all-volunteer force is unlikely to have an immediate impact on Berlin’s uneven record of readiness to deploy soldiers abroad.

For years Germany has been reluctant to embark on overseas military adventures that might conjure historical ghosts of Hitler’s divisions in World War II. Although German troops are stationed in northern Afghanistan, Berlin abstained in the United Nations Security Council vote in March that authorized the air campaign in Libya. More recently, Germany indicated that it was prepared to supply some unspecified munitions for the NATO effort. But, said Christian Mölling a research fellow with the Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik private research group, “there has never been the argument that we should not go into an operation because of conscription. We are talking about a much more deeply rooted thing. The abolition of conscription doesn’t change the mindset.” For this year, Germany military planners say they have already reached their target of about 10,000 volunteers who will begin reporting to their units on Monday. Half of them are former conscripts who chose to stay on. Others are new recruits like Mr. Stadler, who is to begin his service in the official government honor guard in October. But the future is more opaque. While defense planners believe there will be a guaranteed flow of recruits for officer training, “the primary problem is to get the volunteers for the ranks of normal soldiers,” Dr.

Mölling said. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Such concerns find an echo in some NATO capitals. Germany’s military reforms are “more a rationalization than a revolution in the German psyche,” said Alastair Cameron, a European security specialist at the RUSI private policy institute in London. “It’s a culture change that hasn’t happened.” A version of this article appears in print on July 1, 2011, on Page A6 of the New York edition with the headline: The Draft Ends in Germany, but Questions of Identity Endure. Order Reprints | Today's Paper | Subscribe The World from Berlin: 'End of an Era' as Germany Suspends Conscription - SPIEGEL ONLINE The World from Berlin: 'End of an Era' as Germany Suspends Conscription The World from Berlin 'End of an Era' as Germany Suspends Conscription The German army received its last round of conscripts on Monday ahead of the official suspension of the draft later this year. German commentators have reacted to the end of a tradition with mixed feelings. Some miss the camaraderie of the barracks, while others argue the reforms are long overdue.

dpa The German army's last conscripts showed up for duty on Monday, including these men in the city of Neubrandenburg. January 04, 2011 03:26 PM Bundeswehr begins new era as conscription ends - The Local Bundeswehr begins new era as conscription ends The Local 4 July 2011 17:32 CEST+02:00 Germany’s armed forces has officially ended conscription, heralding a new era for the now all-volunteer Bundeswehr. On Monday, Defence Minister Thomas de Maizière visited a Berlin barracks to mark the end of the 54-year-old tradition by greeting new volunteer recruits. Most of the 3,419 volunteer soldiers, including 44 women, have committed to 15 months of service. “On Friday, the Bundeswehr ceased to exist as a conscript army,” de Maizière said. “I don’t have the fear that the Bundeswehr will not remain anchored in the middle of society.” That is a key concern of many of those who have opposed the end of conscription, which more than eight million German men have participated in over the years.

There are also worries that the nation's armed forces have become disorganized and militarily ineffective in light of a recent European Defence Agency report, which called the Bundeswehr the most ineffective military in the NATO alliance. But de Maizière and other German officials have disputed the report. “The tenor isn’t surprising. But the conclusions of the study are wrong,” he said on Monday. The Bundeswehr has rolled out a new advertising slogan in honour of it’s change to a professional force: "We. Serve. Germany." De Maizière said the motto represents soldiers’ high operational readiness, spirit of sacrifice and the camaraderie of military life. The German Armed Forces Association, which acts as an advocate for the interests of soldiers, said volunteer recruits need to be aware of the challenges that face them. It’s important that recruits know how dangerous military life is and not just "the nice side of the soldiering profession," said Chairman Ulrich Kirsch. The end of conscription is just one part of a package of reforms planned for the Bundeswehr. In coming years, officials hope to reduce the number of soldiers from the current 230,000 to around 185,000.

DAPD/The Local/mdm Breaking the Bundeswehr - Army Technology The two-decade-old NH90 helicopter program, which is still not ready for service, is the subject of much criticism. Breaking the Bundeswehr The German Bundeswehr is currently in the process of reducing its armed forces by as much as a quarter. Despite its reputation as an advanced military nation and strong ally for global peacekeeping, it will be implementing the biggest cut since the end of World War II. Albrecht Muller takes a closer look at how the decision, set against a background of economic decline, could radically transform the nations' military standing. In October, German Defence Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg gave his backing to a radical restructuring of the Bundeswehr, including significant budget cuts and the reduction of the current 250,000 strong conscription army into a much smaller professional force. Ending conscription, reducing the number of troops by around 70,000, trimming the military command structure, and cutting the Defence Department itself by more than half were three suggestions from a 112-page report, called "Thinking From The Mission. Concentration, Flexibility, Efficiency".

The paper was delivered to Defence Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg on 26 October by an expert commission, which was set up in April to examine the future Bundeswehr's structure. Alongside the goal of developing a future structure, this reform is also supposed to help meet a number of savings objectives the ministry is currently facing. Back in June the German government had decided to slash a total of 8.3bn Euros from the current defence budget, which stands at around 31bn Euros as part of an overall effort to reduce its global expenditure by around 80bn Euros. 4bn Euros are to be saved in the course of the reform and 4.3bn Euros in the department's administrative sector. "German Defence Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg gave his backing to restructuring the Bundeswehr." The head of the federal employment agency Frank-Jürgen Weise suggested the military become a force of 180,000 professionals, temporary-career volunteers and volunteers, who would serve 15 to 23 months.

The 75,000 Bundeswehr's civilian employees should be cut to 50,000 and posts at the ministry of defence be reduced below 1,500. At the same time the number of troops that could be deployed on a sustainable basis should rise from today's 7,000 to 14,000. Command control As part of these overall changes, the future Bundeswehr's command structure must also become more streamlined. The Generalinspekteur, Germany's highest-ranking military offiical, should be transformed into a Chief of Defence, which would give him command authority over all services and missions. At the same time, the chiefs of the services would be downgraded and placed outside of the Ministry of Defence. The Bundeswehr Operations Command should also become more powerful while other military and civil command levels and institutions should be disbanded. For future Bundeswehr missions the commission suggested a four-level command structure: Defence Minister, Chief of Defence, Chief of Bundeswehr Operations Command followed by troops on the ground. By the middle of 2011, after 55 years, Germany is set to witness the end of conscription.

This was not only one of the suggestions in the commission's report, but has also been finally agreed upon by the last reluctant factions in Germany's parliament. On 29 September the executive committees of both conservative parties cast an accordant vote, which will be officially affirmed at the party conferences. Procurement The commission also criticised the Germany's military procurement system in its findings. It pointed to the two-decade-old NH90 helicopter program as an example, which is still not ready for service. "By the middle of 2011, after 55 years, Germany is set to witness the end of conscription." A report submitted by General Volker Wieker in September was especially scathing, stating that almost all major projects could be characterised by being too expensive, delayed and often not as capable as intended. The general also criticised fragmented responsibilities as well as the existing procedures and processes, outside influence and inadequate funding. Both the commission and the Generalinspekteur therefore called for a fundamental change of the procurement process. The commission's report suggested creating a procurement agency that would issue tenders and procurements alongside common commercial conduct, observing international anti-corruption rules, speeding up procurement, and generally buying arms and gear off-the-shelf.

In his September analysis Wieker also confirmed the need for massive cuts in ongoing arms projects. Already, in June, a 23 corresponding internal working paper titled "Prioritization Material Investments - Recommended Actions" was leaked, which suggested putting a large number of planes, helicopters and ships out of service as well as to cut down procurement, to save up to 9.3bn Euros over the long run. The paper included instantly grounding 15 of Germany's current 86 Transall transport planes and reducing the number of its successor A400M aircraft. Also included is putting 100 of 185 Tornado fighter jets out of service as soon as possible and cancelling the last 37 Eurofighters currently on order. The Navy cuts are just as sweeping, the report recommended placing eight frigates and ten fast attack boats from the current fleet out of service over the medium and long term, while reducing the number of new F125 expeditionary frigates from four to three. Mentioned in the paper as an urgent measure, the navy must also place all of its six older U206A diesel submarines out of service.

Recruiting the future Like other German experts, the commission around Weise has also pointed out that as a complete voluntary service the German military will have to become a more attractive workplace. "What isn't entirely clear as yet is how these changes will affect Germany's role as a militarised nation." For instance the work-life balance would have to be improved. To gain more personnel it should also made easier for people from other professions to enter the military at a later stage of their life and officials should even look at ways to allow for the enlistment of citizens of other EU or NATO countries. A major part of all these considerations is Germany's ability to act within its alliances like EU and NATO. To help maintain current action levels and reliability the commission therefore suggested an intensified division of tasks and a deepening of military cooperation within these alliances as well as the European defence industry. Looking forwards, at the handover of the commission's report Defence Minister zu Guttenberg said, that it would be the basis for a five-to eight-year effort. A task force in the ministry of defence, headed by Permanent Secretary Walther Otremba, has been established to evaluate the report until January.

In the first half of next year, the detailed planning of personnel, equipment and modernisation will begin. At the end, the basing concept will be established in the middle of 2011. From the outset it's clear that changes are going to be sweeping, what isn't entirely clear as yet is how these changes will affect Germany's role as a militarised nation. Based on the commission reports, however, it is evident that Germany is a rusty war-machine and that only a serious overhaul will prepare it for the demands of 21st century conflict. Share Germany: First expansion of Bundeswehr since the end of Cold War Now Reading: Germany: First expansion of Bundeswehr since the end of Cold War Up Next: Germany: First expansion of Bundeswehr since the end of Cold War EPA/MICHAEL KAPPELER Click for full view German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen arrives to present the new personnel concept for the German armed forces (Bundeswehr), in Berlin, Germany, 10 May 2016. Several thousands of additional soldiers are to be recruited, von der Leyen announced.

Slogan in background reads: 'Bundeswehr We.Serve.Germany.' Author Published 09:24 May 11, 2016 Updated 09:46 May 11, 2016 Germany already has some of the largest armed forces in the world, with 178,000 active personnel, second only to France among EU countries By NEOnline/GK For the firm time since the end of Cold War, Germany decided to expand military spending and enforce the German army, known as the Bundeswehr. On Tuesday, German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen announced that “a quarter century of contraction is over. It is time for the Bundeswehr to grow again.” According to the Minister, on top of the recent increase in the defence budget (from €34.3 to €39.2 billion euros by 2020) Germany would also add some 7,000 new troops to its military - and an ... This story is part of New Europe's Premium content.

To Read the Full Story, Subscribe or Sign In from the ↑ Top of the Page ↑ Germany debates ending the draft | Public Radio International Germany debates ending the draft August 26, 2010 · 10:49 AM UTC Updated: Comment FRANKFURT, Germany - Feeding elderly residents at nursing homes. Corralling children in kindergarten. Packing boxes of food to be sent to the world’s latest scene of natural disaster. That’s what a force of 60,000 or more young German men will do when they begin a compulsory six-month period of civil service next month — as an alternative to six months of military service. Their paychecks are paltry, and most of their jobs don’t require much brainpower, but their work helps keep the country moving. They are part of the infrastructure that creates a system of cradle-to-grave social services. Now, a long-simmering debate over whether Germany should continue drafting young men into the military, known as the Bundeswehr, could spell the end of the generous civil service program, too.

Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg is trying to convince legislators to get rid of the draft, which pulls the men into six months of combat training, gun-cleaning and errand-running. Military service is required — unless the conscript is a conscientious objector, doesn't pass his physical or qualifies for another of the many exemptions — in which case, civil service is required. At present, 250,000 soldiers serve in the German military, including about 72,000 conscripts. Guttenberg this week presented five options to Chancellor Angela Merkel and Germany’s federal lawmakers, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense said. The options range from a military force of 150,000 to 210,000 soldiers, including various numbers of drafted men, or scrapping the draft. Guttenberg favors the option that would end the draft entirely, the spokesman said. The draft would remain part of the country’s Constitution, but it would not be utilized. Lawmakers are expected to decide sometime this fall on what to do.

Germany is among a small number of West European countries that still has a military draft: Austria, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Switzerland all retain some form of conscription. Guttenberg’s goal is to streamline the German military, the defense ministry spokesman said. The proposed changes would also likely save money spent on defense. The downside, argues Roland Hartmann, a spokesman for the Office of Civilian Service, is that if the draft were ended, the country could wind up spending more money on social services. “If there is no duty to go to the Bundeswehr, it all stops,” he said. “I don’t know what the hospitals and kindergartens will do.” Germany was barred by victorious Allied forces from creating a military force after World War II, but that restriction was loosened during the Cold War, when anti-Soviet leaders worried that an attack from the east would come through Germany. That’s when Germany instituted mandatory military service for young men. Drafted men were trained to defend Germany’s borders. (Women have always been exempted.) Even during those early years, Germany offered plenty of opportunities for conscientious objectors to choose civil service instead of military service, said Jackson Janes, executive director of the American Institute for Contemporary German Studies.

But what was initially an 18-month commitment for military service was reduced over time. Now, military and civil conscripts serve just six months, a timetable that makes expert-level training difficult. Plus, conscripted soldiers who choose to serve just the minimum six months can’t be deployed, although technically, drafted men are still charged with protecting their homeland. Very few drafted men — so few that the Defense Ministry doesn't keep an exact number — choose to stay on past six months, making them eligible for deployment, a defense spokesman said, and those who do would likely have volunteered for the military even if the draft didn’t exist. The German soldiers involved in NATO actions abroad all volunteered for military service. If Germany were to end the draft, thousands of soldiers who now train as conscripts could be free to join units deployed to NATO actions. This year, about 450,000 men became eligible for the draft, according to German government statistics. About 40 percent of those young men were exempted from service for a slew of reasons. Some didn’t pass a medical exam, others chose to volunteer with a local fire brigade.

University students who choose to study certain topics, including theology, are assumed to have a conscientious objection to serving in the military and are therefore exempted from the draft. Of the remaining 60 percent, tens of thousands of men avoid service by citing a moral objection, or by choosing civil service instead. In the end, only about 16 percent of those 450,000 young men - around 72,000 people - wind up in the military. Nearly as many young men choose civil service over military service. “They transport people in hospitals, they move patients from place to place, they stay in a room with patients when they wake up after an operation,” Hartmann said. “They bring old people to the doctor, or buy something to eat for them.” Civil service jobs have been around for so long that they’re a built-in part of Germany’s economy. It’s possible that an end to the draft could create jobs for other Germans, Hartmann said, but most non-profit organizations that rely on conscripts will struggle if they have to pay people for the same work that’s now subsidized by the government.

The debate among federal lawmakers over the draft is expected to last for months, but non-profits who lean heavily on the civil service alternative program area are already bracing for a depletion in their annual flow of government-subsidized workers. “We are assuming that will happen,” a spokeswoman for the German Red Cross said. And when it does, she said, the humanitarian organization could lose 9,000 volunteers. That’s how many would-be soldiers worked for the Red Cross last year. Hartmann said he hopes that if the required service program ends, the German government will replace it with something else to encourage young people to volunteer. “This is not just about getting rid of the draft,” Janes said. “It’s about restoring and strengthening the appeal of public service. A lot of these kids sincerely want to do something they think is worthwhile, but it has to be made popular.” An all-volunteer civil service could attract just as many workers as the current program does, Janes said. Young men who claim a moral objection to the service for fear of getting entangled in the military, might willingly agree to spend a few months volunteering were the threat of a uniform and a gun no longer part of the picture.

Schahin Saket, 19, was eager for a shot at a spot with the European Union, where he could have worked in a mail room or even traveled abroad to work on a foreign development project (it is possible to apply for such a position through Germany’s civil service program). But he wanted to make sure he didn’t wind up in the military. When he went in for medical exam that would determine his fitness for military service, he told the doctor that he suffered from epilepsy as a child. He hasn’t had a seizure in years. “But I can’t for sure say it won’t ever happen again,” he said. “I didn’t lie.” The admission did more than get Saket out of military service; it excused him from any obligation to serve his country. Saket escaped not only the military, but also an opportunity to lend a hand to those in need. “Now I regret my decision,” he said. “I really wish I had done something.” While you are here... The work we do has never been more important — whether it’s because of “news” that might not be news at all or healing the deep divides in our country. Now more than ever, we need conversation, perspective and diverse voices.

Will you support PRI in our efforts to create a more informed empathetic world? Foreigners may soon join Germany′s military | Germany | DW.COM | 14.02.2011 Germany Foreigners may soon join Germany's military Germany's military is in a pinch: As conscription comes to an end, it must find a way to fill its ranks. That's why the Ministry of Defense is considering allowing foreign nationals to become German soldiers. Compulsory service for young German men ends this year Germany's Ministry of Defense is considering allowing foreign nationals to join its military, after the government decided to abolish conscription. German Defense Minister Karl Theodor zu Guttenberg has hammered out a 72-page proposal on how the Bundeswehr can attract volunteer, career soldiers to fill its ranks, amid worries that Germany will be unable to fulfill its duties to several European Union and NATO-led military missions abroad.

The Defense Ministry's proposal states that "regulations should be expanded so that [German] residents with the necessary skills, aptitude, and performance can be implemented into the military - even in the absence of German citizenship." Recruits only from select countries "We're focusing on the possibility of attracting citizens of EU member countries and other states, such as Switzerland, with whom we share special agreements to recognize vocational qualifications," Ministry Spokesman Steffen Moritz confirmed on Monday. Defense Minister Guttenberg has pushed for a leaner, volunteer army Moritz said that only foreign nationals already living in Germany would be considered for the military, adding that he did not expect them to come in droves. Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg has announced plans to cut Germany's 250,000-strong military to 185,000 in an effort to reduce spending and modernize. Millions barred from service Official statistics show that in 2009, there were 7.1 million foreigners living in Germany. Currently, only German citizens are allowed to serve in the German military, although there have been some exceptions in the past.

According to Moritz, "there have been only a few occasions in the past decades where a special clause was used to employ foreign residents in the national armed forces, when there was a need for specialists we just didn't have." "The latest statistics available show there has not been a single such case over the past four years." No decision has yet been made on the matter, Moritz said, adding that parliamentary approval and a constitutional amendment would still be needed if the military decided in favor of the measure. According to German government spokesman Steffen Seibert, Chancellor Angela Merkel had not yet given any thought to the matter. "We're looking at step one of many more to come in the decision process," Seibert said. Germany's 2.8 million Turkish citizens would still not be eligible to serve Opposition support Meanwhile on Monday, the opposition Social Democrats and the Greens appeared ready to throw their weight behind Defense Minister Guttenberg's proposal. Social Democrat Military Spokesman Hans-Peter Bartels told German daily Die Welt, however, that allowing people from countries with compulsory military service could lead to complications. In particular, having Turkish citizens serve Germany's new career army could cause spats with Turkey unless the two countries signed a special agreement.

Germany's largest foreign population consists of its nearly 3 million Turkish residents. Green Defense Spokesperson Omid Nouripour told the newspaper, meanwhile, that he supported the proposal when it came to "people whose lives are centered in Germany." However, he told Die Welt, soldiers should not be accepted from Iraq or other countries in military crisis, saying the Bundeswehr would then "turn into a mercenary army that would have nothing to do with the state monopoly on legitimate use of force." Nouripour's point appeared moot, as accepting soldiers from such countries was not on the table to begin with, according to Moritz. Reliance on short-term volunteers The military draft for young German men effectively comes to an end in March, from which point on the army will rely on short-term contractual soldiers. The government expects 15,000 of all its troops to fall into this category in the future. Daycare and better pension plans are designed to lure new soldiers Meanwhile, the armed forces are worried that they may be unable to attract enough career soldiers to make up the remaining 170,000 personnel needed and are keen to tap into new potential.

Another way to attract recruits is to make the services more family friendly, with more child-care services. In addition, sabbatical programs for service personnel as well as internships and university placements are planned. It would also be easier for soldiers moving to the private sector to take pension entitlements with them. According to Guttenberg, the reforms will make the armed forces more efficient and better able to serve in overseas missions. Author: Hardy Graupner / dl Hands Off the Bundeswehr: The Path Forward for the German Army - SPIEGEL ONLINE Hands Off the Bundeswehr: The Path Forward for the German Army Hands Off the Bundeswehr The Path Forward for the German Army The German government is currently considering how to reform the German armed forces, with the country's defense minister even talking about abolishing conscription. Former Defense Minister Volker Rühe and retired Vice Admiral Ulrich Weisser argue that the Bundeswehr must remain strong if Germany is to fulfill its obligations to its allies. Christian Thiel/DER SPIEGEL The Franco-German Brigade is an example of how Europe can integrate its armed forces, something that is urgently required, according to Volker Rühe and Ulrich Weisser.

A Guest Commentary by Volker Rühe and Ulrich Weisser July 29, 2010 04:30 PM Retooling the German Military Retooling the German Military By Samuel C. Baxter As Berlin grows into a central role in global politics, its military is carefully following suit. Is this a welcome change? Want to visit the most popular nation on Earth? A longtime center of art and music? A place to take your children to see actual storybook castles? Cities with a mix of the medieval and ultramodern? Look no further than Germany. A BBC World Service poll found that Deutschland is the most favorably viewed nation in the world. Of 26,000 people surveyed across 25 countries, 59 percent felt that the European nation has a constructive influence upon the globe. For perspective, Canada and the United Kingdom held the number two and three slots, each with 55 percent. Iran trailed the pack with only 15 percent responding that it had a “mostly positive” impact on the world.

BBC summarized the findings for Germany: “Who can doubt that there’ll be a little more spring in the step of Chancellor [Angela] Merkel because of what the poll reveals about attitudes to Germany? “After a year when she has been depicted offensively on placards in a Nazi uniform, in protests from Athens to Madrid, it turns out that many admire the country. “And in surprising places. In Spain, the recipient of a bailout with tight German strings attached, 68% said they felt Germany had ‘a mainly positive influence in the world.’ “In Britain, it was even higher at 78%. In France 81%—the poll indicates that four in every five French people look over the border with approval! “Only Greece maintains its Germanophobia, with 52% giving a negative rating.” Yet positive sentiments toward Berlin exist outside of Europe as well. BBC continued: “Ghanaians, for example, have a very favourable attitude toward Germany, with 84% approving. Germany has a very active trade presence in Ghana.” This research is yet another feather in the cap for Deutschland.

While most world economies foundered in 2010, it grew at its fastest pace since reunification in 1990. Its stalwart manufacturing presence and penchant for frugality has made Berlin virtually the only voice that matters for European Union debt issues. The title of a Montreal Gazette article summed up the situation: “Germany in Driver’s Seat Handling Europe Debt Crisis.” This newfound power is a source of unease for some Germans. Der Spiegel translated the center-left paper Suddeutsche Zeitung: “Germany stands where it never wanted to stand again after 1945: as the dominant power in the middle of Europe. Its attempts to achieve this with cannons and tanks in the 20th century ended in apocalypses of blood and fire, but that’s precisely why that Germany no longer exists.” But Berlin’s political clout has naturally led to a greater need for a modernized German military.

The New York Times quoted Germany’s defense minister Thomas de Maiziere: “For decades, we Germans have benefited from the fact that our partners gave us the feeling of reliable security…Now we are in a position and have the duty, even, to make our impact felt.” Yet there is a nagging question: Is there really a way to rev up the nation’s military machine without raising the specter of the past? Redefining “Bundeswehr” After 1945, West Germany did everything in its power to squelch any possibility of repeating the mistakes of World War II. The nation’s post-war constitution included provisions to limit the number of troops in the standing defense force. Also, Bundeswehr, the nation’s federal defense force, could not be used inside of Germany’s borders or anywhere Adolf Hitler’s Wehrmacht had previously occupied. The New York Times described what these stipulations meant: “This translates into a de facto exclusion zone ranging from the Atlantic to Moscow and from Northern Norway to Northern Africa. Add to this Germany’s delicate relationship with Israel and its colonial past and you end up excluding the Middle East and most of Africa as well.” Slowly, these strict constitutional laws have been softened.

Yet, by the 2000s, the lack of actual combat experience—as well as costly and unfruitful weapons research programs, a labyrinth of bureaucratic red tape, and unrealistic rules of engagement—made the need for substantial military reform a necessity. Changes began in 2011, when the Bundeswehr moved from conscription, where eligible 18-year-old males were required to serve, to solely volunteer forces. Deutsche Welle described the overall plan: “The goal of the restructuring is that the Bundeswehr will remain to get the soldiers prepared for their new array of challenges. That includes aid in areas of catastrophe, fighting international terrorists, evacuation of German citizens and international employment as part of EU or UN missions—a new focus that requires a restructuring of the troops into smaller, more flexible and better trained units.” Notably, the changes mean a significant shift from being solely defensive to an intervention force. German brass wants a Bundeswehr capable of handling two concurrent missions abroad. “Thorn of War” While constitutional changes mean Germany’s armed forces can more readily be deployed, another substantial hurdle stands in the way of its citizens backing a fully active military: psychological scars.

The horrors of Auschwitz and Dachau still play out in the minds of many Germans each time its troops take up arms. This fact becomes abundantly clear when one visits the Bundeswehr Military History Museum in Dresden. Der Spiegel described the underlying architectural message of the structure: “There is a wedge sticking out of the building, one as brutal as the thorn of war in the German psyche. The gigantic wedge, made of steel and glass, passes through the sandstone facade of the old arsenal building in Dresden, like a projectile that has penetrated a soldier’s chest, or like the phalanx of British bombers that laid waste to Dresden on Feb. 13, 1945.” Germany’s “thorn of war” makes this museum unique in the world. The magazine continued: “In other countries, military museums showcase superior technology and heroic victories, as if to say: Look at what heroes we are! But how can Germany recount its military history, a history it’s ashamed of? It’s about defeat and guilt. ‘We are not trying to make sense of it,’ says Colonel Matthias Rogg, the director of the Dresden museum.

‘Instead, we ask questions.’” Dresden’s official website further describes the museum: “Distancing itself from the usual presentations of military history, the new museum concept turns instead to the causes and consequences of war and violence. The focus is placed on the human component, on all the fears, hopes, passion, memories and aspirations, and on factors such as courage, reason and aggression, because it is only possible to understand war if its depiction can be based on human nature.” Berlin’s stomach for military campaigns has both ebbed and flowed in recent years. Der Spiegel continued: “Bosnia marked the beginning of a long path to normalization that Germany has followed since the end of the Cold War. Today, the Bundeswehr is involved in 11 missions that have been approved by the parliament. Some 6,540 soldiers are currently deployed on foreign missions in the Balkans, Afghanistan and the Horn of Africa. ‘The mentality of Germans has changed when it comes to the use of military force,’ says Defense Minister Thomas de Maiziere. ‘We’ve come a long way in this respect.’” Even when the Bundeswehr is deployed, it is often criticized by Western nations for its inactivity.

German troops in Afghanistan mostly stay in the north (away from the heat of the battle) and have taken an advisory role in Mali, allowing the French to take the lead. What’s in a Name? In an effort to distance itself from the Wehrmacht, the Bundeswehr traces its roots back to the Prussian military reformers of the early 1800s. Yet leapfrogging two world wars to draw military inspiration does not whitewash the severe side of its national character. Tracing back through the centuries reveals a continuous pattern: periods of artistic, intellectual and economic advancement followed by a sudden shift to warfare and strife. This Jekyll-and-Hyde act has perplexed both Germans and non-Germans alike. German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe wrote, “I have often felt a bitter pain at the thought that the German people, so honourable as individuals, should be so miserable as a whole” (The Life and Works of Goethe). Another native, biographer Emil Ludwig, said in The Germans: Double History of a Nation: “The Romans no more than the Franks or the Italians—indeed, not a single neighbor of the Germans—could ever trust the Germans to remain peaceable.

No matter how happy their condition, their restless passion would urge them on to ever more extreme demands.” British filmmakers Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger mused on the dual nature of Germans in their 1943 film “The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp.” One character, seeing WWI German officers in a prisoner-of-war camp quietly listening to orchestral music, observed: “I was thinking, how odd they are, queer. For years and years they are writing and dreaming of beautiful music and beautiful poetry. All of a sudden they start a war: they sink undefended ships, shoot innocent hostages, and bomb and destroy whole streets in London, killing little children. And then they sit down in the same butcher’s uniform and listen to Mendelssohn and Schubert.” For the ingenious and congenial Germans, the thorn of war seems forever buried in its national psyche. In fact, war has been a defining characteristic for this people throughout history.

Julius Caesar was the first to label the disunited tribes north of Italy “Germani.” Many etymology dictionaries trace the word “Germani” to Gaulish origins, claiming it means “neighbor” or “to cry” as in, “one who shouts in battle.” Others note that the most used weapon of these peoples was the spear, and attest that the term comes from the Old High German word for spear, “ger,” which put together means “spear-man.” The book Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary promotes the idea that Germani is probably from the Old High German heri-man, which literally means “army-man.” Put together, these definitions paint a picture of Germany: a neighboring nation who shouts in battle and wields spears. It is a country filled with army-men—or, more simply, war-men. None of these northern tribes used “Germani” to describe themselves. Instead they preferred either Teuton or Deutsch, which both generally mean “people.” While these tribes—such as the Vandals, Heruli and Ostrogoths—did not want to be known as war-men, the name proved apropos.

The Heruli were the ones who sacked Rome and brought the end of the Roman Empire in AD 476. Today, the dual names remain. Many still use a modernized version of Germani to describe the European nation, yet it refers to itself as Deutschland. Distant Past With war being a chief characteristic of the Teutonic peoples during the Roman Empire, how far back can this defining trait be traced? British lexicographer Sir William Smith (1813-1893) described the early Germans “as a people of high stature and of great bodily strength, with fair complexions, blue eyes, and yellow or red hair [the Celts were likely living among them at the time]…their chief offensive weapon was the framea, a long spear with a narrow iron point…” He continues, “Their men found their chief delight in the perils and excitement of war. In peace they passed their lives in listless indolence, only varied by deep gaming and excessive drinking.” Most historians believe the Germans originated in Europe along the Baltic Sea but are unclear as to where the people derive their ancient roots.

Smith reveals a clue to their origin: “The Germans regarded themselves as indigenous in the country; but there can be no doubt that they were a branch of the great Indo-Germanic race, who, along with the Celts, migrated into Europe from the Caucasus and the countries around the Black and Caspian seas [modern-day Turkey], at a period long anterior to historical records.” Anthropologist Sir Leonard Woolley records in his book The Sumerians a strikingly similar tribe living in the same region: “To the north and east of them, in the Zagros hills and across the plain to the Tigris, there lived a people of very different stock, fair-haired and speaking a ‘Caucasian’ tongue, a hill-people akin to the Guti…” (Some historians equate the Guti with the Goths.) Woolley continues by stating that after an attempt to take over the Tigris River valley, they “remained in what was afterwards Assyria…” British ethnologist James Cowl Prichard found that the Greek historian Strabo recorded the same people living south of the Black Sea, whom he labeled the Cappadocians.

“‘The Cappadocians,’ [Strabo] says, ‘of both nations,’ meaning the people dwelling on Mount Taurus under that name, as well as the Cappadocians near Pontus, ‘are termed to the present day Leuco-Syri, or White Syrians, by which term they are distinguished from other Syrians, who are of swarthy complexion [darker skin], dwelling to the southward of Mount Taurus.’” Greek historian Apollonius called these people Assyrians, saying that they lived near the Halys River (modern-day Kizilirmak River), just south of the Black Sea. Recognizable Pattern Many refuse to consider the Assyria-German connection. Instead, they choose to associate this label with different peoples who inhabited the same areas, but in different time periods. Yet comparing ancient Assyria with the modern Germans reveals numerous and uncanny similarities. The Assyrians were skilled musicians. Carl Engel’s The Music of the Most Ancient Nations points out that their music “appears to have attained to a degree of perfection which it could have reached only after a long period of cultivation.” Who better epitomizes perfection in music than the likes of Bach, Beethoven and Brahms?

They excelled at engineering. The Dictionary of the Ancient Near East states, “Assyrians excelled in road construction and maintenance. Their provincial system was built on good communication, and good roads enabled the Assyrian high command to send infantry and cavalry over long distances to promote stability or conquer new territories.” Among innumerable examples, Germany’s world-famous Autobahn is an engineering marvel. They were a hearty and obstinate people. The book Ancient Mesopotamia: Portrait of a Dead Civilization reveals, “In Assyria there was a strong sense of participating in a common and native way of life which repeatedly proved persistent enough to survive military defeats and foreign domination.” Germany’s accelerated recoveries after both world wars illustrate this connection.

The chief similarity between Assyria and modern Teutonic peoples, however, is an excellence in war: The 1911 edition of Encyclopaedia Britannica states: “The Assyrian forces became a standing army, which, by successive improvements and careful discipline, was moulded into an irresistible fighting machine, and Assyrian policy was directed towards the definite object of reducing the whole civilized world into a single empire and thereby throwing its trade and wealth into Assyrian hands.” Note the phrase “irresistible fighting machine” aimed at “reducing the whole civilized world into a single empire.” James McCabe’s The Pictorial History of the World thoroughly describes the Assyrians, revealing more similarities to the modern Germans. They were “a fierce, treacherous race, delighting in the dangers of the chase in war. The Assyrian troops were notably among the most formidable of ancient warriors…” “They never kept faith when it was to their interest to break treaties, and were regarded with suspicion by their neighbors in consequence of this characteristic” (ibid.). In 1939, Nazi Germany entered into a non-aggression treaty with Soviet Russia—WWII began a month later.

Also, Poland had a similar pact with Germany when it was invaded by Hitler’s army. “In the organization and equipment of their troops, and in their system of attack and defence and their method of reducing fortified places, the Assyrians manifested a superiority to the nations by which they were surrounded” (ibid.). The design and engineering of German tanks and aircraft surpassed the allied troops in WWII. They pioneered rockets and the jet engine. Today, they continue to be on the front edge of weapons technology. In the book The Course of Civilization Volume I, Joseph Strayer describes Assyria: “They enforced their rule by a deliberate policy of frightfulness, enslaving and deporting whole peoples, and torturing and killing thousands of captives.” This statement could have easily been written about Germany in the early 1940s. With such a deep-seated military culture, is modern Germany truly doomed to forever carry with them the scourge of war? “He Means Not So” Further history of the Assyrian people can be found in the Bible. The book of Genesis records Asshur, father of the Assyrians, in the list of Noah’s descendants ( Gen. 10:22 ). Throughout the Old Testament, the Assyrians repeatedly clashed with Israel.

(For example, read I Kings 15:29 , II Kings 15:19-20 , I Chronicles 5:6 , and II Chronicles 33:11 .) Yet the Bible also addresses the dual nature of the Germanic peoples. In the book of Isaiah, the Assyrian national psyche is laid bare. Chapter 10 states: “For he [the Assyrian nation] says, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent” ( vs. 13 ). Assyria and Germany have a long list of successes and accomplishments, which has led to an ingrained nationalistic pride. (Interestingly, the Hebrew root word for “Asshur” means success.) Look at Germany today: it is strong enough to carry Europe, and other nations come to it for answers because of its financial prudence.

The account in Isaiah 10 reveals the nation’s love for war and tendency to conquer surrounding lands: “…I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man: and my hand has found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathers eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth…” ( vs. 13-14 ). When an average German is asked, however, this definition is far from what he thinks of himself. Notice verse 7 : “Howbeit he means not so, neither does his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few.” Despite a lengthy historical track record written in blood, Germany “means not so, neither does [its] heart think so.” But the Bible ultimately does not condemn the nation. Actually, far from it! A New Start Imagine if Germany could finally overcome its thorn of war. No more would conflict hamper the talents or ingenuity of its people. No more would the nation have to rebuild after each conflict. Its scientists, inventors, thinkers and artists could solely focus on peaceful endeavors. Yes, war has produced useful commodities.

World War II created the jet engine used in air travel today. Also, the men who designed the Nazi’s terror-inducing V2 rocket later were instrumental in putting an American on the moon. But imagine the far greater achievements possible without war! With the Bundeswehr speeding toward a place among other world-class militaries, however, that time is not now. Before Germany can shake its warlike nature, it must first learn some hard lessons. It must lay aside its deeply ingrained pride and stubbornness. To finally be at peace, it must go through one last cycle of wartime ramp-up followed by a humbling setback ( Zech. 10:11 ). A great message of the Bible regards God ruling all nations of Earth and abolishing warfare. This means all nations will be able to focus solely on constructive and productive projects. Notice: “And He [God] shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” ( Isa. 2:4 ).

While Germany enjoys a fleeting popularity now, it will soon hold a place as one of the world’s foremost nations. Isaiah 19:24-25 states: “In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria”—one of the three most prominent nations!—“even a blessing in the midst of the land: whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance.” At that time, the thorn of war will be forever removed from Germany! For more on what the Bible says about the end to global conflict, read David C. Pack’s astonishing booklet How World Peace Will Come! More on this Subject:

Question: What nation ended conscription to its Bundeswehr in 2011?
Answer: Germany