Compulsory military service in Germany: Answers to the most important questions

In view of the situation in Ukraine and the latest statements by US President Donald Trump and his government, the debate about a new edition of military service in Germany is revived. The Bundeswehr also has an eye on whether the future federal government makes the decision for a new military service and what prerequisites should be created. What are the concepts and where are the problems?

This year the army can train 2500 additional soldiers, again next year, says Harald Gante, Feldheer commander of the Bundeswehr. Then- according to the general- the existing infrastructure reaches its limits, and for a long time until new or conversions have been completed, the limiting factor becomes.

“The problem is not the trainers we have today, but the problem is the infrastructure. If I have no barracks, no beds, no companie buildings in which I can accommodate the soldiers, then I don’t have to set them at all,” says Gante.

It will not be enough to rely on voluntariness only during military service.

Gante also refers to the reserve, i.e. former soldiers who are now supposed to pursue a civil profession and to come for military training. “If we create the so -called double voluntariness there as a yardstick – that is, the employer and the person must agree to an exercise – it will not work,” he says. And: “All the additional tasks that we have to cope with today in the area of ​​Heimatschutz as well as the state and alliance defense will not work without significantly more staff- and you can only do that with conscripts.”

The compulsory military service in Germany under Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg (CSU) was suspended after 55 years. This was equivalent to abolition of military and community service, because at the same time practically all structures were dissolved for conscription.

Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) had submitted a bill for a new military service model. It would have been mandatory that young men should have given information about their willingness and ability to do military service. There was no support from the coalition of the SPD, Greens and FDP for a larger compulsory share.

CDU general secretary Carsten Linnemann and CSU state group leader Alexander Dobrindt campaigned for a mandatory social year before the Bundestag election, which can be carried out, for example, in the Bundeswehr, the fire brigade or the technical relief organization.

The restoration of the entire infrastructure with new or reactivated barracks, district military replacement offices and the entire administrative apparatus should be quite expensive and complex. Just like the provision of all equipment for military service providers – from underwear to weapons.

The former FDP chairman Christian Lindner categorically rejected conscription shortly before the election and warned of a “huge intervention in young people”.