State defense: Division for Homeland Protection – Gauck: “Mental change now”

Applications of the homeland protection division: Old Federal President Joachim Gauck has called for a determined defense of the democratic order against possible enemies in Berlin. “Now the time is for attitude of determination, defense, responsibility. And this attitude must come from the middle of society and be supported by it,” said Gauck when the new large association in the Julius-Leber barracks in Berlin.

The soldiers of the homeland protection division – initially around 6,000 men and women – should protect infrastructure, secure a troop march of allies and provide administrative assistance in the event of disasters. Because of the changed security situation after the Russian attack on Ukraine, the home protection has become more important and should be reinforced.

So far, the army has three divisions, around 20,000 men and women each. It is the 1st and the 10th Panzer Division and the Division Fast Powers (DSK), in which the light and highly movable infantry is summarized – together the so -called field army. The fourth large association is now added to the home protection.

The tasks of the homeland are diverse

“The term home protection describes the protection and defense of its own state.

The Homeland Security Division of the Bundeswehr represents “an independent structure in the army”. And: “Your operating room is only the German territory. While the Feldheer operates primarily on the NATO-East flank in the event of defense, the homeland protection division within Germany remains active.”

The security situation in Europe has been tense against Ukraine since the Russian major attack. Sabotage campaigns against the Bundeswehr and suspicious drone flights about military facilities, ports and industrial plants are considered a visible sign of an increasing threat. Military experts warn that they could also serve to prepare attacks.

General: Now set the right course

The constellation appeal is “an important signal for the protection of our homeland,” said the deputy general inspector, Lieutenant General Andreas Hoppe, in the barracks. “He falls particularly important at a time when this protection of everything that is and expensive.

Gauck criticized the long hesitant structure of new defense capacities as well as basic assumptions of German foreign and security policy, which were “error” for too long. He demanded: “Change of mentality now”.

Even after the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014, German politics had captured the “efforts to affect partnership with an increasingly aggressive Russia”. Gauck said: “Today we see that we followed a seductive illusion”. The compulsory military service was suspended, reserves were dissolved and skills were reduced.

Gauck demands “armed peacefulness”

Gauck said: “The idea that threats could be warded off by well -meaning intentions, by trading and diplomatic efforts alone, was a dangerous misjudgment.”

A fundamental and permanent change of mentality, more realism, is also required for the nature of the threats that are becoming increasingly complex. He spoke of an “armed peace”.

Europe must recognize that security is “not a service that others provide for us, but a task that we have to perform”. Gauck said: “We have to perceive more seriously how unscrupulous and destructive the opponents of freedom are and how vulnerable our modern societies are towards them, how vulnerable our liberal democracies are.”