The Bundeswehr is becoming more popular again among young people: Last year, almost 2,000 minors were recruited. Critics speak of a “militarization” of the youth.
Berlin – 22-year-old Tina Neumann usually posts on TikTok rather videos of her sports exercises, presents her skin care routine or recommends make-up tips and the perfect jeans to her followers. The influencer regularly reaches tens of thousands of users with her clips. For a few weeks now, however, her backdrops have no longer been the gym and bathroom, but barracks and military training grounds. “As a vegetarian at the armed forces?” is what she says in one of her videos, in which she suddenly wears a uniform and introduces the military canteen. There, she promises, you will be “well looked after”.
The young woman is spending a month with the Bundeswehr – not because she is pursuing a career there, but because she is doing advertising. The campaign is part of a new TikTok campaign called “Explorers – Roadtrip through the Bundeswehr”, in which the troops travel with influencers to attract new recruits. The TikTok stars show four weeks full of fun and adventure – with military helicopters, government jets, obstacle courses and in armored military vehicles. “Very interesting,” commented one of Neumann’s followers.
Bundeswehr struggles with recruitment problem: almost 2000 minors to be recruited in 2023
The German army has long been struggling with a problem of recruiting young people: the controversial Kosovo mission, the Afghanistan disaster, reports of inadequate equipment – the military has had an image problem for years. But with the war in Ukraine and the threat from Russia, the importance of the German army seems to have returned to the population. Career advisors are now increasingly targeting young people: with pop-up stores in pedestrian zones, YouTube channels, trade fair stands, social media campaigns and also Visits to schools.
And the concept is clearly bearing fruit: in the past five years, the Bundeswehr has recruited almost 8,000 minors. In 2023, it reached a new high: almost 2,000 young people under the age of 18 have started their service in the armed forces. With the consent of the Parents Voluntary service is permitted from the age of 17 – but they are not yet sent into action.
Video: More applicants to the Bundeswehr
The figures come from a response from the Federal Ministry of Defense to a query from the Left Party. The party is now sharply criticizing the situation: “The federal government seems to have completely given up on protecting minors from militarization,” says Left Party spokeswoman Nicole Gohlke. She particularly denounces the appearances of youth officers in schools. Schools must be politically neutral and safe places and political education must be independent and age-appropriate. “This deliberate and increasing recruitment of young people is unacceptable.”
According to the Ministry of Defense, 85 of 94 youth officer positions were filled in mid-July this year. Last year, they gave a total of 3,460 lectures at schools and universities, reaching around 90,000 pupils and students.
The youth officers are supposed to provide official information in schools about basic military and security policy issues and about Bundeswehr missions. The Ministry of Defense rejects the accusation of militarization with youth officers – they do not recruit young people, according to their annual report. The Bundeswehr’s career advisors are responsible for this issue.
Bundeswehr dispute in Bavaria: New law promotes cooperation between universities and the military
The cooperation between schools and the armed forces is currently a controversial issue, especially in Bavaria. A few days ago, the state parliament passed a controversial law on the armed forces, according to which universities and state schools should cooperate more closely with the military in the future. This is intended to make it easier for the armed forces to access research at universities and schools by working even more closely with youth officers.
The Education and Science Union (GEW) in Bavaria has announced that it will file a complaint against the law with the Constitutional Court. Youth officers do not only provide information on security policy, “but also promote military service with their appearance,” criticizes Mark Ellmann of the GEW. More than 13 percent of new recruits last year were under 18 years old, and a quarter of them come from Bavaria. (Kathrin Braun)
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