Are Germany’s armed forces prepared for the challenges of the future? | DW Documentary

Key Concepts:

• Bundeswehr: German armed forces.
• Zeitenwende: Historical turning point in German military policy.
• NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
• GDP: Gross Domestic Product.
• Reservisten: Reservists.
• Fall X: Hypothetical defense scenario.

Bundeswehr Origins and Purpose:

The Bundeswehr was founded in 1955 with a primary focus on defending German territory. Its design was strictly for defensive purposes, aligning with Germany's role as a NATO member. The core mission was to protect Germany in the event of an attack on any NATO member state.

Zeitenwende and Increased Military Spending:

Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 prompted Germany to declare a "Zeitenwende," marking a significant shift in its military policy. As part of this shift, Germany significantly increased its military spending. In 2024, the defense budget was set at 90 billion Euros. The goal is to reach the NATO target of spending 2% of Germany's GDP on defense and security.

Challenges in Implementation and Readiness:

Despite the increased budget and efforts to strengthen military infrastructure, challenges remain in implementation timelines and overall combat readiness. There are concerns even within the Bundeswehr about the current state of preparedness.

Reservist Capacity Concerns:

The speaker expresses concern about the number of reservists available and their readiness for a hypothetical defense scenario ("Fall X"). The speaker states that with the current number of around 200,000 active personnel, Germany would "definitely not be able to" defend itself adequately in such a scenario. ("Ich kann nicht sagen, wie viele Reservisten wir haben, die wir wer fähig haben, dass wenn es zum Fall X kommt, dass wir dann letztendlich wirklich auch uns verteidigen können, aber mit denen 200 und ein paar ta000 werden wir es halt definitiv nicht schaffen können, Ja.")

Conclusion:

Germany's military policy has undergone a significant shift ("Zeitenwende") in response to the changing geopolitical landscape. While increased military spending is a positive step, challenges persist in achieving full combat readiness, particularly concerning the number and preparedness of reservists. The current active personnel numbers are deemed insufficient for a major defense scenario.