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Between 1956 and 2011, Germany conscripted men subject to mandatory military service (German: Wehrpflicht, German: [ˈveːɐ̯ˌp͡flɪçt] ). After a proposal on 22 November 2010 by Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, the German Minister of Defence at the time, Germany put conscription into abeyance on 1 July 2011.[1][2] While the German constitution retains the legal instruments for reintroducing conscription in Germany, currently only men over 18 years of age can be conscripted whilst women cannot under any circumstance (auf keinen Fall) be required to "serve with a weapon" (Dienst mit der Waffe).[a] [4][5]
The constitution (called Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany)[4][5] and several special laws (e.g., Wehrpflichtgesetz[6]) regulate these duties and exceptions. In the last year of active conscription, men were obliged to either (1) serve six months in the military, which they could refuse, or alternatively (2) complete a civilian or honorary service of at least six months in a civil defence organisation. Families of those who were victims of or oppressed by the Nazi regime (predominantly Jews) were exempted from conscription, although some volunteered to serve.[7]
From 2025, 400,000 German men who have reached the age of 18 will have to complete a mandatory questionnaire. Male questionnaire recipients must provide information about their motivation for military service, and 40,000 men will then be compelled to attend a muster. While military service itself will continue to be on a voluntary basis, the government hopes to recruit at least 5,000 additional German citizens of all genders for military service each year in this manner.[8][9] The participation of women and other genders in equality to men,[a] as regulated by the Self-Determination Act from 1 November 2024,[10] will remain a subject of discussion from 2024 but requires a change to the constitution.[11][12][13]
- ^ "Wehrpflicht wird zum 1. Juli 2011 ausgesetzt". Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (in German). 22 November 2010. Archived from the original on 24 November 2010. Retrieved 22 November 2010.
- ^ "German army 'to suspend' conscription in 2011". BBC News. 22 November 2010. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
- ^ "Diversity in the Bundeswehr". Bundeswehr. 2023. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
gg22was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
gg22-wswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Wehrpflichtgesetz (WPflG) in der Fassung der Bekanntmachung vom 15. August 2011 (BGBl. I S. 1730), das zuletzt durch Artikel 2 des Gesetzes vom 20. Dezember 2023 (BGBl. 2023 I Nr. 392) geändert worden ist" (in German). Berlin: Federal Republic of Germany. 20 December 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
- ^ "Jews in the Bundeswehr". Deutsche Welle. 7 January 2007. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
- ^ Metzger, Nils; Stoll, Ulrich; Strompen, Michael (16 July 2024). "Bedingt abwehrbereit" [Conditionally Ready for Defence]. ZDF (in German). Retrieved 1 October 2024.
- ^ "Pistorius will neuen Wehrdienst mit 'Pflichtanteil' – 18-Jährige sollen Fragebogen ausfüllen" [Pistorius wants new Military Service with 'Compulsory Component' – 18-year-olds to complete Questionnaires]. Deutschlandradio (in German). 12 June 2024. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
- ^ "§ 9 Zuordnung zum männlichen Geschlecht im Spannungs- und Verteidigungsfall" [§ 9 Assignment to the Male Gender during the Constitutional States of Tension and Defence]. buzer.de (in German). 19 June 2024. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
- ^ "Generalinspekteur will Wehrpflicht auch für Frauen" [Inspector General wants compulsory military service for women as well]. Tagesschau (in German). 4 July 2024. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
- ^ Rzepka, Dominik (12 June 2024). "So soll der neue Wehrdienst aussehen" [This is what the new military service is intended look like]. ZDF (in German). Retrieved 30 September 2024.
- ^ Sonnenberg, Ralf (29 June 2024). "Eine Wehrpflicht nur für Männer? Das 'verrät ein gewisses Potenzial an Menschenverachtung'" [Conscription only for men? This 'reveals a certain potential for contempt for humanity']. Berliner Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 30 August 2024.
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