In this article, you will learn what has been decided with the new military service law in Germany and how the right to conscientious objection can be exercised. We take a look at international perspectives on military service and conscientious objection and examine solidarity movements of the past as a counter-perspective to the German government's rearmament plans.
In 2011, compulsory military service was suspended in Germany. Since then, there has been a volunteer army. In voluntary military service, the monthly income currently ranges between around 1,800€ and 2,300€ gross. Under the new Military Service Act, pay will rise to 2,600€ gross from 2026. By comparison, the average training allowance in Germany in 2024 will be around 1,100€ gross per month. In future, the Bundeswehr will also reimburse part of the costs of obtaining a civilian car and truck driving licence if you commit to serving in the Bundeswehr for more than 12 months. These measures are part of the incentives provided for in the new Military Service Act to attract more young people to serve in the Bundeswehr. In addition to existing benefits, such as free rail travel (under certain conditions), these are advantages that other professional groups, such as nurses and educators, do not receive, even though their contribution to society is indispensable and there is already an acute shortage of young workers.
In case the incentives of the new Military Service Act are not sufficient to meet the government's armament goals through voluntary service, there is already a plan for "compulsory military service when needed". In theory, this can be decided by the Bundestag at any time. Young men would then be conscripted into military service by means of a random selection process. The reintroduction of universal conscription – as it was before 2011 – would also be possible through a Bundestag decision. Conscription is still enshrined in the German constitution. However, this will not be necessary for the time being under the new "conscription on demand" system, as men can be conscripted anyway under the guise of voluntary service when "needed".
The Basic Law has guaranteed the right to conscientious objection since 1949.Art. 4 (3) GG: "No one shall be compelled to perform military service with arms against his conscience."This means that the right to conscientious objection is a constitutionally guaranteed individual right to freedom that continues to apply. In theory, this right also applies in wartime and cannot be suspended. However, individuals may be required to perform civilian military service instead. This includes compulsory service in infrastructure or civilian support units, but also compulsory employment in the arms industry.
Conscientious objection – how does it work? Here (external link, opens in a new window) you will find step-by-step instructions on how to apply to the DFG-VK.
The German Peace Society – United War Resisters (DFG-VK) is a pacifist organisation that campaigns for disarmament, non-violence and the abolition of the military and war. Founded in 1892 as the German Peace Society, it is the oldest organisation of its kind. Among other things, the DFG-VK supports conscientious objectors, criticises armament projects and organises campaigns against militarisation, arms exports and foreign deployments of the German Armed Forces.
In practice, conscientious objectors in the Federal Republic of Germany have had to go through a formalised application process for decades, in which they had to provide comprehensible reasons for their decision based on their conscience. Conscientious objection is not a simple administrative act, although it could be in terms of the constitution. Instead, applicants must explain in detail and personally justify why their conscience compels them to refuse military service. Political, moral, ethical, religious or humanitarian reasons are not sufficient grounds.Until 1983, so-called conscience examinations took place: personal hearings before special examination committees, during which applicants were questioned in detail.
From the mid-1980s onward, a written application for conscientious objection to military service was sufficient. You were exempted from military service and assigned to civilian service, which was carried out in social institutions such as hospitals, elderly care, and assistance for people with disabilities. A reintroduction of compulsory military service today would inevitably also entail the reintroduction of civilian service. Germany is currently suffering from a shortage of personnel in the social sector. One of the reasons for this is the inadequate pay in the affected professions. Structural change—such as improved wages in the care sector—is rather unlikely given the rapidly growing defense budget. Civilian service workers would temporarily compensate for this shortage of personnel. In this way, the government could continue its austerity policies in the already severely underfunded social sector at the expense of young people. However, this would not be a stable or long-term solution. Civilian service is time-limited. For this reason, new non-professional personnel would constantly have to be trained, preventing a sustainable, structural solution.
Conscientious objection is not just an individual decision of conscience.It is often also collective resistance against state war policy. Historically, conscientious objection movements have developed solidarity across borders in almost every major conflict in order to criticize the intentions of their own governments and end wars. These movements consisted largely of deserters. Deserters are people who leave military service without being officially discharged, often for moral or safety reasons. As so-called deserters, they usually risk severe penalties – up to and including the death penalty.
Generations of young people worldwide are have been shaped by insecurity and destabilized geopolitics. In light of recent decisions surrounding the new military service law, compulsory military service is a genuinely possible next step. But even then, the affected individuals’ room for action does not end. The right to conscientious objection is more relevant than ever. Past conflicts show that international cooperation and solidarity are needed in the struggle against state war policies. In Germany, too, there is a growing number of young people who are becoming vocal and active in opposing the reintroduction of compulsory military service and the curtailing of their futures.
Contribution & online editing by Ian Riess.This contribution is published under the terms of the Creative Commons license CC. Any image sources must be cited if they are also named here in the contribution.Share, use, or adapt this contribution for your educational work. Don’t forget to publish it under the same conditions and to mention LINX and the authors.
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