A surge in inquiries to organizations supporting conscientious objection is revealing a growing anxiety within German families regarding potential future conscription or mandatory service. Organizations like the Evangelical Working Group for Conscientious Objection and Peace (EAK) and the German Peace Society – United Conscientious Objectors (DFGVK) are reporting substantially increased contact rates, fueled primarily by the concerns of parents of minor children.
Dieter Junker, spokesperson for the EAK, confirmed to the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland that several hundred inquiries are received annually nationwide, with a marked increase observed this year. The inquiries span a range of individuals, including prospective conscripts, reservists, active military personnel and significantly, an escalating number of parents and grandparents. It’s the parents’ anxieties about the potential impact of renewed conscription on their children that are driving a noticeable proportion of the recent influx.
Michael Schulze von Glaßer, political director of the DFGVK, painted an even starker picture, describing the organization as being “overwhelmed” by requests. The DFGVK’s website traffic has exploded, climbing from 24,151 visits in May to over 125,000 in September. Crucially, a quarter of these website users are now identified as concerned parents, a demographic whose representation is steadily growing. This spike in digital engagement has also been accompanied by a small but significant rise in the organization’s membership.
The increased demand for advice and support highlights the sensitive political ground surrounding potential reforms to Germany’s defense policy. While discussions regarding bolstering military readiness and addressing personnel shortages are ongoing, the prospect of reintroducing mandatory service – and the worries it evokes in families – presents a complex challenge for policymakers. The influx suggests a deep-seated unease about the direction of German defense policy and a growing desire for avenues to explore conscientious objection beyond the current, limited options. This rising tide of parental concern could significantly shape the public debate and potentially influence the implementation of any future conscription-related legislation.