A senior regional government official in North Rhine-Westphalia, Mona Neubaur, has expressed support for the Bundeswehr, Germany’s military, to have a stronger presence in schools. In an interview with the Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung, Neubaur, the Minister of Economy, emphasized the importance of soldiers engaging in conversations with young people to explain the role of the Bundeswehr in the world and the security it provides.
Neubaur stressed that schools are not the right place for recruitment, but rather for educating and informing young people about the Bundeswehr’s role in the world. She believes that the military should be more visible in society, engaging in discussions and ceremonies and receiving the respect and gratitude of the public.
The controversy surrounding the Bundeswehr’s presence in schools, particularly among the Green party, has subsided in recent years, with the Russian invasion of Ukraine changing the perspective of many politicians, including Neubaur. The regional government has allowed soldiers to visit schools since 2019, with the goal of providing information on global conflict prevention and crisis management, while ensuring that recruitment is not a part of these visits.
Neubaur’s public support for the Bundeswehr’s school visits may help to reduce the hesitation of some teachers and schools to invite soldiers, potentially increasing the visibility of the military in the region’s educational institutions.