German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, a member of the Christian Democratic Union, has spoken positively about his time in the German military, the Bundeswehr, amid a debate on strengthening the armed forces and reintroducing conscription. In an interview with “Bild am Sonntag”, Merz reflected on his service in the mid-1970s, stating that he has “good memories of my time in the Bundeswehr”.
The Chancellor described the camaraderie among his fellow soldiers as “great”, saying it had a unifying effect. He also mentioned the sense of purpose, feeling that they were contributing to a larger whole and that this gave them a sense of security. Notably, Merz is the first Chancellor to have served in the Bundeswehr as a conscript.
According to the “Bild am Sonntag”, citing a government spokesperson, Merz’s military service took place from July 1, 1975, to September 30, 1976, at various Bundeswehr bases in Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Warendorf, Kusel and Dülmen. During this time, he was trained as a tank artilleryman and operated the 190 field howitzer, later the M109 tank howitzer. His highest rank was Fahnenjunker, a junior officer’s rank.