The German Federal Armed Forces (Bundeswehr) are significantly increasing their presence in schools across the country, according to information released by the Ministry of Defence in response to a parliamentary inquiry from the Left party (Die Linke). Reports in the German press network “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland” detail a marked rise in outreach events aimed at students.
In 2020, Bundeswehr officers engaged with students in secondary level I (lower secondary) schools on 983 occasions. This figure jumped to 2,356 in the following year and already totals 777 engagements through the first quarter of this year, projecting to an estimated 3,108 events for the entire year.
Similar growth is observed with students in secondary level II (upper secondary) schools, with 1,017 engagements in 2020 increasing to 2,086 last year. Preliminary figures for the first quarter of this year show 706 events, suggesting a potential annual total of 2,824.
Nicole Gohlke, Deputy Chair of the Left party parliamentary group, has voiced concerns regarding this growing presence. She argues that the increased outreach efforts represent an attempt to improve the military’s image and proactively recruit young people, potentially including minors, rather than an effort towards genuine educational outreach.
Gohlke emphasized that the Bundeswehr’s role in peace policy is not neutral and expressed concern that the focus on recruitment diverts resources from critical areas like education equity. She advocated for greater investment in opportunities for young people, rather than what she described as “military propaganda” within the classroom.