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Conscription in Germany
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Conscription in Germany
Between 1956 and 2011, Germany conscripted men subject to mandatory military service (German: Wehrpflicht, German: [ˈveːɐ̯ˌp͡flɪçt] ⓘ). After a proposal on 22 November 2010 by Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, the German Minister of Defence at the time, Germany put conscription into abeyance on 1 July 2011. While the German constitution retains the legal instruments for reintroducing conscription in Germany, currently only men over 18 years of age can be conscripted whilst women cannot under any circumstance (auf keinen Fall) be required to "serve with a weapon" (Dienst mit der Waffe).
The constitution (called Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany) and several special laws (e.g., Wehrpflichtgesetz) regulate these duties and exceptions. In the last year of active conscription, men were obliged to either (1) serve six months in the military, which they could refuse, or alternatively (2) complete an alternative civilian service of at least six months in hospitals, youth organisations, nursing homes, rescue services, emergency medical services, care of the disabled or a civil defence organisation. Families of those who were victims of or oppressed by the Nazi regime (predominantly Jews) were exempted from conscription, although some volunteered to serve.
Men who did not state that they were conscientious objectors and did not request civil service were by default conscripted into military service (Wehrdienst) in the Bundeswehr. Basic training (Allgemeine Grundausbildung) comprised three months of combat training, then three months' service at an assigned post. The conscript would normally reach the rank of Obergefreiter (NATO code OR-3, comparable to U.S. Army Private First Class). During his service, he received free health care, housing, food, and railway travel between his home and military base. Conscripts were paid between €9.41 and €10.95 per day of basic pay (depending on rank) plus several bonus payments such as distance-from-home pay, additional food pay for days absent from service.
Conscripts could not be deployed to active service in conflicts against their will. The German contributions to forces such as ISAF in Afghanistan and KFOR in Kosovo exclusively comprised professional soldiers and volunteers. Conscripts who wished to partake in such missions had to volunteer for it; this included volunteering for a service extension (because at the time compulsory service duration, nine months at the time, would not have sufficed for recruit training, post-specific training, mission-specific training, mission, and post-processing the mission put together).[citation needed]
Conscripts could also opt for a civilian substitute service, which was, by law, equal to military service, consisting mostly of medical ambulance organisations and organisations for disaster relief (Katastrophenschutz). This was subject to validation by local authorities, who usually were allowed a certain contingent of such volunteers per year of birth. Thus, organizations such as the Technical Relief Service (Technisches Hilfswerk, abbreviated to THW), volunteer fire services, and other emergency assistance and crisis management agencies such as the Red Cross were supported in performing their volunteer services in disaster response. In the ambulance services, their service could overlap with the service of conscientious objectors.
Conscripts that served in civil protection received no payment outside of compensations for clothing and transportation expenses, as they were performing an honorary service (ehrenamtlich).
The German constitution requires that conscientious objection be possible, and therefore conscripts were allowed to perform civilian alternative service (Zivildienst or Wehrersatzdienst). The conscientious objection had to be declared in a personal letter to the local branch (Kreiswehrersatzamt), with an appendix outlining one's moral objections. The branch then sent this appendix to the Federal Office for Civilian Service (Bundesamt für den Zivildienst) for approval or denial. From 1983, denial of conscientious objection claims was quite rare, but prior to 1983 the objector had to defend the validity of his claim before a committee at the draft office. These claims must have been directed against war and military service in general, without regard to the circumstances, and, if they were rejected (which was then a common outcome), the only legal recourse was to challenge the decision in administrative court. While the option of conscientious objection is required by law, in the past there were several hurdles in place to discourage it. Until 1983 conscientious objectors had to undergo a Gewissensprüfung (lit. 'conscience inspection'), an oral examination before a board that tried their motivations, which could decide to deny them conscientious objector status.
Those who objected had to perform civilian alternative service, lasting the same amount of time as military service, plus one additional month, during which they may have found employment with a civilian institution that renders a public service, such as a kindergarten, hospital, rehabilitation center or assisted living facility for the elderly. Alternative service could be more convenient than military service since the conscript could continue living at home rather than in military barracks.
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Conscription in Germany
Between 1956 and 2011, Germany conscripted men subject to mandatory military service (German: Wehrpflicht, German: [ˈveːɐ̯ˌp͡flɪçt] ⓘ). After a proposal on 22 November 2010 by Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, the German Minister of Defence at the time, Germany put conscription into abeyance on 1 July 2011. While the German constitution retains the legal instruments for reintroducing conscription in Germany, currently only men over 18 years of age can be conscripted whilst women cannot under any circumstance (auf keinen Fall) be required to "serve with a weapon" (Dienst mit der Waffe).
The constitution (called Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany) and several special laws (e.g., Wehrpflichtgesetz) regulate these duties and exceptions. In the last year of active conscription, men were obliged to either (1) serve six months in the military, which they could refuse, or alternatively (2) complete an alternative civilian service of at least six months in hospitals, youth organisations, nursing homes, rescue services, emergency medical services, care of the disabled or a civil defence organisation. Families of those who were victims of or oppressed by the Nazi regime (predominantly Jews) were exempted from conscription, although some volunteered to serve.
Men who did not state that they were conscientious objectors and did not request civil service were by default conscripted into military service (Wehrdienst) in the Bundeswehr. Basic training (Allgemeine Grundausbildung) comprised three months of combat training, then three months' service at an assigned post. The conscript would normally reach the rank of Obergefreiter (NATO code OR-3, comparable to U.S. Army Private First Class). During his service, he received free health care, housing, food, and railway travel between his home and military base. Conscripts were paid between €9.41 and €10.95 per day of basic pay (depending on rank) plus several bonus payments such as distance-from-home pay, additional food pay for days absent from service.
Conscripts could not be deployed to active service in conflicts against their will. The German contributions to forces such as ISAF in Afghanistan and KFOR in Kosovo exclusively comprised professional soldiers and volunteers. Conscripts who wished to partake in such missions had to volunteer for it; this included volunteering for a service extension (because at the time compulsory service duration, nine months at the time, would not have sufficed for recruit training, post-specific training, mission-specific training, mission, and post-processing the mission put together).[citation needed]
Conscripts could also opt for a civilian substitute service, which was, by law, equal to military service, consisting mostly of medical ambulance organisations and organisations for disaster relief (Katastrophenschutz). This was subject to validation by local authorities, who usually were allowed a certain contingent of such volunteers per year of birth. Thus, organizations such as the Technical Relief Service (Technisches Hilfswerk, abbreviated to THW), volunteer fire services, and other emergency assistance and crisis management agencies such as the Red Cross were supported in performing their volunteer services in disaster response. In the ambulance services, their service could overlap with the service of conscientious objectors.
Conscripts that served in civil protection received no payment outside of compensations for clothing and transportation expenses, as they were performing an honorary service (ehrenamtlich).
The German constitution requires that conscientious objection be possible, and therefore conscripts were allowed to perform civilian alternative service (Zivildienst or Wehrersatzdienst). The conscientious objection had to be declared in a personal letter to the local branch (Kreiswehrersatzamt), with an appendix outlining one's moral objections. The branch then sent this appendix to the Federal Office for Civilian Service (Bundesamt für den Zivildienst) for approval or denial. From 1983, denial of conscientious objection claims was quite rare, but prior to 1983 the objector had to defend the validity of his claim before a committee at the draft office. These claims must have been directed against war and military service in general, without regard to the circumstances, and, if they were rejected (which was then a common outcome), the only legal recourse was to challenge the decision in administrative court. While the option of conscientious objection is required by law, in the past there were several hurdles in place to discourage it. Until 1983 conscientious objectors had to undergo a Gewissensprüfung (lit. 'conscience inspection'), an oral examination before a board that tried their motivations, which could decide to deny them conscientious objector status.
Those who objected had to perform civilian alternative service, lasting the same amount of time as military service, plus one additional month, during which they may have found employment with a civilian institution that renders a public service, such as a kindergarten, hospital, rehabilitation center or assisted living facility for the elderly. Alternative service could be more convenient than military service since the conscript could continue living at home rather than in military barracks.