The German army is struggling to prepare General Z “ready for war”

As an independent formulation and journalist, Ole Nymoen admits that he enjoys freedom of expression and other democratic rights in his mother country in Germany.

But he does not want to die for them.

In a book published this week, Why will I not fight for my countryThe 27-year-old argues that ordinary people should not be sent to a battle on behalf of the nation-states and their rulers-even to repel the invasion. He told the Financial Times that the occupation by a foreign authority may lead to the life of “Gazz”. “But I prefer to be busy with the dead.”

NYMOEN, self -described Marxist, does not claim to represent the Z generation in Germany. But his position – and his amazing sincerity about that – collides with wider questions Europe because it reinforces it On an unprecedented scale since the end of the Cold War.

Berlin has poured nearly 100 billion euros in new equipment for Bundesoher, the German armed forces, since then Russia’s invasion of Ukraine In 2022, Frederich Mirz’s advisor announced plans to allow unlimited borrowing Defense spending boxes He also promised to do “everything it requires” to protect freedom and peace in Europe.

However, while these funds help bridge the gaps in weapons and equipment, one of the biggest problems is the workforce.

Germany Commissioner in Germany, Eva Higl, this week to caution The country was not closer to its goal of the presence of 203,000 active soldiers by 2031, as the total volume of the armed forces decreased slightly last year, partly due to a large number of dropouts. A quarter of 18,810 men and women who participated in 2023 left the armed forces within six months.

“This development must be stopped and reversed as a case of urgency,” Holege said.

A spokesman for Bundeswehr told FT that the army has taken steps to try to stop the flow of young recruits, including the period of notification to avoid decisions “at the last minute and emotional.”

But one of the senior army commanders said that the members of the generation Zi – who is famous in the business world for their efforts to reshape corporate culture – were also going to the armed forces with different ideas and expectations. He said: “People are weak, they cry easily.” “They talk about the balance between work and life.”

“I understand that,” the leader added. They grew up in a different time. It is not a bad perspective. But it does not coincide with a wartime situation. “

Since Europe has once calculated the fear of aggressive Russia, political and military leaders on the continent have greatly climbed their language about what they expect from the public.

Last year, Sir Patrick Sanders told the British people that the British people were part of the “pre -war generation”, which may have to prepare themselves to enter the fighting. In Germany, whose constitution for 1949 includes a commitment to promoting the peace of defense Boris Pisorius last year, it shocked by declaring that the nation should be “ready for war.”

Warnings have escalated since Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January and began pushing Ukraine to agree to the ceasefire, as well as threatening to withdraw the long American security guarantees to Europe. Donald Tusk, Poland Prime Minister, said last week that his country was preparing “military training on a large scale for every adult.”

Germany did not go to this extent. Senior officials of the Christian Democrats and Social Democrats, and the two parties of the next government are likely to revive traditional recruitment. Mirz prefers a year of national service that will provide military and non -military options.

However, the question remains to what extent does the inhabitants in Europe want to accept calls to join the armed forces in much larger numbers.

“The next step (the governments ask citizens to make) is a huge one-I want to fight for my country and I want to fight my children for my country.”

Baysh said that countries, including Germany, were lacking in this deep confidence and a common understanding of the threat between citizens and the government that was forged in places like Finland, which is famous for its decades’ focus on preparing for an attack from Russia.

Moreover, she added, in the worst scenario, most likely that young Germans will not be asked to fight for their country, but Latvia or another confrontation nation. “We have to ask ourselves about what the young Germans will be ready to fight for today. Is it Germany? Is it the European project?”

Since Ukraine’s invasion of Russia, Germany has been sharply rising in the number of conscience opponents (including ordinary soldiers and part -time reserves). The number reached 2,998 last year – up from 200 in 2021.

Claus Vester, of the German Peace Society – said that Malays, the United War, a group of campaign, said that many of them had carried out military service years ago, before the recruitment was canceled in 2011, then they were appointed as a reserve soldier. In previous years, which was not a difficult commitment. But today, against the current global background, “they see this decision in a completely different light.”

Christian Mwelg, the director of Europe at the Berttmameman Foundation, estimates that the numbers of German forces need to rise from 181,000 today to 270,000 in the coming years in order to reach NATO goals – and fill the remaining gaps if the American forces stationed in Europe withdraw.

This excludes the reserve forces, which are currently at 60,000, but defense officials said it should rise to 260,000.

Bundeswehr said that he needs to improve employment campaigns significantly to compete in the narrow and competitive labor market, in addition to making more effort to modernize the army and make it an attractive business owner.

“It cannot be a simulation, as you pretend to be a modern army,” he said. “You have to do it.”

But many young Germans may mainly oppose the idea of ​​registration. Last month, the federal elections resulted in two parties that oppose the armament of Ukraine-the far-right alternative to Germany, and Linke dies the left-nearly half of the votes between the ages of 18 and 24.

While a recent survey of Yougov reconnaissance devices has found that 58 percent of the Germans would support a return to recruitment, a third of those between the ages of 18 and 29 felt the same way.

NYMOEN, himself is a Link dies, suspects her race in the European race for re -deportation. He said everything is fine for European leaders who seem to be warriors. “The thing is that in the end, I will be in the trenches.”

Imagine data by Keith Fray