Top story were following for you here today at the w. News reports say that Service PresidentOmar Al Bashir has stepped down after thirty years of rule thousands of protesters against him have been gathering outside Party Headquarters state media announced that a statement by the military is imminent. Coming up next we have a documentary film for you germanys military the question being what will become of the bun is found and more still to come here. Heres whats coming up for the book going to sleep you have plenty to talk about here one day theyll be you know its cut take a look at what all that means for the table of course. The bundesliga every
weekend here on t. W. The despair is in a crisis understaffed overworked and ill equipped the soldiers are frustrated. As were talking to soldiers sometimes feel like the cinderella of the nation to be. The bone despair has been shaken by repeated scandals officers abuse their power and right wing activities among the soldiers are not reported the. Defense minister. Is under pressure. Like one. Because the german army lost its sense of direction. Good job with good morning squad. Eyes front at ease
a little as. Hardly any other publicly funded institution costs germany so much but has as many problems as the despair. The government needs to ask itself what kind of armed forces it wants. Hons pay to buffalos is the parliamentary commissioner for the armed forces in a report to parliament he sharply criticized the budget cuts and poor management of the past years and described troops as stretched to their limits well yeah conditions for soldiers have become difficult there are too many shortages they dont have enough comrades if you meaning personnel get they have to do the work of three people. Theres not enough equipment essential Training Programs cant be provided and currently were in the midst of a Reorientation Process in terms of the purpose of the bundeswehr this. Because
they want to. What is the purpose of the buddhist their National Defense or Combat Missions abroad. German troops have been taking part in International Missions for more than twenty five years now for the past six years in mali in Western Africa its currently one of the bull despairs most dangerous deployments although the german soldiers in mali have no combat role. Going on there are calls for the blue despair to take on more and more responsibilities around the globe. Germany currently has soldiers on fifteen Foreign Missions from afghanistan to the baltic to mali. And. Since the end of conscription in germany the need for young recruits has. Lone
along with many new tasks and overseas missions make the soldiers jobs more dangerous but soldiers dont make much money despite their growing Duty Bachmann says they could earn more in the private sector. Then if the economy continues to expand financial incentives to join the blenders fair wont suffice if anything can attract young people it has to be that its a good thing to be a soldier for eight or twelve years with a good chance of getting another interesting job afterwards. Thats what we have to work on. And it. The bundeswehr has an Image Problem but instead of Launching Advertising and recruitment campaigns that would broadly appeal it promises adventure and extreme experiences. Must get ready to discover your strengths. To get ready to go to your limit. To get ready for real responsibility. Do what really counts as from. The annual republican conference in berlin attracts thousands of young people interested in Digital Media in twenty eighteen the bundesbank made an attempt to connect here. With. Major marcel born out took part in a number of Foreign Missions first in kosovo then in afghanistan now hes tasked with recruiting a new generation of soldiers he and his team hope to meet the kind of people here that they would like to hire but the republican refused to give the blue despair its own stand at the convention one at is used to this attitude. To be one of the small justification was straightforward no uniforms at the republican and since the republican claims to want to pop the filter bubbles we say ok rainbow colors also include green which is why we should be here even if uniforms are not allowed in
and we want to join in the discussion so well do it outside the hall. The room to spare wants to address and recruit highly motivated and well educated Men And Women. And awkward topic for the republican organizers. When this we can buy tickets here and take part in the discussion but they want to be sponsored they want to exhibit themselves they want to do recruiting and we say thats not what the republicans for the bundeswehr can do that elsewhere. But not here im not going to buy one for. A few peace activists started a spontaneous counter action. Ok thats damage to property and thats a criminal offense. Its not like maybe so but this is a public space and this discourse clearly has a lot of money behind it look we can have a discussion no problem but id ask you not to damage the poster was the question
if a republican there was little interest in an exchange of views with soldiers that is a growing problem for the. Me i was scared to turn to you could say that the bun despair is gradually becoming separated from society that has to do with the end of conscription and the fact that Troop Numbers have been going down for years we have vanished from public view by closing down garrisons and were involved in missions abroad that take place without most of society being aware of them or interested in them so we have this tendency and its dangerous because we should be in the midst of society we need backing and inclusion in society we want to be part of it. Because theres also envoy. The distance between soldiers and the rest of society can be seen most clearly in the treatment of veterans of Foreign Missions. This barracks in potsdam houses the Mission Leadership command. Here Assignment Commemoration is taking place for german soldiers killed in action. A soldiers mission can end in death thats part of the job. Soldiers and families have gathered at the field of honor. Alex p. Was badly injured on duty in afghanistan he says hes here to honor his fallen comrades. This is. Its important that the comrades arent forgotten just a person is only really dead when theyre forgotten. They made the ultimate sacrifice their lives or their health for the mission that they were given. The soldier is a special profession and those who carry it out would like to have the complete support of their employers the government and the people. But many say thats precisely what they dont have. Its not a new problem in one Nine Hundred Fifty FiveTrade Unionists youth groups and pacifists protested against the rearmament of postwar west germany and against the founding of the bundeswehr. Didnt fall after the experiences of war violence and the holocaust what other response could there be but no to the military and of course our country now. But despite the protests west german chancellor conrad out in our managed to push the reintroduction of conscription through parliament. I think that i can claim that i am myself and as much an opponent of war as anyone
here in this house. But Ladies And Gentlemen we have to see the world realistically. But in our lead the young federal republic of germany into nato and us into the western camp in the cold war. That came at a price many generals and other officers in the early buddhist there had been World War Two officers in the vat marked. The opening of the German Armed Forces first base and under nothing after a speedy renovation was a historic moment previously has been occupied by french soldiers just as the son of god. Soldiers the german people expect you to carry out your duty and with all your strength. For the supreme goal of ensuring peace together with our allies. Peace was to
be ensured through a military anchored in society yet there were fears of an army that would once again develop into a kind of state within the state. In response a group of officers led by. I vote from biologists and developed the concept of citizens in uniform. In stocks but only from the citizen in Uniform Concept developed from a particular need in germany to disassociate itself from the past it was a concept of discourse aimed at the domestic debate in germany and the schools so they needed these labels that were designed to reconcile Civic Society with the bundeswehr. It was a very german idea. The principle of Civic Education is the transfer of the values and norms of germanys constitution to the military. For a soldier in case of doubt the protection of Human Dignity is to take precedence over obeying orders. And what is the state of Civic Education in the blunders they
are today. Here in bavaria soldiers are gathering for an annual catholic Military Pilgrimage although we are registered journalists are apparently not welcome. If the barracks commander says you cant then you cant. Although the bishop responsible gave us permission to attend the buddhist there continues to stonewall. After talks with the barracks commander the interview with the Military Chaplain can go ahead. Of the morning father patrick how are things what are we doing today. Together with around nine hundred to a thousand soldiers were going to walk eight kilometers on a pilgrimage to the church. That. Father patrick has served in mali and afghanistan as a chaplain he has an insight into the mood in the armed forces. The states and how
is morale among the troops at the moment here. In terms of ethics the fact is that every soldier who goes on a mission has been trained in armed combat and at some point every soldier has to decide for themselves how far and. I prepared to go is this my duty is this my job because everyone who goes on a mission knows they could die there. And with the around Fourteen Thousand german soldiers are deployed on a rotating basis in Foreign Missions or are in training for one cold for one one for the death and injury play a role. In how sensitive our soldiers. Seasons there are as sensitive as anyone else yes theyre being prepared for the situation but the question is what that means for each individual and how each individual deals with it and he was going to. Get. The soldiers that come on the pilgrimage to commemorate their fallen comrades. I mean and i just wrote this this overseas missions are
a topic of heated debate among the german public some people cant see why the blandest bash should have to get involved explaining that is the job of the government but it doesnt always seem to succeed. The chaplain says many soldiers are unhappy about what they see as disinterest about their work from politicians and the general public. Which is the government is soldiers are not necessarily trained as spiders their duty is to carry out certain tasks the paramedic is there as a medical orderly you have to differentiate when where and what theyre doing. Nobody could move if suddenly were interrupted by the Staff Sergeant from the press department he doesnt want the interview to get too political but its a Military Decision that the soldiers go there and that has nothing to do with father patrick. Father patrick do you agree with that. And those odds of you know in a way yes you want to political statement and its not my position to say when where
and how the been despair goes on its missions when its going on since. Thats not what im asking rather the question is how can we anchor soldiers in society. Father patrick is either unable or unwilling to answer that question again press Sergeant Yeager interrupts the interview. You did with me that if you again i would like to ask you to restrict the questions you ask youre welcome to ask about his contact to soldiers on Foreign Missions what problems they have what kind of support or counseling the soldiers need you can ask that but i think. This is it is it a political question when asked what does this Guiding Principle of the citizen in uniform mean to a soldier. Is that too political its a simple split that is a political question that has nothing to do with religion or faith oh ok that is never going to happen not if not yes it seems that
a frank discussion is not wanted to the commissioner for the armed forces hands paid to bottles would disagree he calls for soldiers to be able to voice their opinions unhindered. Then you have to determine whether soldiers in uniform can take part in discussions on Security Policy for example active generals or whether the right way as in recent years is to only let retired soldiers be heard in public. This concept of Civic Education should also encompass the freedom to take part in political discussions about the soldiers own profession their own organization as long as they remain loyal and appropriate. Idea. Yes. I dont. Want everything but the Civic Education concept seems to be too abstract for many soldiers. Especially younger ones. That. Soldiers arent fighting for the constitution maybe later as Staff Officers as a mature individuals but not at the age of twenty thats just a big allusion they fight for their comrades for their missions for some idea of their country yes as patriots but its an illusion to think that they go to Afghanistan For The Constitution afghanistan. Half way to the church the pilgrims take a short break the commanding Brigadier General your exist has a clear notion of Civic Education. What is the general tell soldiers what does Civic Education mean for tall means trust openness respect taking everyone seriously that doesnt mean everyone can do what they want we need orders and obedience but everyone has to know what they stand for our fatherland undoubtedly which they defend bravely as weve sworn to do in some cases on the bible and i expect that of them Civic Education means living that respect trust openness and
being informed i can only take soldiers into a dangerous situation if they know why and the reasons behind it. So the concept of the citizen in uniform presupposes that soldiers in active service have an understanding of what theyre fighting for. But that seems to be lacking how do politicians who decide on the mission see it. The former Training Commander of the German Army Major general knows why german soldiers are sent to fight and possibly die in afghanistan and mali but he says some politicians dont. Ask one of our elected representatives how did you vote in the last parliamentary vote and he said of course were the extension or for this mission and i said now go back to your constituency and explain to voters why were on this mission abroad. Back then it was mainly about afghanistan and he said i dont know i cant explain it so i said youre telling me that your vote could possibly send soldiers to their deaths
and you dont know why are you serious. Is that. Many soldiers feel that back home in germany the population has no idea what they go through on their missions theyre frustrated by the lack of appreciation. Here active and former soldiers who served on International Missions are gathering in front of the German Parliament in berlin. They have come to publicly commemorate their comrades who died in action and draw attention to the problems suffered by veterans of the missions. Many are severely traumatized but they say they have not been given adequate financial compensation. Since One Thousand Nine Hundred Two more than Three Hundred Eighty ThousandMen And Women in the blue square have served on International Missions one hundred eight
were killed in action its estimated that Sixty Thousand of the soldiers returned home psychologically traumatized. First Sergeant Alex p. Has been in the bonus fair since two thousand and three. He was diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder after being wounded in afghanistan in a good friday attack. You know to the books and all the Computer People grow up with Computer Games or Hollywood Films where an explosion takes place and the guy gets up and brushes themselves off and makes some cold remark. And so people think thats realities and he it isnt people dont know what its like to be scared to death to be scared for your comrades they dont know what its like to be targeted by a missile that nearly happened to us on that good friday an antitank missile flew past my vehicle and just missed striking our windshield and that would have taken five people out of action in other words killed us. Alex he complains that soldiers get virtually no appreciation in germany he sees it as the politicians job to ensure that theyre properly acknowledged many soldiers feel they lack Government Support even though they go on missions on behalf of that government and if necessary soldiers have to be prepared to kill people. That requires a certain mentality. And other things and it comes when we go into combat its necessary for soldiers to have a kind of clear fighting mentality they have to know exactly what they are doing what they are facing and also with the ability to possibly take harsh action against the enemy in an extreme case. No forgiveness. Or. Major marcel is convinced that alongside proper gear a soldier needs to have the mental ability to survive combat. Thats not easy to
acquire. And soldiers must always be aware of their responsibility. He wanted to view the despair wants to have citizens who even as soldiers can think independently and maintain a certain standard if you dont have that standard how can you live in a democracy you would just be taking orders people dont just obey orders of course we have orders and obedience but they have limits and those limits are not there because others tell you there is a limit but yourself have to be able to recognize it even as an ordinary soldier and fight it. But what happens when the standard is a false one and a soldier does not accept the constitution. This area. Christiane vice was a soldier in the buddhist fair and also a neo nazi. Today he has reformed and wants to have his nazi tattoos removed. By spirit to believe that the armys military structures the strict hierarchy orders and obedience and of course Weapons Training are especially attractive to right wing extremists even though not many neo nazis have been found in the troops. You normally only find what youre looking for and if theyre just looking for supposedly open racists or anti semites and so forth the old school nazis you could say. Then they probably wont find many but if and this is the problem in our society they go looking for the neo nazis who like calling themselves the new right because it sounds
a little bit nice. Then they would find many more men would have been. Here near Fox For Cassel Vice Gapper headed a right wing youth group when he was seventeen back then most of his friends were keen to serve in the board to spare vice gav but was fascinated by the military. Does loiter in its no surprise that the blunders vary attracts the kind of people who would rather have god with us on their belt buckles like a valve mocked. And not the constitution is with us so. You know what people who are to become soldiers are more likely to relate to the typical ideas that are widespread in the right wing seymour stood and you know the course and. He did his basic training in Two Thousand And Ten and go to. Holland and did your fellow soldiers know that you were a nazi. Im sure that they realized relatively quickly what kind of political views
i had and id say im a nationalist im a nationalistic socialist which at that time was a kind of cosmetic label suggesting im not a National Socialist im not a racist but an ethno pluralist so we hear that nowadays in the debate about the f. D. A. And the like they all say theyre not racists or nazis and i used those tricks to use things that he ocean called. Vice gave us says there were two other neo nazis in his unit and go to. His direct superiors the officers and Staff Sergeant took no action despite his clearly right wing remarks. Ultimately he was exposed when a soldier in his barrack room reported him to the Battalion Commander. After that he was transferred and put in detention still he was allowed to take part in daily Weapons Training. A superior even expressed
understanding for the young neo nazi. The counter to me ok what happened to you and goto might have to do with the arrogance of the Battalion Commander he comes from a Famous Prussian Military Family and this is kind of a witch. That was the word he used told me to keep quiet and being conspicuous and it would be all right. High scale but was allowed to complete his basic training. He was sworn in and only then was he discharged for nazi sympathies on orders from the defense ministry. This is of course we dont want right wing extremists in the bundeswehr we want them to be reported we want all those networks to disappear but lets be honest no one in the book this very openly admitted. But there are situations where you think really we ought to call in military counterintelligence but we dont because its
a comrade. Germanys military counterintelligence service. Is supposed to identify and assess extremism in the board is fair but it never received a report about christiane vice. President Christoph Com was unwilling to talk to us about extremism the spokesperson sent us a written statement. Countering stream as an authority is investigate genuinely notifications come in through reports from Service Units communications from other Security Agencies and from individuals it may be opens an investigation even when the initial suspicion is marginal. This scandal concerning First Lieutenant frankel a suspected right wing extremist sheds doubt on that the case of became known in the spring of twenty seventeen the Defense Minister was under pressure. Whether nazi terror cells in the. Visiting the garrison where the lieutenant had been
stationed the minister also had to address the issue of nazi era military memorabilia. In soldiers rooms. And more and more bizarre details of the franco our case were emerging. He had studied at university during his time in the boondocks fair back then an internal critique of his masters thesis said it was. Not a work suitable for an academic qualification but a radical nationalist and racist call to arms. But in january twenty fourth teen the responsible Military Lawyer played down the case and swept it under the carpet. The investigations have produced no indications that the soldier has sympathies incompatible with his duty as a soldier. With that was cleared in the eyes of the boy in despair he was even appointed to be a regular soldier as there was nothing negative in his personnel record all the Control Mechanisms had failed. The bonus there insists that
extreme right soldiers are isolated cases whose numbers are on the decline. But does military Counter Intelligence really spot all the right wing extremists. Following the case the m eight received four hundred suspected cases of right wing extremism one hundred more than in previous years the board is fair attributed that to an increase in awareness but how many suspects could ultimately confirm. The suspension of general conscription the number of suspected cases of right wing extremists handled by him eighty has fallen significantly the number of recognized right wing extremists fell even more sharply disproportionately to the reduction in size of the personnel to an average of only four persons per year before the end of the figure was around forty per year. Those are the cases that m. A. D. Has ascertained beyond a doubt. After investigating the federal Public Prosecutors Office was convinced
that franco our plan to kill high. Ranking politicians out of racist and nationalistic sentiments. It intends to charge him with terrorism. The trial is still pending. M. A. D. Is itself under pressure over the past few years the agency has faced huge Personnel Cuts that results in mistakes Florrie On Crosby Friends Opera can was a Staff Sergeant for Electronic Warfare when do you like being a soldier for young yes i like being a soldier i joined out of conviction and it was actually supposed to be my career and my lifes goal. And. He signed up for fifteen years attended Training Courses and thanks to his Mother Tongue french ended up in the german french brigade until the day two m. A. D. Officers showed up. On the costumes
a god they said do you have any idea why were here and i said yes i just got my commission as sergeant for Electronic Warfare i speak three languages i have a Security Check maybe youre here to recruit me. And the two looked confused and one of them says suddenly you know were from the department of extremism and terrorism and wed like to ask you a few questions. The interrogation with the to him a dea agents lasted five hours the next day florians direct superior told him about the Secret Service allegations. Was is is can she said i can tell you this we were informed that your vehicle was seen outside a meeting of islamists and. That you were seen wearing muslim clothing in and around the mosque and that your mobile phone data was examined and showed connections to islamist circles in north africa i was absolutely flabbergasted i
said captain please believe me thats not true. So memorable. Florian cosby and islamist his comrades believed the m. A. D. Allegations suddenly no one wanted to have anything to do with him florian suffered a breakdown was given medication and put on sickly for months it took him a d. In cologne three months to realise that it was a case of mistaken identity and then the Secret Service took another five months to inform Florian Crosby of the error so i started crying i looked at him and said are they from the Secret Service or are they amateurs. The Mental Stress was too great the mistake by him a day did not even lead to florians rehabilitation but to the handover of his
discharge papers. And they still will. That document made me feel sick as i thought this is who are these people who destroyed my career on the one hand its of and then were so full of respect and dignity as to write on this paper that i was discharged as unfit for service even though that was brought about by the bone despair you would have. Despite our written requests for a statement he made he would not comment on the case. Florian cross b. Continues to fight for his rehabilitation so far without much hope of success. Today many young well educated people avoid the bone despair in the past most people had to do military service. Many trainers say the quality of recruits has
declined would Reinstating Conscription be a solution. The parliamentary commissioner for the armed forces is skeptical. Even if theres conscription is no longer an option because all the structures for it have been dismantled. The units the Training Opportunities the barracks and the equipment that could be used for training. And Defense Minister funding and is opposed to conscription she gives us this written statement. Rather than a return to the old Compulsory Service i would wish for more investment and social recognition for the Men And Women in uniform who are risking their lives for our freedom. Many soldiers say that social recognition is lacking theres too little public discussion about the bond is fair and its goals and tasks. Every time hanspeter bottles visits the
troops he is reminded of the changes the despair has gone through in recent years today he is with Lieutenant Colonel anastasia beef on. The commander of the i. T. Battalion in stock how is one of the first transgender members in the bowl despair. Todays visit is for a swearing in ceremony. You got. The point is there is desperately seeking qualified personnel which is why it has grown more open to parts of society that would have had little chance in the past. That is influence in the past it was a completely male domain and there was a different approach to issues of Sexual Orientation now we have a bun despair which more or less reflects immigration in germany not yet in the higher ranks there its growing more slowly so its not a one to one mirror of society you cant dissect the bund is fair and say this
reflects German Society but its already pretty close. On the borders as a mirror of society thats what a Nonprofit Organization called Dont Just Soul Dot Org german soldier would like to see its chairwoman now the man who lives in hanover. She recently received her Officers Commission in the german navy. The daughter of moroccan immigrants has served in the blandest fair for fourteen years now. She refuses to tolerate discrimination in society and especially in the borders fair. Claggett distin dont go it doesnt cost the rest you can. Do a mans about women and my background and about my religion. If unfortunately there are some comments like that but there are also others you have
to report those remarks and write a complaint and then youll get a response. But you cant just swallow it and say thats the way it is. Or if you do that you are accepting racism within the armed forces. Just like outside the armed forces will be also have to cover. More than nine million germans have immigrant roots. And in the in this very. Couple despair study shows that the proportion of soldiers with an Immigrant Background is actually higher than in the population at large around fifteen point five percent. But people of color and muslims like m o t are still under represented. This isnt called multicolored we are a big diverse strong true. We need to advance
a bit to measure up to the international competition. But the image of right wing extremist soldiers cannot be what defines us. The. Diversity defines us for a few facts cat. But despite costly Advertising Campaigns the armed forces failed to meet their Recruitment Goals every year. Because the. Kreutz repeat after me i swear to faithfully serve the federal republic of germany. Toits within it. Will be. For many a career as a soldier is no longer an attractive prospect. As a result the bundeswehr faces an immense challenge it needs to recruit new
personnel while caring for those who served on missions risking their lives for germany thought. To this day the good friday battle of april Two Thousand And Ten is considered the epitome of a Combat Mission it marked the moment when german politicians woke up and called the mission in afghanistan a war. Alex p. Keeps his medals and souvenirs of a war that continues to haunt him in his display case. Because this is the one from the federal republic of germany for service. I understand this is the one for combat duty. For fighting a fifth. What does it mean to you to see this these guys that i didnt just dream. Since his time in afghanistan in two
thousand and ten the former Military Police man has suffered from severe posttraumatic stress disorder in his despair he self harmed. Now he shows us the day to day reality of the mission. Given to happen every day every day the blown up dingoes came out and by the end we had more blown up dingoes than ones that were fit to drive or. Many things flashed through their minds when alex and his fellow soldiers came under fire most of all the fear of capture. Of all of us so as a twenty five year old sergeant i considered committing suicide i said to myself ok ill hold out here as long as i can and if i cant anymore and it looks like ill be captured then ill kill myself he said and that wasnt just what i was thinking but other comrades too. Along with the fear of not surviving the war there was
the fear of the future. Soldiers like alex went to war for germany. But once they returned to their country many of them feel lost. Critics say thats not right the point is their faces new responsibilities on the domestic front and in alliances. In twenty fourteen russia Annexed Crimea and since u. S. President has been in office many europeans doubt that they can depend on the united states. They expect germany to step up to the plate. On the one hand we promised nato three Combat Divisions and we train them up but we are very hesitant to deploy them that in itself is not bad in principle but its a discrepancy that comes at the cost of the soldiers. Maybe we need to be more honest and say will scrap Combat Troops and provide medical and Logistics Services instead. Then we wouldnt have these problems. But our Special Forces have an
international reputation as World Champions in the Training Field and were scared in many cases politicians are scared stiff of deploying them because someone might sprain their foot that leads to huge frustration among the professional soldiers who feel they could contribute and help and go to mali then maybe just disband the Combat Divisions. But thats not planning on the contrary the role of the boom is there is set to become even more important more soldiers will be needed better equipment and better training. The direction in which the blunders fan will be heading the missions it will be sent on and above all why our political decisions. And politicians to be more honest. Anyone who wants more Men And Women to join the ranks of the and risk their lives will have to explain it to them the Decision Makers will have to convince the
country that they have a viable concept for the future of germanys armed forces. That will require more dialogue between soldiers and civilians and between the politicians and the voters. Entered the Conflict Zone confronting the powerful. The situation in venezuela could not be removed complex markets this week here in brussels is causing some local food prices way does sound so good to the European Union put a recorder of a cooling human rights abuses dont miss im not good news no to stay in office. Conflicts of. Human v. W. Benjamin honeywells a means to defend what Western Civilization is timing an old monastery the italy into a school for far right cultural warrior as activists for a european in this movement. While has the backing of some powerful he posts opposition is mounting and not just locally. In ninety minutes on d w. What secrets lie behind these moves to. Find out in an immersive experience