"Bonded together like troops" - Merz reminisces on his military stint
Recollects Positive Experiences During Military Tenure (Regarding Merz's military service)
Friedrich Merz, the current Chancellor, has fondly recalled his time in the German Armed Forces in the midst of the ongoing discussion about a potential reintroduction of conscription. In a chat with "Bild am Sonntag", Merz shared, "I have warm feelings towards my services in the German military." He stands unique as the only Chancellor to have served in the German Armed Forces.
Merz reminisced, "The friendships were solid, the esprit de corps bound us together." He went on to say, "We felt a part of something massive."
Merz underwent training as a tank artillery specialist from the 1970s. Unfortunately, he couldn't complete his training as a reserve officer due to an injury. His career in the armed forces spanned from July 1, 1975, to September 30, 1976, at German Armed Forces locations Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Warendorf, Kusel, and Dümlen. During this period, he primarily operated field howitzers, culminating in the rank of Fahnenjunker, the lowest officer-candidate rank.
A brief service history of past Chancellors
Among previous Chancellors, Olaf Scholz served as a conscript, while Angela Merkel, as a woman, was exempt from conscription. Gerhard Schröder was exempt due to being the sole son of a father lost in World War II. Other notable figures like Helmut Kohl, Helmut Schmidt, and Willy Brandt had unique circumstances that kept them from military service.
Helmut Kohl was too young for military service during World War II, and was unaffected by conscription in the Federal Republic later on. Helmut Schmidt was a soldier during World War II, and Willy Brandt lived in Norwegian exile during the war.
Kurt Georg Kiesinger managed to avoid service in the Wehrmacht by means of a position in the Foreign Office. Ludwig Erhard was severely wounded as a soldier in World War I. Konrad Adenauer secured an exemption from military service during his youth due to a medical certificate.
Conscription came into practice in both the Federal Republic in 1956 and the GDR in 1962. It has been suspended since 2011 but not formally abolished. During the Weimar Republic, conscription was nonexistent due to the terms of the Treaty of Versailles. However, it was reinstated from 1935 to 1945 under National Socialism.
Sources: ntv.de, chl/AFP
- Friedrich Merz
- German Armed Forces
- Conscription
Insights
Although information is scarce on how Friedrich Merz's personal military experiences influenced his opinions regarding a possible return to conscription in Germany, Merz has been vocal on military policy matters. He advocates for a strong Bundeswehr, envisioning it as Europe's strongest conventional army, as part of a strategy to bolster Germany's defense capabilities and increase its influence in European security [1][3]. However, whether his military experiences directly shaped his views on conscription isn't explicitly mentioned.
In light of the potential reintroduction of conscription in Germany, Friedrich Merz, a veteran of the German Armed Forces, has emphasized the importance of a strong Bundeswehr, aligning it with his vision for Europe's strongest conventional army to enhance Germany's defense capabilities and influence in European security. Interestingly, the community and employment policies within the German Armed Forces during Merz's tenure may have provided valuable insights for his vocational training approach, given the general-news reports of the camaraderie and esprit de corps he experienced during his service.
){kind=link}