Since implementing the new compulsory service duty, the German armed forces (Bundeswehr) has markedly increased its presence in schools. According to the German Ministry of Defence, which provided the information in response to an inquiry from the Left faction in the Bundestag, representatives of the military are scheduled to hold 3,790 public appearances at schools and vocational colleges nationwide during the first half of 2026.
If this trend continues at the pace set in the first six months, the number of visits will significantly surpass the figures from 2025. Last year, the Bundeswehr conducted 5,617 such events. The military aims to increase its number of soldiers, a goal which is also tied to the introduction of the new service duty on January 1, 2026. Overall, the Bundeswehr has strengthened its presence in schools considerably, particularly since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and following the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, the Left Party strongly criticizes this rise in institutional visits. The high number of interactions, says Nicole Gohlke, deputy chair of the Left faction in the Bundestag, that the Bundeswehr is pursuing a “systematic militarization” of classrooms-and doing so at a record level. She notes that the armed forces tend to focus heavily on minors. Gohlke warned that this setup could lead to recruitment through subtle, unofficial means. Instead, she argued that young people needed genuine future opportunities, which require investment in well-trained teachers, widespread school social support, and social security initiatives, rather than reliance on covert recruitment tactics.
