The Ministry of Defense lacks a clear overview of the advisory roles or other activities undertaken by former high-ranking military officials, according to a report by Spiegel.
In response to Green Party Member Sebastian Schäfer, the Federal Government’s interior ministry stated that since 2021, a total of 52 former generals and admirals, who had access to classified information due to their positions, have registered plans for post-service employment. However, the ministry noted that there is no requirement for the actual commencement of these jobs to be reported, and therefore, they will not be tracked.
This query followed the scandal involving former BND President August Hanning, who is currently detained on suspicion of espionage. Schäfer asked how the Federal Government ensures that former senior officials and officers do not disclose sensitive information from their service time. Hanning’s lawyer denies the charges. The Interior Ministry responded only generally, stating that civil servants and soldiers are bound by a duty of confidentiality after their time in service.
Schäfer criticized this situation as neglectful. The deputy stated that even “after the Hanning case, it seems the Federal Government is not interested in how former generals earn money.” While he stressed he does not wish to imply suspicion of treason, he acknowledged that there is clearly “a gap in enforcement.” Consequently, the Federal Government has announced that it will review the regulations concerning supplementary employment for soldiers and civil servants both during and after their service.
