Thomas Röwekamp, the Chairman of the Bundestag Defence Committee and a member of the CDU, has severely criticized the proposed elimination of youth officer programs in Berlin schools. Speaking to the news channel “Welt” on Monday, he stated that the announcement made by the Berlin left-wing parties-the SPD and the Greens-within a preliminary policy paper for a possible capital coalition is “politically fatal and extends far beyond Berlin.”
Röwekamp stressed that schools in Germany must be used to educate students about the role of the Bundeswehr, as well as the importance of territorial and alliance defense. He insisted that it must be clear to everyone that Germany is “militarily threatened.” He argued that this education is particularly necessary to strengthen societal resilience and prepare citizens for the possibility of such a threat, emphasizing that the country can only be defended if “everyone is ready” to assume responsibility. He views this as a fundamental duty of schools. Should this mandate disappear in Berlin, it sends a signal that society is not needed. This, he stated, is “precisely the wrong signal,” as national peace relies on the active engagement of the people.
The move, Röwekamp contended, is “another example” of how this left-wing coalition agreement for Berlin is sending a “fatal signal” to the public. He asserted that the focus of this political initiative should actually be how society can be equipped to respond “solidarily and fairly” to a possible military threat. From this perspective, the left-green push is fundamentally “a rejection of solidarity.”
However, Röwekamp clarified that the goal in schools is not primarily recruitment. Instead, the emphasis is on sharpening the awareness that life in peace, freedom, and democracy is only possible if one can defend it against threats. He noted that he sees a genuine interest from young people in the role of the Bundeswehr whenever he discusses military service or compulsory duty in schools. This is precisely the level of public engagement he believes is needed.
He argued that the questions regarding the purpose of the Bundeswehr, the nature of the threat, and how the nation can be defended should be discussed in every classroom, at every dinner table, and in every sports club. Röwekamp stressed that the public must be prepared, in line with what is “completely natural” in other countries, to come together and defend themselves against a military threat; and this preparation must begin in schools.
