The German federal government plans to significantly boost its civil defense capabilities to handle potential wartime scenarios or attacks. To achieve this, a dedicated special program totaling ten billion euros is proposed, according to a report by the newspaper “Bild” referencing a cabinet draft.
These substantial funds are earmarked for various areas, including acquiring new equipment and buildings, as well as increasing personnel and technology resources, particularly within the Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW). Furthermore, the Federal Minister of the Interior, Alexander Dobrindt (CSU), intends to establish a new department titled “Command Civil Defense”. This unit will be responsible for coordinating cooperation with the armed forces (Bundeswehr) in a defense situation.
According to Minister Dobrindt, the goal is to modernize both civilian and population protection in response to hybrid threats while ensuring robust support for volunteer forces. He emphasized the need to link military and civil defense structures to achieve greater safety and resilience.
Specific objectives outlined by Dobrindt include plans to acquire 1,000 new specialized vehicles and 110,000 new field beds by 2029. A comprehensive building program is also planned for the THW’s facilities. Additionally, a medical federal task force is set up at 50 locations to manage mass casualties. On a national scale, an effort will be made to catalog all public shelters-such as bunkers, tunnels, and underground parking garages. These identified locations will then be integrated into the federal digital NINA warning app for public display.
