Defense politicians from various parties-the Christian Union, SPD, and AfD-have publicly called for special ways to acknowledge the recipients of the highly respected “Cross of Valour” during the observance of Armed Forces Day.
Those in favor of enhanced recognition have proposed several methods for honoring these soldiers within the Parliament’s structure. Thomas Röwekamp, Chairman of the Defence Committee (CDU), expressed a preference for mirroring the memorial stele established for fallen soldiers outside the committee’s session hall. He plans to ask the Speaker of the Bundestag to review this proposal.
Kerstin Vieregge, a Union representative on the Defence Committee, suggested establishing a “mobile digital information point in a publicly accessible area within the Bundestag buildings” to ensure exceptional visibility for these courageous servicemen and women. Given that the Medal for Bravery is recognized as the highest award bestowed upon soldiers in the Federal Republic and has only been given out 34 times, this high visibility is seen as crucial.
Christoph Schmid, the defence policy spokesperson for the SPD parliamentary group, showed support for linking the recognition of medal recipients with the existing memorial stele for fallen soldiers. He suggested placing an honorific plaque or similar features near the committee hall. However, his focus was less on physical displays and more on conveying a fundamental respect for the “Army of Parliament.” Jan Nolte, representing the AfD group’s defence policy interests, voiced agreement with the concept, advocating for either a dedicated naming list or photographs. He pointed out that if Army command could display such a plaque, there was no reason why the Defence Committee couldn’t.
In contrast, both the Green and Left parties expressed reservations about these symbolic gestures. Ulrich Thoden, spokesperson for the Left parliamentary group, told the press that the Armed Forces did not require special recognition in the form of an ancestral gallery within the Defence Committee, particularly since the Cross of Valour recipients included “controversial figures.” Similarly, Sara Nanni, a Green representative for security policy, argued that the Bundeswehr no longer needed symbolic support; rather, it required a ministry that genuinely addressed the needs of veterans overall.
The Bundestag administration informed the press that due to existing structural constraints, no images or physical objects are permitted to be hung within the Defence Committee’s session hall. Nevertheless, memorial stele, such as the one for fallen soldiers, remain permissible.
