David Hallbauer, a veteran of the German military deployed abroad and now the deputy chairman of the Association of German Deployment Veterans (BDV), advocates for recognition and appreciation of individuals who risk their lives for society. The BDV has been campaigning for an official Veterans Day in Germany, which will be honored for the first time on June 15, 2024, with a large civic celebration at the Reichstag parliamentary building and nationwide events. Hallbauer is pleased with this development, noting that while this is a norm in other countries, it has only recently started to take hold in Germany.
Germany refrained from celebrating Veterans Day due to historical reasons rooted in the aftermath of the Second World War, particularly after the defeat of Nazi Germany. The Nazi practice of honoring war veterans was abolished and replaced with a national day of mourning. After the creation of the Bundeswehr in 1955, no new veterans’ tradition developed, though this began to change in the 1990s with increased deployments abroad. During this time, some soldiers returned home wounded or traumatized, and not all received the necessary support, leading to a lack of interest in the Bundeswehr’s operations among the general public.
Despite this, veterans continued to advocate for better recognition and support. A new definition of a “Bundeswehr veteran” was created to avoid association with World War II; it includes anyone who has served or retired honorably without losing rank. By introducing the term “veteran” linked to the Bundeswehr, discussions about military service and its consequences began to gain momentum. The Bundestag passed a resolution to establish Veterans Day, with a pledge to improve support for wounded veterans. However, while this is a step forward, there is still a need for simpler and quicker support systems.
The celebrations on June 15 are intended to recognize veterans’ contributions and provide an opportunity to discuss military service, including its challenges and the necessity of recruitment efforts in light of current global security demands. While the event aims to be inclusive and platform veterans’ stories, it has also been met with opposition from groups critical of the Bundeswehr’s operations and its depiction as a family-friendly and recruiting event.
Despite the controversy, the establishment of Veterans Day marks a significant shift in German society’s recognition of military service. It also opens up discussions about how to better support veterans and the role of military service in contemporary society.
Source: https://www.dw.com/en/how-germany-plans-to-celebrate-its-first-veterans-day/a-72912299?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf
