ÜBERSETZUNG AUS DEM DEUTSCHEN
COMPULSORY
MILITARY SERVICE
IN THE 21ST CENTURY
MORE SECURITY FOR ALL
(ORIGINALTITEL: WEHRPFLICHT IM 21.JAHRHUNDERT, MEHR SICHERHEIT FÜR ALLE)
Contents
Compulsory military service in the 21st century
IMPRINT
PUBLISHED BY:
Federal Ministry of Defence
Press and Information Office
Public relations branch
Stauffenbergstr. 18
10785 Berlin
INTERNET:
www.bundeswehr.de
CONTENTS
THE DISCUSSION ON UNIVERSAL CONSCRIPTION
ASPECTS OF SECURITY POLICY
Tasks
The Army within the Alliance
Preventive Security Measures
Quality
Costs
SOCIAL ASPECTS
PHOTOS:
Federal Ministry of Defence,
dpa
BY THE WAY......
Integration
Equity
First conscript army in a democratic Germany
EDITION:
April 2002
2
6
10
12
ASPECTS RELATING SPECIFICALLY TO THE ARMED FORCES
TEXT:
Federal Ministry of Defence,
Fü S I 4
LAYOUT AND PRINTING:
Typo-Druck & Design, Bonn
Druckhaus Bachem
GmbH & Co KG, Köln
4
16
18
20
22
24
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS ON CONSCRIPTION
Types of military service
Neighbours
DECISION OF THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTIONAL COURT
OF 20 FEBRUARY 2002
26
28
30
3
Compulsory military service in the 21st century
The discussion on conscription
THE DISCUSSION ON
UNIVERSAL CONSCRIPTION
Does the Federal Republic of Germany still
need conscripts in order that the Bundeswehr can continue to ensure security and
stability in the future? This question was a
subject of public discussion not only in the
run-up to the ruling of the Constitutional
Court which was published on 10 April 2002.
In addition it is frequently argued that an
all-volunteer army would lead to savings in
personnel costs – a claim which raises hopes
with respect to further consolidation of the
budget. But is it really possible to reduce
costs by abolishing compulsory military
service?
In this process there are three areas which
are uppermost in the public discussion:
Alleged inequity in conscription is another
argument which is repeatedly put forward
by those who oppose conscription. Equity
in conscription – or more exactly equity in
duty – is in fact a prerequisite for maintaining conscription. But can the new Bundeswehr, which makes do with fewer soldiers
than in the past, still guarantee equity in
conscription or duty?
Doubts are frequently voiced about the purpose and appropriateness of universal conscription in view of international missions.
Hasn’t the security situation in Germany
and the whole world which predominated
for several decades changed dramatically
since 1989/90? Isn’t there a need for completely new instruments to counter new
threats and fresh challenges? Could it be that
conscripts are a useless and expensive relic
of a bygone age? Is it therefore still possible
to justify compulsory military service?
4
An objective debate on compulsory military service must be based on facts. The
purpose of this brochure is to contribute to
this.
5
Compulsory military service in the 21st century
Aspects of security policy
TASKS
At present, the discussion of the security
situation mainly concentrates on international missions for conflict prevention and
crisis management. The contributions made
by the armed forces in peacetime to collective defense within the Alliance, to stability
in Europe, to international politics in general and prevention by deterrence often recede into the background.
The protection of Germany and its citizens
is a constitutional mandate. The security
requirements are the most important criterion for determining the nature and size
of the armed forces, but not the only one.
Regardless of current developments, the
government is required to make long-term
and far-reaching security provisions. The
events of 11 September 2001 have shown
how fast abstract risks can become concrete
threats and even attacks on life and limb.
For this reason, the capability to conduct
national defense and collective defense
within NATO must be preserved in the
security environment of the 21st century,
too. Even if it is improbable that we will
have to repel a major aggression in the
context of collective defense due to political upheavals in Europe and the resulting
6
7
Aspects of security policy
dpa
Compulsory military service in the 21st century
security evaluation, such a situation with its
catastrophic consequences would, however,
be the worst case imaginable. Its prevention
therefore continues to be an essential part
of the responsible preventive security
measures taken by the government. With its
standing strength and its buildup capability,
the Bundeswehr will continue to make a
key contribution to the protection of our
country, collective allied defense and stability in Europe.
Collective defense is the Bundeswehr’s
primary function. It comprises national defense in an Alliance context and support of
members of the Alliance. National defense
within the Alliance can be conducted in
Germany and elsewhere. It may in the final
analysis require the buildup to wartime
strength which can only be ensured by universal conscription. By implementing a
structure that allows for appropriate buildup, the Bundeswehr ensures its operational
readiness for even a worst-case scenario.
September 11, 2001 demonstrated in a
drastic way that a country may be attacked
even if it is surrounded by friends only.
Besides, ongoing missions abroad aimed at
8
conflict prevention and crisis management
cannot be stopped simply for the benefit of
protection tasks.
Such personnel-intensive protection tasks
are: point defense, traffic flow regulation,
NBC protection and technical support in a
crisis. The personnel of the deployment
forces will be available only to a limited extent for the protection of the home base in a
crisis. However, this home base is particularly at risk when German and allied forces
are actively committed. Conscripts perform
these tasks in Germany and thus ensure the
operational readiness of our armed forces
abroad to a considerable degree.
The argument that conscripts in basic military service are not available for conflict
prevention and crisis management missions
abroad and that there is no longer any point
in conscription does not hold true, either.
Approximately 10 per cent of extended
service personnel are voluntary extended
service conscripts. Totaling 20 per cent of
the soldiers on deployment, they constitute
a contingent relevant for ensuring the missions. No conscript is sent on deployed on
operations without his consent.
The Bundeswehr has reserves which can be
activated in a state of tension or for disaster
relief. Without conscription, it would only
be possible to maintain this instrument on
a much smaller scale. Against this background, a sufficient force level and the
buildup and mobilization capability of the
armed forces must already be ensured in
peacetime. The buildup capability alone is
a crisis management instrument which
should not be underestimated. Used with
discretion to indicate political determination, a buildup can have a stabilizing effect
in a crisis, and prevent further escalation.
A conscription-based army will provide a
far more flexible build-up potential and will
be better able to respond to developments
than a volunteer army. Reserves can only
be mobilized if they are available, and
maintaining a sufficient number of reserves
is only possible by means of conscription.
9
Compulsory military service in the 21st century
Aspects of security policy
THE ARMY WITHIN THE ALLIANCE
Safeguarding peace is the primary objective
of German foreign and security policy.
Security in and for Europe is indivisible
and calls for comprehensive, multinational
preventive measures. Germany contributes
to common security as an active member of
the United Nations, the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe, the
North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the
European Union.
Retaining compulsory military service in
Germany is a clear indication to our allies
of the future direction of our security policy, especially in view of the buildup and
mobilization capability that goes with it.
10
Compulsory military service underlines
• Germany’s intention as the largest European partner in the Alliance to continue
to contribute in the spirit of solidarity to
the collective defense of NATO;
• Germany’s willingness to meet its commitments to the Alliance, to consolidate
transatlantic relations and to build a
common European security and defense
policy;
• Germany’s contribution to general stabilization, crisis prevention and collective
defense.
11
Aspects of security policy
Compulsory military service in the 21st century
PREVENTIVE SECURITY MEASURES
As a basic preventive security measure in
peacetime, Germany will have armed forces
available with a total strength of 285,000
soldiers:
• 202,400 regulars and temporary-career
volunteers,
• 80,000 conscripts in basic military service
of whom 53,000 are basic military service conscripts and 27,000 voluntary extended service
conscripts. In addition, an average of 2,600
reservists will be on duty throughout the year.
In recent years, the Bundeswehr has taken
the changed security situation into account to
a considerable extent: between 1990 and
2001, the total strength of the armed forces
was reduced by approximately 43 per cent
(see page 14).
With the fundamental renewal of the Bundeswehr and by redefining the structure and
strength of the armed forces, our government
is meeting its obligations to its own citizens
and also to the Alliance. Taking Germany’s
security environment, its neighbours and the
overall German population into account, the
changes in the peacetime strength are ade12
quate, appropriate from the Alliance policy
point of view and commensurate with the
risk (see page 15).
A NATO comparison shows very clearly
that with 0.34 per cent of our total population belonging to the Bundeswehr, including
conscripts, we are way below the NATO
average of 0.51 per cent. The Bundeswehr is
not oversized.
On the contrary, the fact that the proportion
of the entire population who belong to the
armed forces is so low shows that there is
no reason for a further reduction of the
armed forces in Germany. This applies irrespective of the security situation.
13
Aspects of security policy
Compulsory military service in the 21st century
DEVELOPMENT OF THE PERSONNEL STRENGTH OF THE
BUNDESWEHR1
495.000
6.000
219.000
471.000
15.000
370.000
4.000
202.000
155.000
270.000
254.000
338.000
3.000
131.750
285.000
2.600
WÜbPl
80.000
211.000
203.250
202.400
55%
54%
57%
60%
71%
PSM 84
PSM 95
PSM 370
PSM 340
PSM 2000
GLOSSARY:
excluding NVA (National People’s Army, armed forces of the German Democratic Republic)
2
PSM
= Personalstrukturmodell (manpower structure model)
1
WÜbPl
GWDL
BS/SaZ
= Wehrübungsplatz (reserve duty training place)
= Grundwehrdienstleistender (basic military service conscripts)
= Berufssoldaten/Soldaten auf Zeit (regulars and temporary-career volunteers)
GWDL
BS/SaZ
ARMED FORCES AS A PERCENTAGE OF THE
OVERALL POPULATION IN NATO STATES
Country
Population
(millions)
Belgium
10,20
42.500
0,42
Denmark
5,30
21.400
0,40
Germany
82,00
282.400
0,34
France
58,90
296.000
0,50
Greece
10,60
171.000
1,61
Great Britain
58,70
211.000
0,36
0,28
Not applicable
Not applicable
Italy
57,30
255.000
0,45
Canada
30,90
56.800
0,18
Iceland
Luxembourg
0,43
850
0,20
Netherlands
15,70
55.100
0,35
Norway
4,40
24.600
0,56
Poland
38,70
184.000
0,48
9,90
45.000
0,45
Spain
39,60
145.000
0,37
Czech Republic
10,30
55.000
0,53
Turkey
65,50
630.000
0,96
10,10
46.000
0,46
276,20
1.350.000
0,49
Portugal
Hungary
USA
Average
14
Military personnel Percentage of the
Population
0,51
15
Compulsory military service in the 21st century
Aspects relating specifically to the armed forces
QUALITY
There are other military reasons for compulsory military service apart from the
security situation. Conscription implies a
constant turnover of high quality personnel,
bringing young people from all walks of
society into the Bundeswehr. They always
expect the Bundeswehr to address the current problems of the time and thus, in a
positive sense, pose a constant challenge
to their superiors to take note of social
changes and react accordingly.
Universal conscription makes the entire
spectrum of school and occupational qualifications offered by society available to the
armed forces. It guarantees a constant quality in the armed forces.
Conscripts bring with them
• a considerable potential of general and
specialized education,
• a broad spectrum of trades and professions,
• intelligence in practical and theoretical
matters,
• expertise from all fields of knowledge,
16
Consequently, the conscript army is the
“more intelligent army”.
The average age of the soldiers in our conscript army is considerably lower than that
of the professional armed forces of other
states. This, too, enhances performance.
When it comes to recruiting temporarycareer volunteers, conscripts again ensure
quality :
• approximately 45 % of temporary-career
volunteers came to appreciate the idea
of a career in the armed forces during
their compulsory military service,
among them many officers and generals;
• it is only via conscription that many
young people with specialized skills
which are in great demand, for example
in the field of IT, can be won over to the
Bundeswehr as a workplace.
If we want to continue to recruit such personnel, we cannot dispense with compulsory military service.
17
Compulsory military service in the 21st century
Aspects relating specifically to the armed forces
COSTS
The budgetary factor as a reason for retaining conscription should not be underestimated. In times when funds are scarce, cost
cutting has a high priority. A volunteer
army will not be able to satisfy these hopes.
The results of comprehensive studies can
be interpreted in different ways, depending
on the cost definition used.
In all cases, the following facts must be
taken into account:
• A volunteer army is always more expensive than a corresponding conscript
army of the same size.
• In view of the financial resources available, the strength of the Bundeswehr considered necessary from the security
point of view can only be maintained if
conscription is upheld (see page 14).
COSTCOMPARISON
• Allied nations which hoped that by abolishing conscription they could cut costs
had to accept increased personnel expenditure despite considerable reductions in size.
A cost accounting system based exclusively
on business management principles is inadequate for a conscription army, anyhow.
Allowances must be made for politico-economic effects, as well. Here, too, there are
good arguments in favor of conscription.
All in all, cost aspects clearly speak in
favor of conscription.
The average annual rates for the individual
status groups are as follows:
Regulars and temporary-career
volunteers (pay only)
VSC 1 :
BSC2 :
Reserve duty training space:
29.300 €
15.600 €
11.500 €
27.100 €
1
VSC = Voluntary Extended Service Conscript
2
BSC = Basic Service Conscript
29.300 
27.100 
15.600 
11.500 
GLOSSARY:
Berufs- und Zeitsoldaten
FWDL
GWDL
Wehrübungsplatz
18
=
=
=
=
Regulars and temporary-career volunteers
VSC
BSC
Reserve duty training place
Berufsund ZeitSoldaten
FWDL
GWDL
Wehrübungsplatz
19
Compulsory military service in the 21st century
Social aspects
INTEGRATION
Irrespective of security developments, conscription is of great socio-political importance. It creates armed forces which are in
touch with the citizens. Again, many points
speak in favor of preserving the integrative
character of the German conscript army:
• Conscription is the better means of integrating the armed forces into both state
and society.
- It clearly expresses the common responsibility of all citizens to safeguard
peace and freedom.
- It ensures that people remain aware of
defense.
- It is an important means of firmly
anchoring the armed forces in society
and the democratic order and of integrating the Bundeswehr.
- It enables society to exercise control
over the armed forces on a broad basis.
20
• Social changes have prompt and direct
effects on a conscript army.
• Through conscription the Bundeswehr is
supported by all social classes which
puts it on a broad footing.
• In Germany, conscription fosters confidence in the Bundeswehr and support of
the soldiers among the population.
• Conscripts and reservists act as multipliers in public and in politics, especially when security problems are under discussion.
• It promotes the integration of young
German citizens of foreign descent.
From the sociopolitical point of view, a
conscript army is the right and appropriate
solution.
21
Compulsory military service in the 21st century
Social aspects
EQUITY IN SERVICE
AND CONSCRIPTION
Equity in service, i.e. the call-up of males
fit for military service to fulfil their duties
to society, is a prerequisite if we are to retain conscription.
But not all conscripts are in fact available.
Only those who are classified as fit for
service during the pre-induction examination can actually be called up.
From this group we then also have to subtract those young men who have signed on
with the police, Federal Border Guard
(BGS), Federal Technical Emergency
Relief Service (THW), disaster control, fire
brigade or overseas development service
(external demand) and are therefore not
obliged to render military service. Others
are exempted or excluded from military
service due to statutory provisions, as for
example:
• clergymen of various denominations,
• men liable to military service who have
been awarded custody of their child,
• “third son provision”(Third sons of
families where both older brothers have
served.)
• persons sentenced to imprisonment for
at least one year by a German court.
The remaining men fit for military service,
i.e. approximately two thirds of the respective age group, render basic military
service, serve as volunteers in the Bundeswehr or are conscientious objectors. Over
the past few years, the number of formally
recognised conscientious objectors totaled
more than one third of the eligible age
group.
There will always be a limited percentage
of the available conscript pool who are not
22
called up. The question of justice is already
essentially answered by the fact that this
percentage is very low. In the past, usually
some 2 per cent of the conscript pool was
not exhausted. In times of change, e.g. after
reunification in 1990, this figure has been
known to be as high as 16 per cent.
During the on-going fundamental reorganization of the Bundeswehr, this figure may
increase temporarily to more than 5 per
cent. But it will decrease again due to the
fact that future age groups will have a lower
birth rate. Thus service and conscription
equity will correspond to the average which
has been accepted for many years.
23
Compulsory military service in the 21st century
By the way ...
THE FIRST CONSCRIPT ARMY
IN DEMOCRATIC GERMANY
On November 12, 1955, the first 101 Bundeswehr volunteers received their letters of
appointment. This date was chosen specially to commemorate the 200th anniversary of
the birth of Prussian army reformer, General von Scharnhorst.
Scharnhorst developed the idea that every
citizen is a born defender of his country.
This idea was an integral part of a reform
concept developed at the beginning of the
19th century, the special aim of which was
to establish a connection between the state
and the people, to guarantee civil rights and
to set up a representative constitution. To
the reformers, universal conscription meant
making the army an integral part of society,
serving out of inner conviction and respecting the dignity of the individual.
24
Continuing in this vein, the Bundeswehr
called up its first conscripts on
1 April 1957. For the first time in German
history, Germany had a conscript army in a
democratic political system.
For more than 40 years now, the young
conscripts have given life to the concept
of the “citizen in uniform”. The idea of
“Innere Führung” (leadership and civic
education) which is closely connected with
this concept is thus put into practice each
day by the conscripts. There is a bond of
solidarity between conscripts and citizens,
and the citizens expect the conscripts to
fulfil their commitment to the state. As a
result, Germany has at its disposal armed
forces which are controlled by Parliament
and integrated into society, and whose soldiers simultaneously are citizens and combatants.
25
Latest developments on conscription
Compulsory military service in the 21st century
TYPES OF MILITARY SERVICE
With its decisions on the cornerstones of
Bundeswehr reorientation of 14 June 2000,
and on the 2001 budget, the Federal Cabinet approved the parameters and foundations for a comprehensive reform of the
Bundeswehr.
This made it possible to implement the concept of flexible basic military service as
from January 1, 2002:
26
• Duration of basic military service: nine
months
• Flexible term of service:
- nine months en bloc
(BSC W 9) or
- nine months in three steps
(BSC W 9 A)
= six months + six weeks + six weeks
- Voluntary extended military service of
up to 23 months (VSC)
• Stationing of conscripts rendering basic
military service as near to home as possible and matching their civilian occupations as closely as possible
• Strengths:
- 53,000 basic military service conscripts
- 27,000 voluntary extended service
conscripts (VSC)
• Employment of VSCs mainly in the deployment forces
• Service bonus for VSCs beginning from
the tenth month of service and then increasing gradually from 20.45 € per day
in the tenth month to 24.54 € in the 19th
month.
27
Compulsory military service in the 21st century
Latest developments on conscription
NEIGHBOURS
Pursuant to Article 12a of the German
Basic Law, men who have reached the age
of 18 can be called up into the armed
forces, Federal Border Guard or a civil defense organization.
During recent years, some countries in
Europe decided in favor of an all-volunteer
army and at the same time reduced their
armed forces considerably. Their hopes that
by doing so they could save personnel costs
were not fulfilled, however. Although some
armed forces are still in the transition phase,
initial experience shows that discontinuing
conscription causes considerable problems:
• Dramatic cuts in recruitment numbers
• Additional costs for expensive pay increases and advertising campaigns
• To an increasing extent it is necessary
to fall back on applicants without any
vocational training who want to obtain
a qualification in the armed forces
• Consequently, recruitment standards are
lowered in order to satisfy demand.
NATO member states
In view of this experience with the discontinuance of conscription and Germany’s
significant security role in Europe, it would
be rash for Germany to follow suit.
Country
Basic
military service
Belgium
no compulsory service
Denmark
compulsory service
Germany
compulsory service
France
no compulsory service
Greece
compulsory service
Great Britain
Iceland
What this boils down to is:
Italy2
With regard to the given security situation,
the social context and the resources available , the constitutional mission of the Bundeswehr can be ensured only if conscription
is continued.
28
No armed forces
2
To end in 2005
compulsory service
Canada
no compulsory service
Luxembourg
no compulsory service
Netherlands
no compulsory service
Norway
compulsory service
Poland
compulsory service
Portugal
compulsory service
Spain
1
no compulsory service
1
no compulsory service
Czech Republic
compulsory service
Turkey
compulsory service
Hungary
compulsory service
USA
no compulsory service
29
Compulsory military service in the 21st century
Decision of the Federal Constitutional Court
• The Federal Constitutional Court adheres to the established practice that
universal conscription is consistent with
the German Basic Law. Universal conscription is “constitutionally embodied”
in the Basic Law.
• The constituent authority did not make
the introduction of universal conscription subject to any further prerequisites,
especially not to a particular security
situation. On the contrary, there are
further reasons for retaining conscription, for instance existing commitments
within the Alliance.
30
dpa
RULING OF THE
FEDERAL CONSTITUTIONAL COURT
OF 20 FEBRUARY 2002
31
Compulsory military service in the 21st century
DECLARATION OF THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTIONAL
COURT IN THIS CONTEXT:
„The current public discussion of
the pros and cons of universal conscription makes it quite clear that a
complex political decision is at stake.
Questions concerning, for example,
the type and strength of military precautions to be taken against risks,
democratic control, recruitment of
qualified personnel and the costs of
a conscript or volunteer army are
issues of political prudence and
economic expediency which cannot
be reduced to a constitutional question. In its ruling of 13 April 1978,
the Federal Constitutional Court
already explained that the possibility
to chose between a conscript and a
volunteer army which is offered to
the legislator is a fundamental national decision which influences
large areas of life in state and society.
When making this decision, the legis-
lator has to evaluate not only defense
aspects, but also general political,
politico-economic and socio-political
reasons which have a very different
significance and have to be balanced
against each other (Federal Constitutional Court 48, 127 [160]). According
to the constitutional order of the Basic
Law which separates the powers, it is
therefore incumbent on the legislator
and the Federal bodies in charge of
the defense establishment to decide on
those measures required to concretize
the constitutional principle of national
military defense. These bodies are responsible for deciding on the basis of
mainly political considerations which
regulations and directives appear to be
necessary to ensure efficient defense in
accordance with the constitution and
in the context of existing commitments
to the Alliance.”
Source: Extract from the ruling of February 20, 2002, marginal note 47
32