In a world where geopolitical instability is increasing day by day, the Bundeswehr, the armed forces of Germany, finds itself in a worrying state of shortages and lack of capabilities. Germany, Europe’s largest economy, seems to have completely neglected its defense capabilities. Compared to powers like Russia, chosen for comparison entirely at random, Germany has 181,600 active-duty soldiers, a figure significantly lower than Russia’s 1,320,000. When it comes to armored vehicles, the situation is equally discouraging: Russia has approximately 12,950 tanks in active service, while Germany has only 240. Furthermore, Russia possesses 5,889 nuclear warheads, while Germany lacks any nuclear capability whatsoever. How did this happen?
The current state of the Bundeswehr doesn’t come as a surprise. After World War II, Germany underwent a much-needed process of denazification. The generation that grew up after the war rejected not only their parents (for having participated in the Nazi regime) but also everything associated with militarism. Since the Nazis had military power, they began to demonize anything related to the military. (Yup clever, I know…)
They promoted an idealistic culture of peace, disarmament, and opposition to nuclear energy, while idealizing regimes like the Soviet Union because it had fought against the Nazis, completely ignoring Soviet atrocities (but that’s okay, they were “anti-fascists…”). This generation has been governing Germany for the last 30 years. Therefore, it’s no surprise that the Bundeswehr struggles with recruitment.
Protected by the US
In the postwar era, the United States protected Germany through American military bases as a buffer against the Warsaw Pact countries, so why should Germany invest in its military if Washington was taking care of it? And since anything related to the military was consciously or subconsciously associated with fascism, even the arms industry was systematically sabotaged. Instead of evaluating case by case, as the law dictates, what can and cannot be exported (exports are prohibited if they could exacerbate a conflict, the recipient is unreliable, has a history of arms smuggling, or human rights violations), Germany suddenly began to export as little as possible. This had nothing to do with wars or human rights but was driven by the political goal of reducing arms export numbers, based on the premise that “weapons are bad and unpopular with voters.”
This has led to companies like Airbus, to name just one example, incurring millions in daily costs because they couldn’t fulfill their contracts on time due to delays in German government export approvals. Small and medium-sized businesses were forced to lay off employees and in some cases eben declare bankruptcy. The existence of the few remaining German shipbuilding companies was also threatened. As you can imagine, ships are expensive, so the German government made every effort not to export them, even if they were meant for the protection of ports belonging to legitimate partners.
The United States, tired of its role as a “babysitter,” has been urging Germany for decades to increase its defense spending. But Germany preferred to repeat slogans about peace and human rights, claiming they had “learned from the past.” Imagine the German Defense Minister, Christine Lambrecht, after Russia illegally invaded Ukraine and Ukraine requested necessary support, offering to send 5,000 helmets… Yes, 5,000, and calling it a “clear signal.” A disaster.
Finally Germany is investing.
It took pressure from Donald Trump for Germany to wake up and announce a €500 billion investment in defense, as designated Chancellor Friedrich Merz did on March 14. This investment, though much needed, comes late. The damage has already been done: companies like Rheinmetall, one of the largest players in the German arms industry, have seen a 50% increase in their stock value over the past month, as the market has turned into an oligopoly that can raise prices at will. The companies that went bankrupt won’t return, and Germany’s reputation as a reliable supplier of military technology is in question. At international fairs, defense products are now promoted as “free of German supplies,” meaning the product will be delivered on time…
Finally, Germany has awakened, but the road ahead is long. Investing money alone is not enough; a change in mindset is needed. The responsibility of being a leading power in Europe entails more than repeating pretty phrases about peace. It means taking an active role in defending democratic values and protecting global stability. The geopolitical winds are blowing hard, and Germany cannot afford to remain an economic giant with feet of clay when it comes to defense. The Bundeswehr must be reformed, not just with funds, but with a clear and strategic vision.
