Ask anyone in Germany above the age of 15, and they will affirm the fact that it is mandatory, by federal law, to spend a minimum of 6 months in the military. The term conscription, meaning obligatory or mandatory, has been an issue for the past 10 years in Germany, and in large contrast to polls going back to 15 years ago, the majority of Germans say that it is not needed.
While no one wants to see a friend or family member get sent off to do military duty, the argument for stopping conscription is not necessarily related to “saving the troops.” It is a practice that most in Germany – and in the rest of Europe for that matter – agree is out-dated. This is also reflected in the number of European countries that still prescribe to it, as Germany is one of the last countries in Europe to continue to enforce conscription.
As an alternative to military service, Germans may choose to fulfill their service by completing civilian national service, according to the law. This mainly consists of work as caretakers and in hospitals, and the concern among many is that there could be a shortage of workers in this field as a result of ending conscription. Margot Käßmann, head of the German association for conscientious objectors (KDV), pointed out in a recent press conference however that these workers only make up about 1% of the workforce in extended care.
While there is still much debate regarding the effects of such a change, most Germans will agree that the need for these youth in the military simply isn’t what it once was, and when considering the expense that would be saved by ending conscription, it might not be the worst idea.
