Quote from Alex bobby on June 17, 2025, 4:53 AM

Germany Is Rearming—But What About Its Veterans?

On June 15, Germany will celebrate its first-ever Veterans' Day, a long-overdue step toward formally recognizing the service and sacrifice of its military personnel. For years, Bundeswehr veterans have operated in the shadows of public consciousness, their contributions largely ignored and their struggles downplayed or dismissed. The new national day, championed by Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, is intended to honour “those who are willing to go the extra mile for others, and who risk life and limb for our country.”

Yet, behind the symbolism of parades and speeches lies a deeply uncomfortable truth: Germany’s treatment of its veterans remains woefully inadequate, particularly in areas such as mental health support and compensation for service-related injuries.

Redefining What It Means to Be a German Veteran

The journey toward a recognized Veterans' Day has been anything but swift. It took nearly 15 years of campaigning by organisations like the Bund Deutscher EinsatzVeteranen (Association of German Veterans) to reach this point. One major hurdle was redefining the very concept of a "veteran" in post-WWII Germany.

For decades, the term “veteran” carried heavy historical baggage, often linked to the Nazi era and its militaristic legacy. “We had to reintroduce the word itself,” said David Hallbauer, deputy federal chairman of the veterans' association. “We wanted to establish a new understanding—that the Bundeswehr has developed its own, modern tradition from which a distinct veteran identity could emerge.”

When the association was first founded in 2010, it was met with scepticism. “People dismissed us as outdated,” Hallbauer said. “We had to explain that we were talking about individuals who had rendered special service to Germany through their time in the Bundeswehr.”

The War After the War

But for many veterans, especially those who served in missions abroad—in Afghanistan, Mali, or the Balkans—the fight doesn’t end when the deployment does. Mental health conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) remain underdiagnosed, undertreated, and often unacknowledged.

According to Andreas Eggert, Secretary General of the Veterans' Association, it can take years—sometimes more than a decade—for affected veterans to receive support. “The longest case we know of took 13 years before the individual got the help they needed,” he said. “We have a real problem with bureaucracy dragging everything out.”

One of the major issues lies in the burden of proof. To qualify for treatment or compensation, veterans must first prove that their illness or injury was directly caused by deployment. “You have to prove you were there, and then you have to prove that what happened there made you sick,” Hallbauer explained. “It’s a war after the war.”

And even if someone meets all the criteria, Germany’s military service compensation system often evaluates cases in a rigid, impersonal manner. Eggert criticizes the process for being more focused on rejecting claims than supporting those in need. “They even examine your childhood to determine whether that might be the cause of your trauma, rather than focusing on what happened during deployment,” he said.

A Lack of Political Will

Veterans and their advocates argue that the system needs a fundamental overhaul—starting with shifting the burden of proof. Eggert says, “It shouldn’t be the injured person who has to prove that deployment made them ill. The Bundeswehr should have to prove that it didn’t.”

Unfortunately, that kind of change would require political will, which appears to be lacking. “There’s no sense of security,” Hallbauer noted. “A soldier should be able to go on deployment knowing that if something goes wrong, the state will take care of them. But that doesn’t exist in Germany today.”

Rearmament Without Responsibility?

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Germany’s stance on defence has shifted dramatically. Chancellor Olaf Scholz declared a “Zeitenwende”—a turning point—and announced a €100 billion special fund to modernize the German military.

Much of that investment is going into new equipment, vehicles, and munitions. But veterans and their supporters argue that rearmament must go hand in hand with responsibility. “We're facing shortages in both equipment and personnel, so the bulk of the money is going there,” Eggert said. “But it would have been good if even just €10 million had been earmarked to support those who are already wounded or ill.”

Veterans’ Day is a long-awaited and welcome recognition of service. But as Germany gears up for future conflicts, it must also come to terms with its past—and present—failures to care for the people it sends into harm’s way. Honouring veterans isn’t just about ceremonies and speeches; it’s about ensuring they receive the care, respect, and support they deserve when the medals are put away, and the spotlight fades.

Conclusion

Germany’s first-ever Veterans' Day marks a significant step toward recognising the sacrifices of its service members—but symbolism alone is not enough. As the country accelerates its rearmament in response to new global threats, it must not neglect those who have already borne the burden of military service. Veterans are not just a ceremonial afterthought; they are a living responsibility. Without timely mental health care, streamlined compensation processes, and a shift in institutional attitudes, Germany risks repeating old mistakes under the guise of progress. True honour lies not in celebration, but in action—and in ensuring that those who served are never left to fight their battles alone. 

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Germany marks its first-ever Veterans' Day, but critics say the real battle for injured soldiers is far from over. Bureaucratic delays and lack of mental health support leave many veterans without the care they deserve.