Conscription in Germany

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Conscription
1780 caricature of a press gang
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Alternative civilian service Civil conscription Conscientious objector Conscription crisis Counter-recruitment Draft-card burning Draft evasion Impressment Levée en masse Military service National service Penal military unit War resister
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The Federal Republic of Germany had conscription (Wehrpflicht, German: [ˈveːɐ̯ˌp͡flɪçt] ^ⓘ) for male citizens between 1956 and 2011. On 22 November 2010, the German Minister of Defence proposed to the government to put conscription into abeyance on 1 July 2011.^[1] The constitution, however, retains provisions that would legalize the potential reintroduction of conscription for men only.^[a]

The constitution (Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany)^[3] and several special laws (e.g., Wehrpflichtgesetz^[4]) regulated these duties and exceptions. In the last year of active conscription, men were obliged to serve six months either in the military, which they could refuse, or do alternative civilian service or honorary service for at least six months in a civil defence organisation.

Families of those who were oppressed by the Nazi regime (usually Jews) were exempted from conscription, though some volunteered to serve.^[5] Although conscription was of a military nature, in the last days of conscription twice as many draftees refused military service and served in alternative services. Women were not subject to conscription; they were allowed to join the military as volunteers.

From 2025, 400,000 German men who have reached the age of 18 will have to fill out a mandatory questionnaire. Male questionnaire recipients must provide information about their motivation for military service. 40,000 men will then be invited to a compulsory muster. The government hopes to recruit at least 5,000 additional people for military service each year[6][7], while military service itself is on a voluntary basis. The equal participation of women and other genders as well as men, as regulated by the Self-Determination Act from November 1, 2024 [8], will continue to be the subject of discussion from 2024, but requires a change to the constitution.

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