Brave new Bundeswehr: Due to the war in Ukraine, the debate about compulsory military service is returning, as are school strikes

dossier

“Under the heading “Gladly in the barracks,” Martin Machowechz made a plea on Zeit Online on May 14th for reintroducing compulsory military service. He is not alone with these thoughts, because like ex-punk Campino (also on Zeit Online), the author also struggles with his own refusal to do military service in Ukraine. His supposedly progressive proposal: He wants to oblige all genders. Because the new conscription should be “freer, even happier” and apply “to all milieus, to all genders”. Our new Bundeswehr should be super diverse. A feel-good place for trans people, BiPoCs, people with disabilities - downright tempting. (…) In Europe and in NATO there are now very few states that adhere to compulsory military service…”  Comment by Bo Wehrheim from May 17, 2022 in the taz online and to that:

• Involuntary motivational measure for the school strike against compulsory military service on September 25th: Bundeswehr begins compulsory muster checks regardless of the questionnaire
  
  • TODAY THEY'RE FORCING US TO MUST UP - TOMORROW THEY'RE FORCING US TO CONSIST
    Updated call onhttps://schulstreikgegenwehrpflicht.com/ and aInformation poster about sampling on Insta and to the backgrounds:
  • Even without interest in service: Bundeswehr begins compulsory muster
    “No interest in military service will no longer be an excuse in the future. Compulsory testing is scheduled to start across the board from July 2027. But hundreds of young men are already receiving summonses this summer. The Bundeswehr has begun summoning 18-year-old men for military service who have expressed no interest in military service. Since July, almost 1,000 of them have been mustered as part of the military registration process, the Federal Ministry of Defense in Berlin said…”Agency report from September 19, 2026 on n-tv.de 
  • Bundeswehr on the hunt for recruits: the answer is of no interest
    “The Bundeswehr has been screening 1,000 young men since July, even though they had previously expressed their lack of interest. Next school strike on Thursday
    Anyone who wants to become the largest European military power west of the Dnieper needs not only military equipment but also cannon fodder. The Bundeswehr still prefers to rely on volunteers to “grow” its ranks. In fact, it is already calling in those 18-year-olds who - when asked by the state - have explicitly expressed no interest in military service for the Federal Republic of Germany. Apparently you don't have to comply with the request, according to those affected who asked as a precaution. The word hasn't gotten around to everyone yet. From July 1st to August 31st, the Bundeswehr carried out almost 1,000 musters of newly adult men “as part of the military registration process,” even though they had previously answered “No, thank you” on the questionnaire sent to them. The Federal Ministry of Defense (BMVg) announced this on Friday. None of them officially had to be dragged to muster. “All 1,000 people who were mustered arrived independently,” explained a BMVg spokeswoman in response to jW’s query…”Article by Marc Bebenroth in the young world from September 19, 2026 
  • “Voluntary military service” is becoming more and more involuntary – the youth remains UNCOMMERCIAL
    “The preparatory alliance for the Unzumbar Rally (October 2nd) criticizes compulsory physical examinations and calls on young people to take to the streets and protest against it
    The Unforcible Alliance criticizes the increasing coercive elements in the so-called “New Military Service”. As is currently reported, the Bundeswehr is already compulsorily inviting young men to enlist - regardless of whether they are even interested in serving in the Bundeswehr…” Press release from the alliance “Unforceable: No desire for war and conscription!” dated September 22, 2026 by email, seeUnforcible: No desire for war and conscription! Major rally against conscription on October 2, 2026 in Berlin
• Protests against militarization despite attempts at intimidation
  “The next school strike against conscription will take place at the end of September. According to the movement, an activist in Cottbus was threatened with temporary suspension. (…) The movement and its regional organizations are again calling for a school strike on September 25th.This is also the case in Cottbus. An incident at a high school there is currently causing outrage among those involved in the strike preparations. The school strike initiative in the southern Brandenburg city is also calling for a demonstration including a boycott of classes. The regional group posted on Sundaya video on Instagram , in which two young women and a young man report that a colleague was threatened with a three-week suspension from classes by the headmaster of the Max Steenbeck High School for distributing flyers. The post was viewed 150,000 times within one day.According to information from School Strike Against Conscription in Cottbus, a student from the institution distributed leaflets with information about the demo outside the high school grounds during their lunch break on September 10th. The director then came to class and accused the young man “in front of the entire class” of having “indoctrinated” his classmates. The headmaster threatened him with temporary suspension several times. It was not possible to determine whether the incident happened this way at the time of going to press on Tuesday. (…)
  In Hamburg, students also want to strike during the NATO exercise “Red Storm Charlie” at the end of September and “thus directly counteract the preparations for war,” as an activist in Essen emphasized. They want to work together with teachers and parents to do this.
  Meanwhile, according to school strikes against conscription in Kiel and Flensburg, 18-year-olds have been receiving summonses for muster training since July. This also applies to young men who, when filling out the registration form sent by the Bundeswehr, stated that they were not interested in military service. When asked by telephone, one of those affected was assured that non-participation would not have any consequences so far and that there would only be an obligation from next year.”Article by Jana Frielinghaus from September 15, 2026 in ND online 
• Anti-War Day 2026: Musters begin in Schleswig-Holstein - school strike on September 25th.
  “In Kiel and Flensburg, 18-year-olds have been receiving summonses for musters since July. This also applies to men who indicated no interest in the Bundeswehr on the mandatory registration form. "300,000 have been contacted and only 530 have registered for military service. Because we obviously don't want to do it, they are already being drafted and will be compulsory from next year. The federal government is doing everything to create the strongest army in Europe and prepare for war. To achieve this, compulsory military service is being introduced step by step. But we will continue to strike against it on September 25th." says Golo, 18, an affected student from Kiel. The invitations “invite” you to take part in the muster, but the legal situation is not explained. When asked by telephone, the Bundeswehr assured an affected student that non-participation would not have any consequences so far and that there would only be an obligation from next year.
  However, the Military Service Modernization Act does not impose such a restriction: adult men born after 2008 have been able to be summoned to military service since the law came into force, but summonses should only take place nationwide from July 1, 2027. The wording that the muster will not begin until July 1, 2027 was originally included in the text of the law, but was deleted two days before the law was passed. Only the justification for the law mentions samples from July 1, 2027, as capacities would first have to be created for this. However, only the text of the law is legally binding - so mandatory testing can begin earlier at any time.
  During an action by the Kiel school strike committee in front of the “Career Center Kiel” muster center, where the muster had already been invited on August 11, 2026, the participating 18-year-olds reported that they assumed they had an obligation. All respondents there stated that they had indicated complete disinterest in military service in the military registration questionnaire. Many were interested in the right to conscientious objection. After the examination, an 18-year-old reported hours of questioning and an intimidating strip search.
  The school strike against compulsory military service sees the ongoing military drafts as a further push towards the reintroduction of compulsory military service. Press spokesman Hannes Kramer explains: “Anti-War Day commemorates the beginning of the Second World War, the suffering, the destruction and the millions of deaths. Today, 87 years later, Merz calls for great power politics and the strongest army in Europe. Today, 87 years later, young people are being called up for military service again, training centers are being built across the country and more and more money is being spent on armaments while our education and health are being cut.”
  The student initiative school strike against conscription organized on September 25th. - during the NATO exercise Red Storm Charlie in Hamburg - the fourth nationwide strike day. This is directed against a gradual reintroduction of compulsory military service, against the plans to reintroduce community service and against the military mustering that is taking place. On Anti-War Day, actions involving the school strike movement take place all over Germany.” Press release from September 1st, 2026 from school strike against conscription (via e-mail)
  • See also:Anti-War Day 2026: "Capable of peace instead of capable of war! Together for international understanding, social justice and a world without war" (DGB)
  • Unforcible – no desire for war and conscription! Major rally against conscription: come on October 2nd. to Berlin!
    Call for a rally on October 2, 2026
• Third nationwide school strike conference: Over 200 students decide on the next strike on September 25th. against conscription and other actions
  “The third nationwide school strike conference took place in Essen on the weekend of July 18th and 19th. The conference was carried out by the “School Strike Against Conscription” movement, which has so far brought around 50,000 people, mainly students, onto the streets against compulsory military service on three nationwide strike days. The conference was attended by participants from all over Germany who discussed the work of local strike committees and strike organization and discussed developments surrounding the reintroduction of compulsory military service.
  These topics were also the focus of the workshops that took place on site. Among other things, it was about how to take action against Bundeswehr appearances at your own school, what role student representatives play in this and how repression can be dealt with. In addition, it was discussed what the movement's further work should look like, what will happen after the summer holidays and what options there are to stay active once school is over.
  The conference ended with the adoption of a joint resolution in which the movement sets out next steps for the coming months and beyond. This was discussed in advance in the individual strike committees and then together at the conference. (…)
  The next nationwide school strike against compulsory military service will be on September 25th. take place. There will also be two large peace demonstrations in Berlin on the first weekend in October, including a concert rally and a street festival, in which numerous school strike committees will take part. Carla from the Kiel school strike committee is looking forward to it: "We will make the next school strike even bigger! We will take to the streets together with the unions and support the DGB's day of action on September 26th. In Hamburg we will strike during the NATO exercise Red Storm Charlie and thus directly counteract the preparations for war…” From the press release from July 21, 2026 from the school strike against conscription (via e-mail) – neither the PM nor the resolution is online yethttps://schulstreikgegenwehrpflicht.com/ 
• School strike against conscription: Why young people do not share the liberal understanding of the state
  “The government is looking for a way out of the economic crisis that primarily harms youth and workers. At the same time, consideration is being given to reintroducing general conscription, to which the youth reacts by striking. This is not an expression of their egoism, but rather an awareness of social injustice. (…)
  The announcement of compulsory military service as a basis for a possible reintroduction of compulsory military service, accompanied by leaky ceilings in schools, seems to have been the last straw: since the end of 2025, students have been taking to the streets under the motto: “The rich want war, the youth want a future”. The image of the state as guardian of the common good is losing credibility; Continuous cuts make people doubt whether a state that is increasingly weakening rights and freedom is really worth their own lives.
  In public debates, striking youth are often accused of thinking selfishly, even without solidarity, because of their rejection of military service. However, it can be observed that many young people are not only committed to their own interest (not having to die for the state), but also to those in society who are most affected by the dismantling of the welfare state: precarious employees, for example from the outsourced Vivantes subsidiaries.(…)
  The times of concessions are over, and students are also feeling the effects, for example through canceled classes, overcrowded classrooms, foregoing school trips, dilapidated school buildings and the cancellation of funding projects. Nobody expected that young people would see the connection between cuts and militarization and that in response a movement would emerge that would challenge the raison d'être with its ideas of solidarity and justice. The headwind is therefore stronger than in previous school strikes such as Fridays for Future, as the demand not to be recruited into the Bundeswehr through a lottery process is even more difficult to integrate into the government's crisis management. This is because they hope to find a way out of the economic crisis through new profits in the arms industry and are resorting to a tried and tested strategy to generate approval: the universalization of particular interests, formulated in terms of hegemony theory. This means: The interests of individual capital representatives – such as companies like Rheinmetall and Co. – are articulated as the interests of the general public. The inability to finance concessions to the working class - including outsourced service workers - makes it difficult for the state to legitimize restrictive political measures such as conscription. Where there is a lack of consent, more coercion is needed. The school strikes were followed by lock-ups in schools, compulsory medical certificates and, in some cases, even arrests. (…)
  On the website of the school strike against conscription it says: "Rheinmetall wants the stocks to continue to rise. We want money for education and social welfare!" A slogan that reveals the antagonistic class relationship that underlies the capitalist mode of production. Behind the solidarity of the students with the employees of Vivantes subsidiaries is an awareness of the intensifying class contradiction: While defense companies profit from the war, it is the working class whose livelihoods are threatened by progressive cuts.
  Anyone who would use violence to defend existing property relations in case of doubt might perhaps be concerned about the increasing class consciousness of young people. For everyone else - at least those who are dependent on the sale of their labor and do not have capital that can accumulate anywhere - this class consciousness is of great importance so that the worker does not start to buck up and pedal down like a cyclist. Structural experiences of powerlessness without an identifiable cause carry the risk of escalating into aggression against weaker people. In order to prevent right-wing populist forces like the AfD from channeling this latent resentment politically, a solidarity-based class consciousness is required that reveals the structural causes of growing inequality.”…”Article by Clara Schlote from June 24, 2026in the philosophy magazine online 
• Secret service warns about Marx and Moritz: Brandenburg's Office for the Protection of the Constitution demands that schools help spy on the school strike movement against compulsory military service 
  “It is ineradicably ingrained in the mentality of the powerful: the idea that no one - except those under enemy rule - could be dissatisfied enough to take part in mass protests against the government, and that only the agitation of "extremists" drives people onto the streets. This is linked to the anti-communist cliché that these "extremists" are only pretending to strive for a more peaceful and just society, but this is just a cover-up tactic that proves their cunning. Following this narrative, the Brandenburg Ministry of Education warns schools against “continuous instrumentalization of the ‘school strike against conscription’ campaign by left-wing extremists.” This is the subject line of a letter from the Office for the Protection of the Constitution to the ministry, which was then forwarded to several dozen secondary schools between the Elbe and Oder. (…) The letter expressly warns against participation by the MLPD, the SDAJ as a youth organization of the DKP and Young Struggle as a youth group of the Turkish-Kurdish MLKP. (…) As evidence of the communist "infiltration" of the movement against conscription, an article about its "perception" by the CDU-affiliated student union is cited. Finally, the secret service “asks” the school administrators to cooperate in spying on their students in accordance with Section 14 Paragraph 1 of the Brandenburg Constitutional Protection Act. There, federal state institutions are required to inform the secret service “on their own initiative” about “security-threatening” or subversive activities if they become aware of them.(…) The school strike alliance firmly rejected the secret service accusation of “extremism” on Wednesday. Only one thing is extreme, “namely the federal government’s plans,” an alliance spokesman told jW. He criticized the fact that – “while a new war is being prepared through conscription and militarization” – the state is turning “primarily against organizations that are against this war”. The goals of the strike alliance are “to prevent the new conscription and to end militarization.” We will work with everyone “who also honestly represents these goals.” And the forces that have always been most resolute against a new world war are not liberals or social democrats, but communists. The school strike alliance emphasized not to allow itself to be intimidated. The goal remains “to put an end to the preparations for war.”…”Article by Philip Tassev in the young world June 4, 2026 , see also:
  • “We know who you are”: The secret service and police fail in their attempts to intimidate school strike activists in Kiel
    “… In Kiel, a few weeks ago, the Office for the Protection of the Constitution and the police dared to take cover with attempted chatter.”Vincent Cziesla spoke to Golo and Carla for the UZ on June 19, 2026 about their experiences with state power, the resistance and the consequences for the movement:"Golo: About two weeks before the last day of the strike on May 8th, I set off to school on my bike in the morning. About 20 meters from my front door, a man wearing green clothing and a peaked cap stepped onto the street. He had come out from between two cars and positioned himself on the street in such a way that I wouldn't have been able to get past him even if I had tried. There were cars on both sides of the street, even where parking is not actually allowed. The man shouted to me: "Stop! General traffic control." I then stopped. He continued: “Fun, Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution.” I didn't think it was funny, but he - or whoever thought of it - apparently did. I dismounted and he said that he wanted to talk to me about the limits of the anti-militarist struggle. I replied that I didn't have time and had to go to school. I got back on the bike. He called after me: "You're Golo K. You're in the SDAJ. You also talk to the KN." By KN he meant the local newspaper “Kieler Nachrichten”. Apparently they wanted to show me that they knew something about me. After the encounter I was scared at first. As I continued along the way, I kept looking behind me. I realized that he had really ambushed me. I was unsure how to deal with the situation and first wrote a memory log to record what happened. (…) Carla: About a week after trying to chat up Golo, I did a school internship in a bookstore. During this time, former Chancellor Angela Merkel came by to hold a book signing.That's why various security guards were present, including the Federal Criminal Police Office. The first thing I noticed was that the BKA officers independently addressed me by name, even though I hadn't introduced myself. I asked the staff - no one had given out my name. The owner hadn't sent out a list of names or anything like that either. Additionally, when there were no other people around, they would express strange comments to me. They said things from which I could clearly hear: Okay, they know where I'm organized - and they know that I'm taking part in the school strikes. For example, it was said out of nowhere: “Don’t throw stones now!” Such statements are no coincidence. Nobody talks like that to a 17-year-old they're just seeing for the first time. That was a clear message: We know what you're doing, pay attention. For me this was a clear attempt at intimidation. You didn't ask any questions, so you didn't want to get any information from me. A few days later, a man came into the store who closely resembled the description Golo gave of the person who had chatted him up. He hung around the store for a long time and I had the impression that he was waiting for a good opportunity to talk to me. I then stayed close to my colleagues until he eventually left. (…) It is to be expected that the repression against the school strike movement will increase. In Munich, students were pulled out of the demonstration. Elsewhere, students were driven back to their schools and reprimanded. Circulars were sent to school management by individual state ministries to warn of the strikes.So the state is trying in every possible way to take action against our movement. The question that comes to mind in this context: We already have a pretty strong movement and we have created the necessary structures for it. What actually happens if conscription is reintroduced? How many young people will be on the streets then and how big will the repression be? That's probably what goes through many people's minds. But it is also important: we are prepared! We also feel the strong solidarity in the movement nationwide. During the second strike, a student was pulled out of the demonstration because of his sign that said “Merz leck Eier”. On the third day of the strike, signs with the same slogan could be seen in every city and at every strike. This shows the cohesion we experience in our movement. (…) We won’t let ourselves be downplayed… Golo: … no, and of course we are upstanding democrats! Carla: Oh, licks balls. Golo: Yes, exactly.”
• 45,000 students at the school strike against conscription on May 8th say: Never again war! No more compulsory military service! – in Munich despite politically motivated police violence, in Berlin despite arrests
  • 45,000 students at the school strike against conscription say: Never again war! No more compulsory military service!
    “Today, May 8, 2026, 45,000 students in over 150 cities went on strike at school again. Under the motto "Never again war! Never again conscription" they made it clear on the 81st anniversary of the end of the Second World War: Young people do not want conscription. The students demanded the withdrawal of the Military Service Modernization Act, a stop to the gradual reintroduction of compulsory military service and a stop to Bundeswehr appearances in schools. According to current figures, only a quarter of 18-year-olds have answered the Bundeswehr's questionnaires, even though there is a risk of fines. This shows that many young people have no desire to do military service. (…) The mood at the strikes was solidarity and loud. After the incident in March, in which a student was arrested with a poster that read "Merz, leck Eier", the students were on today's school strike in large numbers with the same poster, showing that they stand together and do not put up with the federal government's policies.
    In Münster, the police were arrested because of the demo slogan “Merz, lick eggs!” Identity checks were carried out and students were intimidated. There were also cases of repression in many other cities, such as locking people up in schools and compulsory medical certificates. Phil Werring, 17, a student from Münster explains: "We condemn this attack on our freedom of expression and freedom of assembly in the strongest possible terms! The government and the Bundeswehr tell us that they are also fighting so that we can be against them. But that stops when this resistance is organized. We will not allow ourselves to be intimidated, because we students have great strength together: We stand together and continue to take to the streets for our interests. For every repression, we distribute even more flyers and discuss with even more “That’s why it makes me happy that, despite being locked up and being intimidated, so many of us are on the streets today and are resisting the fact that we are being forced into barracks instead of having a future perspective.” (…)
    The movement is planning a next stepWeek of action (June 15-21) against the so-called “Veterans Day”, the next nationwide strike conference in mid-July and their next strike day in the fall. Until then, she will focus on working against the Bundeswehr presence in schools and offering joint exchanges during the summer holidays.” Press release from May 8, 2026 from school strike against conscription with photos
  • Thousands on school strike in Munich despite politically motivated police violence
    “During the school strike on May 8, 2026 in Munich, the police attacked the students' demonstration. At the demonstration you could read, among other things, signs with inscriptions like “Merz, lick eggs!” and “Merz, die yourself on the Eastern Front!”. During the last school strike on March 5th, students with corresponding posters were arrested by the police in Munich and taken back to school. At least two people were injured as a result of today's operation. Despite the politically motivated police violence, over a thousand students attended the final rally. Minors were also arrested in Berlin.
    When Bernhard Baudler, political secretary for school policy at the GEW Bavaria, began his speech at the final rally in front of around 1,500 participants at Munich's Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz, he was interrupted after two sentences: "I greet you on behalf of the GEW Bavaria, GEW stands for the Education and Science Union. We are the education union in the German Federation of Trade Unions (DGB) and we only have teachers..." said Baudler. Then police officers in heavy gear went into the rally and arrested a participant because of her self-painted sign. The affected 20-year-old student, who wishes to remain anonymous, reports: "I was forcibly taken away by several police officers as I sat away from the strikers because of my demonstration sign. I felt very inferior and small in the situation." Due to the police's brutal approach, the student's arm was twisted, and a demonstrator standing around suffered a bruised hand. The union speaker Baudler called on the police over the microphone to remain peaceful, but he was only able to continue his speech after the police ended the twenty-minute disruption of the final rally and released the student with a complaint. The organizer “No to compulsory military service in Munich” states that the actions of the police, specifically the brutal approach and the police cordon, created a threatening situation for the students present…” Press release from May 8, 2026 from school strike against conscription with photos (via e-mail)
  • Tens of thousands against war and conscription: “School strike”: In 150 cities, young people in particular demonstrated for peaceful foreign policy and against forced service
    “According to the School Strikes Against Conscription Network, around 45,000 students went on strike in class on Friday in more than 150 cities. Instead, they went with the motto “Never again war!” “Never again compulsory military service” against rearmament and compulsory military service on the streets. The students were supported everywhere by people of all generations, including activists from the Parents Against Conscription Alliance. Activists from the peace movement and regional associations of the Education and Science Union (GEW) in Hesse, Bavaria and Saxony also called for the day of action, as did several state student representatives.The demonstrators expressly recalled the end of the Second World War exactly 81 years ago and the suffering that fascist Germany brought to the peoples of Europe. Hannes Kramer, spokesman for school strikes against conscription, explained: “Today, students all over Germany made it clear once again: The rich want war – the youth want a future. This is how we draw the conclusion from the Second World War.” Today, “never again war” means “never again compulsory military service!” says Kramer. Over 80 years ago, IG Farben, Deutsche Bank and Krupp benefited from the war, today it's "about the profits of Rheinmetall and Co." They will continue to strike against the fact that the young generation should be “burned to death in the trenches”.…”Article by Jana Frielinghaus from May 8, 2026 in ND online 
  • Live ticker: School strike against conscription
    “6:00 p.m.: Conclusion of the day
    45,000 students took part in school strikes against conscription in over 100 cities. The largest demonstration took place again in Berlin, with 5,000 to 10,000 participants, depending on estimates. Even though the strikes were somewhat smaller than in December and March, the rejection of conscription and dissatisfaction with the Merz government continues. The police relied on repression even more than on the first two days of the strike: there were reports of arrests from several cities because of signs like “Merz leck Eier”. In Munich, the police even beat students. In many cases, however, the repression was not successful. Several times people showed solidarity with those arrested and were able to force the police out of the demonstrations.Anyone who allows students to be beaten shows their authoritarian face. In Germany, even a harmless slogan is enough to constitute “Lèse-Majesty”. Anyone who criticizes the Blackrock Chancellor will have to deal with the police. This was also shown by the scandalous attempts at intimidation by the domestic secret service (“Verfassungsschutz”) in the run-up to the day of the strike, as well as the inflammatory reporting from some media such as the BR. The state is obviously taking tougher measures, fearing that the school strike movement will follow the general discontent. (…)
    2:58 p.m.: Solidarity speech from the Vivantes strike
    Two strikers from the Vivantes strike give a speech in solidarity with the school strike. They say they are not only against the cuts and austerity measures, but also against the upgrades that are making cuts to hospitals and health. They demand more money in health and social services instead of in militarization. (…)
    1:42 p.m.: From Vivantes strike to school strike
    The strikers from the Vivantes subsidiaries sent a solidarity delegation to the school strike. They are currently fighting for 100% TVÖD for the employees of the subsidiary company. They work in cleaning, technology, food supply, etc. in the Vivantes clinics. Where they save and cut money, the money goes somewhere else. Because the money needed for the upgrade is saved elsewhere! No to conscription TVÖD for everyone on the Spree!…”Report from May 8, 2026 at Class against Class 
  • Photo report: School strike against conscription
    “On May 8th, over 40,000 students in over 100 cities went on strike against conscription. A photo report from Berlin, Munich and Ingolstadt…”Photo report by Elaine Toszka, Ricarda Julia and Patrick Guist from May 10, 2026 at klassegegenklasse.org
  • “Resist in a timely manner”
    “Interview with Hannes Kramer about the school strikes against compulsory military service, about the impact on the young generation of crises and darkening future prospects, and about cases of state action against the school strikes…”Interview from May 8, 2026 in german-foreign-policy.com 
  • #ConscriptionShredding
• On May 8th, the day of liberation from Hitler's fascism, school strikes against compulsory military service will take place again in over 100 cities: "Never again fascism! Never again war! Never again compulsory military service!"
  • The school strikes against conscription will enter the third round on May 8, 2026: "Never again fascism! Never again war! Never again conscription!"
    “On May 8, 1945, the Second World War ended. The war brought destruction, suffering and death every day for 2,000 days. It cost the lives of over 60 million people worldwide. Something none of us want to experience again.
    But today Germany is rearming again, and almost every second euro of the federal budget is being spent on tanks, bombs and infrastructure that is preparing the country for war. The defense industry's coffers are ringing - then as now: Rheinmetall, KNDS & Co. are making record profits. Meanwhile, compulsory military service is being reintroduced step by step: compulsory questionnaires since the beginning of the year, military medical examinations next year. And now it is being discussed that men between the ages of 17 and 45 are only allowed to travel abroad for longer than 3 months with permission. Merz speaks of the “age of the great powers” ​​and by this means the fight for spheres of influence and profit, as we can see today in the war against Iran. He says the duty will come if not enough volunteers come forward. This shows that preparations are being made for war and we young people are supposed to be the cannon fodder for it.
    But we say: This is not the age of great power politics! This is the age of school strikes and resistance!
    After we have already been on the streets with over 50,000 students across Germany twice, we want to do this again on May 8th. We are showing: What are a few missed hours or bad grades compared to 180 days of military service or even death in the trenches?
    The Second World War ended on May 8, 1945 and the hail of bombs stopped. Afterwards, large parts of the population agreed: war should never again originate on German soil. "Never again war! Never again fascism!" was the slogan. In this tradition, we will take to the streets again on May 8th with everyone who has no interest in conscription or the next big war. We call on all students to strike with us on this day. Teachers, parents, students and everyone who supports us are called upon to take to the streets with us.”Call on the promotion page including theList of over 100 cities – from Aachen to Wuppertal – in which actions have been announced and alsoInformation about the call in the initiative “Never again war – put down the weapons!”
    • See also the dossier:May 8th – Day of Liberation from War and Fascismand the dossier:[8. May must be a holiday] That Auschwitz will never be again - and this country must change. Open letter/petition from Esther Bejarano
  • Feminists go on school strike against compulsory military service!
    “Militarization is omnipresent - but it doesn't just mean tanks and war rhetoric. It also means the restriction of reproductive rights, the idealization of the heterosexual family and the return of compulsory military service. We're taking to the streets on May 8th - their wars, our bodies!…”Call from Lena Hense from May 6th, 2026 for class against class 
  • School strike against conscription - on the day of remembrance of the end of the Second World War - trade unions should support them!
    “May 8th commemorates the end of the Second World War and the liberation from National Socialism 81 years ago.
    Those politically responsible want to make Germany fit for war again and introduce compulsory military service for young people. On May 8th, it will ring through the streets all over Germany: the rich want war, the youth want a future! The Berlin strike and demonstration have the motto: "Never again fascism! Never again war! Never again conscription!"
    Be there at 12 p.m. at the Brandenburg Gate, feeder demo starts at 10:30 a.m. Hallesches Tor. (…)
    As the Berlin Trade Union Forum, we would like to see the youth workers and youth associations of the trade unions become more involved and actively participate themselves!
    Ulrike Eifler - IG Metall, BuG Die Linke - said: "Whether refusing military service turns from a moral question into a criminal offense is a political decision. And it shows that arming against external enemies leads to arming against internal enemies.
    The student strikes continue on Friday. We should support and protect them. Because the repression against them will increase. The federal government is preparing for war; it cannot afford for an entire generation to politicize the issue of war and peace. Anyone who wants to prevent the images from Ukraine, where desperate young men are brutally dragged into minibuses and beaten by “military police” from becoming a reality and normality in Germany at some point, should stand on the street with the school strikers on Friday.”“Contribution by Peter Vlatten on May 4th, 2026 in the Forum Trade Union Left Berlin 
  • Rearmament in Germany: Gradual reintroduction of compulsory military service and resistance through school strikes
    “…In order to bring about real change, it is urgently necessary that the workers and the unions also show solidarity with the school strikes and lead joint struggles with them!
    The strike is already the right means for enforcing one's own demands on the capitalist state. Unfortunately, students are not yet making any profits, which is why their strike, like other demonstrations, can be ignored for the time being by the employers and the politicians who represent them. But if the unions were to break with the illusory vision of social partnership, break away from the state and represent the interests of workers again, a large-scale strike could soon force the government to put a stop to its anti-worker policies. Therefore, not only students should feel called upon to join the fight against compulsory military service. Everyone who is not directly affected by the changes in the law should also support the students in their protest out of solidarity with the next generations, to protect their own children and to ward off warmongering and the ever harder falling hammer of cuts and recognize the need to take action against the ongoing militarization themselves.”Contribution by Vincent Görlich from May 4, 2026 at etosmedia.de 
  • Second nationwide school strike conference calls for: Never again conscription, never again war! Come out May 8th!
    “The second nationwide school strike conference took place in Göttingen on the weekend of April 18th and 19th. As organizers, we consider it a complete success.
    More than 200 participants from all over Germany came together to exchange information about the work of the local strike committees and the strike organization and to discuss developments surrounding the reintroduction of compulsory military service. 
    For example, in a workshop on dealing with repression, such as the arrest in Berlin because of a “Merz leck Eier” poster or increased school lock-ups. It was discussed there that we would not allow ourselves to be intimidated, but would scandalize any attack on our strikes. The perspective of the movement was discussed in workshops on underfunding of education, visits by the Bundeswehr to schools and mobilization for the next day of the strike.
    In a final document (seehttps://schulstreikgegenwehrpflicht.com/ ) the delegates decided: "As long as conscription continues to be discussed, we will continue to strike. We are fighting against conscription as part of the current war preparation, through which hundreds of billions are being spent on rearmament, while education and social services are being cut." and together took the next steps for the movement. 
    This includes setting up more strike committees in schools, continuing to build up the movement in a self-organized manner and expanding it with more students. We made it clear: “We will decide for ourselves locally and nationwide at strike conferences how the movement will continue.” From now on, we want to advocate for “schools against conscription” at schools, which no longer invite the Bundeswehr or youth officers to school. Instead, we organize conscientious objection counseling and peace education ourselves. With all parts of the youth – schoolchildren, trainees, students, workers, youth organizations, trade union youth – we want to strengthen the fight against compulsory military service. We are taking part in the DGB demonstrations on May 1st and the peace movement's days of action on September 1st. and on October 3rd. Veterans Day is scheduled for June 16th. until June 22nd a week of action will take place. 
    The next school strike against conscription will take place on May 8th, on the occasion of the 81st anniversary of the end of the Second World War. In our appeal we write: "The Second World War ended on May 8, 1945, and the hail of bombs ceased. Afterwards, large parts of the population agreed: war should never again come from German soil. "Never again war! Never again fascism!" was the slogan. In this tradition, we will take to the streets again on May 8th with everyone who has no interest in conscription or the next big war. We call on all students to strike with us on this day. Teachers, parents, students and everyone who supports us are called upon to take to the streets with us.”Press release from April 22, 2026 via email for the callhttps://schulstreikgegenwehrpflicht.com/ 
• So that conscientious objectors are not left alone with the fines of the Bundeswehr: Refusal Solidarity Fund and a fundraising campaign to support it
  • Denied solidarity fund
    “If the Bundeswehr has imposed a fine on you because you didn't register and didn't answer the questions or because you didn't show up for the muster, then the Denied Solidarity Fund will help you!
    The intention behind the reintroduction of military service is to militarize our society and make it “war-ready” again. We oppose this because we are firmly convinced that more weapons and more soldiers will not make us safer, but will instead threaten new arms and escalation spirals that make wars more likely.
    The Denied Solidarity Fund supports young people who have received mail from the Bundeswehr as part of the new military service law. This is the so-called military registration, in which all young men are obliged - for young women this has so far been voluntary - to fill out a questionnaire. The Bundeswehr is thus encroaching heavily on the personal freedoms of those affected…”DFG-VK campaign page and there too:
  • Fundraising campaigns to support the Denied Solidarity Fund
    “How much of the fine can be covered by the new refused solidarity fund depends on how many fines are imposed, how high they are and how much money is available to the fund. We can't get a clear overview of all of this at the moment. Nevertheless, we aim to cover 50% of the fine if possible. We would like to work towards this together. Unfortunately, we cannot currently guarantee that we will achieve this goal in every case. You can also help the Solidarity Fund collect as much donations as possible by helping to publicize the fundraising campaign!…”
    Account holder: DFG-VK Stuttgart
    IBAN: DE32 4306 0967 4006 1617 40
    Intended use: Denies solidarity funds
  • Denied Solidarity Fund: “We want to support a boycott movement against conscription”
    “The DFG-VK and “Rheinmetall disarmen” have founded the Denied Solidarity Fund against the Military Service Modernization Act – it covers fines…”Interview by Matthias Monroy from April 22, 2026 in ND online 
• The preparations for the school strike on March 5th using the example of Cologne: A school newspaper and the call from GEW Cologne for support at and through the schools 
  • School strike against conscription
    School newspaper of anti-militarist initiatives from Cologne for students everywhere, tooas a flip book for reading
  • Letter from GEW Cologne to its members on the student strike against conscription on March 5, 2026
    “…As teachers and educational specialists in the Education and Science Union in the Cologne City Association, we fundamentally support this concern of the young people entrusted to us, many of whom are still under 18 years old. We also refer to GEW resolutions on the subject.
    We ask you and will do everything we can to enable you to take part in this event or not to make it unnecessarily difficult.We have various options for this - examples: There will be no class tests, exams or other exams on this day. Or the organizers' concerns are made into a lesson or project topic and deepened in a class.
    The “Fridays for Future” movement in recent years has resulted in various experiences that can be put to use again within the scope of the school law. We also appeal to school management to provide generous options here…” Managing Board (GfV) of GEW Cologne on February 11th, 2026 (received by e-mail) and also nationally:
  • Statement from colleagues at schools: Education and social issues instead of conscription and rearmament!
    “On December 5, 2025, 55,000 students went on strike against the new military service law. The next strike is planned for March 5th. We as colleagues in schools, GEW and ver.di members, support this school strike and are committed to active solidarity in schools and union branches.
    Armament and war propaganda do not ensure peace, but increase the risk of armed clashes - whether from Russian, US or EU imperialism. The billions for rearmament will be cut from government spending on education, social systems and environmental protection or will be missing anyway.
    Young people suffer from an ailing education system: there is a shortage of around 15,000(*) teaching positions nationwide, classes are repeatedly canceled, and school buildings are falling into disrepair. Housing is scarce anyway and hardly affordable for young people. Capitalism is driving climate catastrophe and leaving our students with a broken planet. And now tens of thousands of young people are to be prepared every year for military service.
    If hundreds of thousands of students want to take to the streets again on March 5th against conscription and rearmament, we will support them with all the means at our disposal, such as through classes, during breaks or in free periods. We speak out against any repression against our students!
    We expressly welcome the fact that the GEW sees itself as part of the movement against war and conscription at federal, state and district association levels and supports it with materials, finances and ideas. We call on all divisions of the DGB unions to support these resolutions and actively implement them on site…”Call fromschule@gegenwehrpflicht.infoon February 22nddocumented at VKG (Networking for militant unions)
  • Renewed nationwide school strikes against conscription announced for March 5th, 2026: “Against compulsory military service and all compulsory service!”
    “The nationwide “School Strike Against Conscription” initiative is calling for a second wave of school strikes against compulsory military service on March 5, 2026. The school strikes are directed against the measures taken by the federal government to prepare for compulsory military service across the board, but also against any further expansion and implementation step of the already passed “Military Service Act”.…”Press release from February 12, 2026 from the “School strike against conscription” initiative (via e-mail) – seehttps://schulstreikgegenwehrpflicht.com/ 
    • and school strikes against conscription on March 5, 2026at the peace cooperative 
  • School strike on March 5th: youth organize for peace
    “How potentially conscripts are preparing for the school strike on March 5th and why that is so important. A report from a student's perspective
    Instead of offering us the prospect of a secure future in a peaceful country in which the government is committed to a social state, we young people are now sent a questionnaire on our 18th birthday. A questionnaire on military service, a symbol of Germany's rearmament, at the expense of the welfare state, at the expense of our future. Since January, all young people born in 2008 have been asked about their willingness to serve as weapons. Mandatory mustering will follow from summer 2027. But we students are against it, the majority reject a return to compulsory military service. It is clear to us that the government is not acting in the interests of the population and certainly not in the interests of young people.This became clear again last weekend at the nationwide school strike conference in Göttingen. It aimed to network alliances and initiatives and evaluate the work in the school strike committees. The next school strike is planned for March 5th, which various youth organizations are calling for. It should be even bigger than the last one. And it was pretty good: on December 5th, more than 50,000 students took to the streets in around 90 cities. Nevertheless, the federal government's “Military Service Modernization Act” was passed with a majority.The planned muster is a further step towards militarization…”Article by Charlotte Küßner in the young world from February 19, 2026 
• No to conscription in Bochum: Demo on February 20th
  “On March 5th there will be the next nationwide school strike against the planned introduction of compulsory military service. In order to mobilize for this, the Bochum alliance “No to Conscription” is calling for a demonstration next Saturday at 2 p.m. starting on Dr.-Ruer-Platz.On Thursday, February 18th A preparatory meeting will take place at DIDF, Rottstrasse 30, at which banners and posters will primarily be designed…”Information at bo-alternative 
• No place for (young) people: compulsory military service for women? A crime even for men 
  “…This “women to the children and men to the front” mentality is leading to completely new excesses of “feminist foreign policy” in some circles. Within the Greens, compulsory services for everyone have long been discussed using the argument of “gender equality”. At the CDU party conference, the women's union is now also demanding in a motion that the questionnaires to record war fitness should be mandatory for everyone; in the long term, a mandatory year of service would be needed. In these circles, women's liberation probably ends with them dying on equal terms in the trenches. The correct answer to “conscription for men” is not “conscription for everyone” but “conscription for no one”! At least if you are not concerned with NATO supremacy and Germany's desire to become a great power, but rather with the liberation of women.
  In order for compulsory service to somehow feel like “liberation” for everyone, a lot still needs to be done to the image. Boris Pistorius (SPD) had therefore already promised that in the future the examinations should be carried out without humiliation and in a humane manner. If this assurance is correct, young people can look forward to not suffering any major damage during the muster before they go to the front.
  But the Bundeswehr as a whole is also working on its image and fighting against reality, because the number of racist and sexist incidents within the Bundeswehr is increasing. (…)
  But the youth cannot be fooled. Neither about the alleged feminism that propagates equal dying in war, nor about the fact that the Bundeswehr, built up by fascists, with its structural sexism and the firmly anchored fascist networks, is now making the next attempt to clear its image. Most people know: the Bundeswehr is not a place for young people, neither for men nor for women.
  All surveys show: young people are not ready to go to war. The protest against compulsory military service shows that they will not allow themselves to be forced…”Article by Ronja Fröhlich in the UZ from February 13, 2026  
• Collectively betray the war – sabotage conscription!
  "The German state is preparing for war. For months now, the government coalition and the opposition have been discussing how to get the population outside of parliament and executive suites to become fit for war. (…) It is clear to us that we are not taking part in this training. Militarization and preparation for war have a long history - as does the resistance to it. (…) We are hopeful that many young people who are affected by compulsory military service will rebel together. The extensive warmongering, According to surveys, extensive harassment with advertising for military service in public spaces does not lead to the desired results among the younger generations (…) The fact that a large part of the youth in the Federal Republic of Germany does not want to do military service for this state is a good starting point. No matter how much the rulers want it, no war can be waged in the next few years We stand in solidarity with all those who choose the legal route of refusal and thus accept the military registration. Here, DFG-VK offers advice, among other things. We also stand in solidarity with all those who completely refuse these impositions and who do not appear for military registration. We will confidently record these total refusals and make them public.We will refuse imposed fines en masse, support them in solidarity and support those affected even in the event of prison sentences for total refusal. Especially where the heteronomy and individualization through German militarism seem to be all-encompassing, moments of collective self-determination are of central importance. That is why it is important not only to negotiate the question of refusal and all possible consequences with yourself, but to answer it together and collectively betray the war. More than ever, our strength will be to organize ourselves into structures that can counteract social legal developments and militarization. (…) As part of an internationalist anti-militarist movement, we build on the experiences we have had up to this point. From the Kiel Sailors' Uprising in 1918, which showed us that orders lose their power if we collectively resist them, to the Berlin Vietnam Congress in 1968 and the support of deserting GIs to the anti-NATO campaign. We refuse, sabotage and combat preparations for war and militarism both outside and within the military. In doing so, we struggle with the certainty that we are acting in the interests of everyone who does not benefit from this social order; that with our resistance we can draw a clear line between ourselves and those in power. Only a fighting anti-militarist movement that clearly states that its struggle is in the interests of the many and against the interests of those in power can effectively stand in the way of emerging militarism. Come with us and defend yourself – we want a future!” Disarm press statement from Rheinmetall dated January 26, 2026 
• They can't get us: shred conscription!
  “The Bundeswehr is trying to get us to commit murder with billboards on the streets - but we won't take part. We will boycott conscription from the start. (…) Let us come together, resist together, occupy training centers in an organized manner and disrupt Bundeswehr events and maneuvers. And first of all, ignore the questionnaire. There are no consequences the first time. And if there are fines the second time, we will collect money so that no one is left alone with the costs.
  We want to exchange and coordinate our shared experiences and our future plans and activities. The conscientious objection congress on 11/12 is ideal for this purpose. April 2026 in Kassel and the Rheinmetall disarm camp in early September 2026 in Cologne. We cordially invite all objectors and those who want to become one.We do not intend to die in their wars…”Call from the Interventionist Left from January 2026 to
  •  KDV Congress on 11th/12th April in Kassel 
  • Rheinmetall Disarm Camp 1st-6th September 2026 in Cologne and days of action against the NATO maneuvers September 24th-26th. September in Hamburg:https://rheinmetallentwaffnen.noblogs.org 
• Parents have to join in the strike: How do you successfully refuse military service? There are different views on this. But the fight is essential.
  "Refuse military service? Absolutely. But how? There are different views on this. On the day when the reintroduction of compulsory military service was decided in the Bundestag, the board of the Verdi operating group at the Free University sent out an appeal to its members against "war preparation and compulsory military service." Among other things, it was intended to provide information, especially to younger members, about the possibility of refusing military service. It says: "You can temporarily avoid being recorded by the Bundeswehr if you exercise your right to object to the military service Data transfer to the Bundeswehr at a Berlin citizens' office." With a sample letter and a reference to the website kriegsdienstblocker.de, the trade unionists point out that one can also exercise one's constitutionally enshrined right to refuse military service as a precautionary measure. According to the authors, the Berlin state constitution also guarantees: "Everyone has the right to refuse military service without incurring any disadvantages." (VvB Art. 30 para. 2)« The DFG-VK, the German Peace Society - United Conscientious Objectors, does not recommend objecting to the transfer of data to the Bundeswehr, but on the contrary, it says on its website: "If you want to be recognized as a conscientious objector, only then will your KDV application be processed. This is legally enshrined in Section 2 (6) of the Conscientious Objection Act Your KDV application will be rejected.” Especially now the chances of recognition are high.And further: "If you want to wait with the KDV application, there is the risk that if a situation of tension or defense is declared, your KDV application will lose its suspensive effect, the chances of recognition will disappear and you could be called up for service in the Bundeswehr."
  Which variant of conscientious objection has a greater chance of success is an important question. But the discussion about this is above all a debate about the right individual advice. There is at least one other necessary form of resistance: the collective refusal not only of one's own data and body (and mind), but of all services. The fact that in many places the youth unions and the GEW supported the school strike against conscription - the IG Metall youth even almost nationwide - is a start. (…)
  The next school strike is scheduled to take place in three months. Better would be more timely and longer than a day. There are examples of successful school strikes in history, as the UZ reminds us in its current issue. Mass and stamina were crucial. It will be necessary for the parents to join in on strike. The unions are needed for this – not just verbal support, but practical.” Article by Susanne Knütter in the young world from December 11, 2025 
• [Call from the board of the ver.di operating group FU] No to war preparation and compulsory military service
  “Dear members, on the occasion of the school strike on December 5th, which also included theRead the full story at the source

  Source: labournet.de