»Red Storm Charlie« | NATO maneuvers in Hamburg: antimilitarism or barbarism

Demonstration against the “Red Storm Charlie” maneuver in Hamburg on September 26th of this year Photo: dpa/Gregor Fischer The roar of Bundeswehr helicopters could be heard in Hamburg for days. Some made their rounds in pairs, others alone, over the port of Hamburg and other parts of the city. Big black helicopters that made a hell of a noise and gave a feeling of menace. Last weekend, the exercise “Red Storm Charlie” showed that this could soon be part of our everyday lives.

Over 500 soldiers rehearsed an emergency over three days: shooting down drones, caring for the injured, moving troops and units, but also putting down protests. The exercise was accompanied by actual counter-protests from civil society and left-wing groups. The "Taz" came to the conclusion that the "war game remains undisturbed." At the same time, the editors note that there was indeed a blockade of freight train traffic in the port of Hamburg for several hours by activists from the Ende Gelände group. 

Olivier David is an author and journalist. For “nd” he writes in the monthly “Class Meeting” column about the lower class and its opponents. David also hosts an nd podcast of the same name about class, crisis and culture.

In the even more bourgeois press, the exercise is seen as a success. Particular emphasis is placed on the successful interaction between the military and civil society actors. The Bundeswehr has worked with, among others, the University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) and companies such as Airbus, the port logistics company HHLA, the port administration and food retail chains. Overall, according to a Bundeswehr commander, cooperation with civilian forces has increased from twelve to 60 actors compared to the previous year.

So this is the new reality we have to face as a working class. By the end of 2027, 4,800 German soldiers are to be relocated to Lithuania - even under duress, as Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) recently announced. Last week, mandatory mustering was reintroduced from July next year. And in Paderborn the civil clause, which excludes research into military equipment and cooperation with the Bundeswehr, was overturned. As early as 2024, Bavaria declared the restriction of research to civil use to be legally inadmissible.

There are kebab packaging with advertising from the Bundeswehr. The latter is allowed to “educate” in schools; However, critical students are observed by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution and reported to their parents. The Bundeswehr works closely with the Federal Employment Agency and job centers. In books, journalists like former nd columnist Stephan Anpalagan publicly revoke their refusal to do military service. And CDU foreign policy expert Johann Wadephul wants to report the names of Ukrainians subject to military service in Kiev. 

Does it have to be like that? Absolutely no way. But we cannot stop at simply expressing our discomfort. What is needed is an even more decisive resistance. Anyone who doesn't want to wake up in a year or two to an escalated reality in which tens of thousands of young men and women are being conscripted and in which the corridor of opinion about what can be said is being tightened until any counter-speech seems impossible should take action now. 

No matter whether at university, at work, in the district group or in the union. We must oppose the logic of the so-called turning point internally with our resolute rejection. Resistance to war does not have to be felt, but organized. The rule is: antimilitarism or barbarism!

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