Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) has pledged resolute efforts to ensure that the Bundeswehr is capable of defending itself.
“The brutal Russian war of aggression in Ukraine made it clear to us that we must be prepared to defend our values of freedom, security and democracy with military means,” said Lambrecht on Monday in Berlin at the roll call of the Bundeswehr’s Territorial Command. “We have to get the Bundeswehr ready for action. There has to be a turning point,” said Lambrecht.
The new Territorial Command in the Julius-Leber-Barracks has the operational command of the forces domestically – including the army, air force, navy, medical service and cyber/information room. This also includes administrative and disaster relief, hybrid threat situations, civil-military cooperation and the coordination of the deployment of allied forces in Germany or the transfer via Germany. Around 550 soldiers and 250 civilians take on the task.
Breuer now National Territorial Commander
The commander of the new command is Lieutenant General Carsten Breuer (57), who also headed the Corona crisis team in the Federal Chancellery. Breuer is now also National Territorial Commander.
Lambrecht sees the ability of the Bundeswehr to defend the country and the alliance with the command for domestic use significantly strengthened. “Today is also a quick, visible and effective reaction to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Because we are also strengthening our preparedness and our ability to act on the territory that we want to defend in the event of an attack,” said Lambrecht. “In future, what has applied to the Bundeswehr’s commitments abroad for years will apply to territorial leadership capability: leadership from a single source.”
Criticism came from the left. “With the commissioning of the new Bundeswehr Super Headquarters, the federal government is taking another fatal step in linking military operations at home and abroad,” said Ali Al-Dailami, deputy chairman and defense policy spokesman for the Left Group. Zaklin Nastic, Left Chairwoman on the Defense Committee, criticized that militarization is being promoted domestically.
The Inspector General of the German Armed Forces, Eberhard Zorn, pointed out the ongoing deployments of German soldiers on NATO’s eastern border. But Germany also has a hub function that guarantees the freedom of action of NATO and the allied partners. Zorn: “Speed and decisive action at all levels are more than ever the order of the day.”
