Easy-Going Relationship (II)

Trade Unions and Military

Michael Sommer, Chair of the German Trade Union Federation (DGB), has invited the members of his organization to a "Peace and Security Policy Workshop" to be held next Wednesday in Berlin, with the intention of "discussing the trade unions' relationship to the military," as Sommer writes in the announcement of the event. The focus will not be on the Bundeswehr's past and current combat operations, which are euphemistically dubbed "international missions."[1] Even the choice of speakers, to lead the discussion, indicate an unambiguous commitment to the militarization of German foreign policy. Almost all of the speakers support the German government's military policy.

Combat Capability as Basis

The primary focus of the "work shops," according to the program, will be the "effects" of German combat operations on the participating soldiers, police officers and civilian employees of the Bundeswehr.[2] The first scheduled to speak on the topic is Winfried Nachtwei, politician of the Green Party, specializing in military policy. Nachtwei is a member of the Foreign Ministry's "Civil Crisis Prevention Advisory Board" and a member of the "Advisory Board of the Leadership Development and Civic Education Center" of the Defense Ministry. The first of the two operates on the basis of the concept of "networked security," which foresees a close dovetailing of foreign, military, and development policy, while the latter elaborates the basis for the training of German soldiers in preparation for combat missions abroad. In this context, Nachtwei will speak in favor of German servicemen and women being trained in the "total capability spectrum" - with "combat capability being the basis."[3]

Police Interventions

Following Nachtwei, according to the "workshop's" program, is a scheduled talk by the Vice President of the German Trade Union of Police (GdP), Jörg Radek. In his organization, Radek is responsible for "police missions abroad" and is scheduled to "assess" these missions.[4] It is not to be expected that he will express any fundamental criticisms. According to press statements, during the Libyan civil war, he favored deploying German police officers to that North African country. This concurred with this GdP functionary's demand for the elaboration of a "clear mission objective" and to have "supplementary resources" made available, because this sort of operation "cannot be financed from the current budgets."[5] Generally speaking, Radek, according to his own indications, sees the German police as the most capable for military mission participation. "I think that we, as the German nation, have a very high standard in police work and we could contribute this know how." Radek particularly considers "training projects" for indigenous security forces of countries collaborating with the west, to be essential. He sees the mediation of the "entire spectrum of police functions" to be necessary - "from traffic training, via forensics and identity checks to interventions against demonstrations."[6]

Special Section Bundeswehr

Scheduled to follow Radek's talk is one by Michael Peters, a functionary of the United Services Union (Ver.di). Peters heads Ver.di's "Special Section - Bundeswehr" and is therefore, by virtue of his office, in charge of organizing and representing the German military's soldiers and civilian service personnel. For years he had been employed by the military and is today the employee representative on the advisory board of the BWI Informationstechnik Corp based in Meckenheim. Under title of "Hercules," that company, in which the Bundeswehr as well as Siemens and IBM are engaged, is furnishing the German military with state-of-the-art computer systems. (german-foreign-policy.com reported.[7])

German Quality Craftsmanship

The DGB workshop will be rounded off with a talk by Jürgen Bühl, a functionary of the Industrial Union of Metalworkers (IG Metall). Bühl heads the "Military Technology and Jobs Working Group " under the auspices of the IG Metall's presidium, which, most recently published a headline-grabbing study on "military shipbuilding" in Germany. The authors of the study called both for the expansion of the German industry's "core skills in military technology," as well as for stepping up German arms exports. (german-foreign-policy.com reported.[8]) Bühl fittingly considers that German arms manufacturers are "at an advantage" because, in his opinion, they "convince with their quality."[9]

No Fig Leaf

In the meantime, protest is growing against the DGB's planned "workshop." The trade union's "Women's Peace Conference Initiative" has called on its membership to confront this event "with decisive protests." As the activists explain, they will not "provide a fig leaf for a bogus discussion, where neither the Defense Policy Guidelines and transformation of the Bundeswehr into a global intervention army, nor the militarization of the society are discussed, but rather the attempt to have the German government's security policy adopted by the trade unions, as has been taking place since quite some time in schools and universities." The "Informationsstelle Militarisierung" (Information Center on Militarization IMI) in Tubingen, Baden Wuertemberg, openly calls this a "slap in the face of the peace and anti-war movement."[10]

Ideological Basis

It has been reminded that this planned "workshop" is no isolated event. Already last February, the DGB leadership had met with the German Minister of Defense, Thomas de Maizière (CDU). This was linked to the announcement of intentions to draw up "a joint declaration" on the Bundeswehr and the trade union's "shared values." (german-foreign-policy.com reported.[11]) It appears that now the ideological foundation must be laid.

[1] Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund (DGB): "Friedens- und Sicherheitspolitischer Workshop". 30. Oktober 2013, 10.30 Uhr, Kalkscheune, Johannisstr. 2, 10117 Berlin (Einladung)
[2] Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund (DGB): "Friedens- und Sicherheitspolitischer Workshop". 30. Oktober 2013, 10.30 Uhr, Kalkscheune, Johannisstr. 2, 10117 Berlin (Programm)
[3] Winfried Nachtwei: Der Afghanistaneinsatz der Bundeswehr - Von der Friedenssicherung zur Aufstandsbekämpfung. In: Anja Seiffert/Phil C. Langer/Carsten Pietsch (Hg.): Der Einsatz der Bundeswehr in Afghanistan. Sozial- und politikwissenschaftliche Perspektiven. Schriftenreihe des Sozialwissenschaftlichen Instituts der Bundeswehr 11, Wiesbaden 2012. See also Rezension: Anja Seiffert, Phil C. Langer, Carsten Pietsch (Hg.): Der Einsatz der Bundeswehr in Afghanistan
[4] Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund (DGB): "Friedens- und Sicherheitspolitischer Workshop". 30. Oktober 2013, 10.30 Uhr, Kalkscheune, Johannisstr. 2, 10117 Berlin (Programm)
[5] zitiert nach: Polizisten befürworten deutschen Ausbildungseinsatz; www.handelsblatt.com 22.08.2011
[6] zitiert nach: Deutschland schult Polizisten im Ausland; www.dw.de 24.08.2012
[7] see also Todesdrohung per Handy
[8] see also Deutsche Systemführerschaft and Von nationaler Bedeutung
[9] zitiert nach: Steinmeier regt "Weimarer Weißbuch" an; Behörden-Spiegel. Newsletter Verteidigung, Streitkräfte und Politik, Nr. 64, 14.03.2013
[10] Christoph Marischka/Jürgen Wagner: Sicherheitspolitischer Workshop des DGB: Schlag ins Gesicht der Friedens- und Antikriegsbewegung; IMI-Analyse 29/2013
[11] see also Entspanntes Verhältnis