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Bundeswehr soldier (symbolic image): demoted or dismissed
Photo: Henning Kaiser / dpa
In the two years since the law on the rehabilitation of homosexual soldiers came into force, the Bundeswehr has received 178 applications for reparations. This is less than expected, said the Ministry of Defense in Berlin. In an evaluation report, however, the ministry states: "The objectives of the law have been achieved."
Thus, the law is aimed not only at individual rehabilitation of individuals, but also at collective rehabilitation measures such as the annulment of military service court judgments. "The collective effects of the law as a building block for more acceptance and tolerance of sexual diversity in the Bundeswehr go far beyond the mere evaluation of the number of rehabilitations and compensation," it said. As a symbolic reparation, around 400,000 euros have so far been paid out to the beneficiaries.
Gays classified as a "security risk"
In 2021, the Bundestag decided that homosexual soldiers would be compensated and rehabilitated for their discrimination in the Bundeswehr and the National People's Army of the GDR. Homosexual acts were a criminal offence in the Federal Republic of Germany until 1969 and were also dealt with by the military service courts.
In the early years of the Bundeswehr, which was founded in 1955, homosexual soldiers had to reckon with being demoted or discharged. Later, although they were able to remain in the armed forces, they were no longer entrusted with leadership tasks. In the Bundeswehr, they were considered "security risks" according to a "central service regulation" from the time of Helmut Schmidt (1969 to 1972). By 1984, they had been retired or dismissed. Until the year 2000, they were not allowed to become professional soldiers and were not allowed to work either as superiors or as instructors.
According to the information, compensation will be paid for a total period of five years. The application deadline for compensation is therefore July 2026.
wit/dpa