The computer freezes, blue screen, a loud ping: When a youth officer gives a lecture in the classroom, then students can vividly experience the dramatic consequences of a cyberattack. Because: "How exciting politics can be conveyed by the youth officers in a very practical way," writes the Bundeswehr about the work of their education officer.

Around 5800 times around 70 youth officers of the Bundeswehr visited schools last year and told the students about their work. In their presentations, which apart from panel discussions and seminars account for the largest part of the events, according to the last annual report of the youth officers is about the security policy in the 21st century and mission and tasks of the Bundeswehr.

Captain Leutnant Hans Wachtel has been working as a youth officer at Berlin schools since July 2016. "We can convey information that is authentic," he told SPIEGEL about his work.

Most frequently he reported on foreign assignments at the request of the schools. The students understand little about security policy, he says. "A maximum of 50 percent know that parliament decides on foreign missions."

What the youth officer in conversation repeatedly emphasized: "We do not advertise." He informed only about the tasks of the Bundeswehr - and recommend nobody to become a soldier.

The request of the SPD was probably meant differently

His work has been questioned in the past few days. Because the Berlin SPD demanded on its party conference on the weekend, to forbid "military organizations" to advertise at Berlin schools "for the service and the work in the military area".

The indignation - even among the comrades at the federal level - was great. Bundestag Vice President Thomas Oppermann (SPD) tweeted that he was appalled by the Berlin SPD's decision to ban youth officers from school. Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen (CDU) spoke of a "slap in the face of all soldiers", Federal Education Minister Anja Karliczek (CDU) criticized the decision.

So the application of the SPD was obviously not meant. The press spokeswoman for the Berlin SPD, Birte Huizing, says the reasoning of the application admittedly admitted misunderstandings. Because there is explicitly stated the work of the youth officers. The party had only decided the advertising ban for all military organizations in schools. And that does not affect the youth officers. "They're allowed to go to school."

Youth officers yes, career counselor no

On the other hand, the soldiers who are on the road as career counselors are to be excluded. According to the latest figures available in 2017, around 400 German troops were deployed nationwide. With lectures in schools, at exhibitions, project days, job fairs and similar events on the school grounds, they reached more than 330,000 pupils.

In contrast to the youth officers, the career adviser should actually promote the German Federal Armed Forces as an employer - and do so apparently successfully: the advice has "contributed to a good coverage of needs of the Bundeswehr", the Federal Government accounts for the request of the party Die Linke.

The number of minors in the Bundeswehr is actually high: in 2018 it has 1679 underage soldiers set. In 2017, with 2128 underage recruits, a new record had been set since conscription was suspended in 2011.

The SPD in Berlin, according to spokeswoman Huizing something against minors in the Bundeswehr - and wants to prevent the work of career counselors in schools.

Campaign against minors in the Bundeswehr

The party is not alone with this concern. Just last week, a broad coalition of non-governmental organizations - including the Education and Science Union (GEW), the Terre des Hommes Children's Fund and the IPPNW medical organization - launched the campaign "Under 18 never! No minors in the Bundeswehr".

Your demands:

  • The recruitment age for military service is to be raised to 18 years.
  • Any Bundeswehr advertising for minors should be banned.

As an example, the makers of advertising for the so-called Girls Day on: Under headings such as "A day as a soldier" or "attractive uniforms" have been addressed nationwide with more than 3,600 offers the Bundeswehr already fifth-graders.

Criticism of one-sided representation

The demand also has advocates in the Bundestag - and this across all parties. As early as 2016, the Children's Commission, in which one member of the Bundestag parties was to campaign for the interests of children, had already campaigned for a ban on advertising.

The politicians also refer to the UN, which has repeatedly urged Germany not to recruit minors and prohibit advertising in children - so far without success.

On the other hand, the Children's Commission has nothing against purely informative events. The work of the youth officers nevertheless regards them critically in their report: The youth officers, as paid workers, have privileged access to the schools, because there are too few dissenting votes, for example from the peace movement, because they worked as volunteers. The role of the Bundeswehr or the discussions about foreign missions is presented too one-sidedly, according to the report.

The Berlin youth officer Hans Wachtel does not see it that way. "We can also speak critically," he says. If there were questions about death and wounding or stress disturbances, he concealed nothing. "The profession of the soldier is not a normal profession," he tells the students, "but brings with it certain challenges and dangers."