Nationwide school strike shows potential for the fight against militarism

While the new military conscription law was being voted on in the Bundestag on the morning of December 5, students across Germany took to the streets. A total of 55,000 people are said to have protested in over 90 cities.

Sol members co-organized or supported protests and school strikes in many places and intervened in the protests. We made suggestions on how to further build the movement and how Defense Minister Pistorius’ plans are linked to general rearmament and the crisis of capitalism. (See flyer by Sol)

Even though the new military conscription law has been passed, the battle will continue in the new year. For the time being, all 18-year-old men are to be examined and required to fill out a questionnaire. If not enough volunteers come forward, a vote will be held on “conscription based on need.” Currently, all polls indicate that not enough “volunteers” will be found.

The federal government is therefore already trying to convince young people with material arguments, in addition to a propaganda offensive in the form of classroom visits, YouTube mini-series, and posters. For example, the pay for conscripts has been increased to 2,700 euros (previously 1,800 to 2,200 euros). In addition, a subsidy of 3,500 euros will be provided for driver’s licenses.

This makes it all the more important that in the future, the fight against conscription is linked to the fight for social justice, good training places and remuneration, and investment in our schools and universities. Every euro that goes to the German Armed Forces is missing elsewhere.

Even though the school strikes were smaller than in the past (e.g., Fridays for Future 2019 or against the Iraq War 2003), the local spread (in over 90 cities) shows how many school classes discussed the issue and how much uncertainty there is.

What next after the school strikes?

It would therefore be good if pupils and students now organized themselves in local groups against conscription, planned discussion and information events, wrote educational material, and prepared protests: for example, for youth clubs instead of recruitment centers and barracks, or against Bundeswehr advertising in schools and public spaces.

A nationwide conference would be helpful for networking local groups, where they could discuss how to continue resisting militarization and compulsory military service, as well as social cuts and austerity measures. Based on this, further nationwide protests could take place and a campaign against the implementation of “needs-based conscription” could be prepared. This campaign should highlight the direct link between militarization and social cuts in order to reach those who are still uncertain or skeptical, thereby increasing the scale of the protest.

 

Reports of local Sol activities:

Aachen

A demonstration with several speeches was registered in Aachen, including one from us. Around 200 people were there, most of them students. We also got to know someone who wants to continue discussing with us. The mood was very combative, critical, and anti-capitalist.

(Joshua, student and Sol member)

Freiburg

In Freiburg, around 800 demonstrators and strikers took to the streets on December 5. According to the speakers, significantly more students than expected turned up. So the mobilization went very well. Mobilization took place mainly at six large schools in advance, and at other schools on the same day in the run-up to the rally and demonstration, which began at 10 a.m. Many younger students, but also families with children, as well as some older people took part. The speeches and the mood at the rally were combative. After the demonstration, there was also a strike café where people could exchange views on the demonstration and political experiences. A few good conversations took place and I was also able to sell a few copies of our newspaper “Solidarity.”

(Pia, student and Sol member)

Hamm

In Hamm, about 50 people took part in the school strike, many of them striking students. Our comrade’s speech addressed capitalism as the cause of wars and emphasized that we have no interest in dying for the profits of the rich. In addition, the local branch of the Left Party gave a speech, alongside a number of spontaneous contributions at the open mic.

(Merlin, Sol member and active in linksjugend (youth organisation close to Die Linke) Hamm)

Kassel

On Friday, over 1,200 students and anti-militarists gathered in Kassel to demonstrate against the reintroduction of compulsory military service.

We were also involved in planning and mobilizing for the strike and worked to ensure that capitalism was named as the cause of war and compulsory military service. In a speech at a feeder demonstration, one of our comrades emphasized that the fight against this must be linked to the fight against budget cuts, because these budget cuts cannot be separated from the billions spent on the Bundeswehr.

(Max, Sol member and active in the linksjugend Kassel)

Mainz

The nationwide momentum to organize school strikes also had an impact on Mainz. Initially, there was no school strike planned in Mainz, but rather a demonstration in the evening. However, just under a week before, students contacted the “Mainz Against Conscription Alliance” expressing their interest in organizing a school strike in Mainz as well. As a result, school strikes took place at lunchtime with over 150 students participating, and several hundred people demonstrated at the demonstration in the evening.

(Laurens, Sol member and active in the linksjugend Mainz)

Stuttgart

Around 1,000 striking students attended the rally at Kronprinzplatz. We were able to reach many people with flyers and newspapers and generally encountered openness to anti-capitalist ideas. On Tuesday, we organized an event to discuss the ongoing struggle against militarization and capitalism, which we were able to mobilize support for.

(Leo, Sol member)

Rostock

According to the organizers, around 500 people, mainly young people, took part in the demonstration in Rostock at its peak. We were represented as Sol with a stand and also had the opportunity to give a speech. Mobilization for the strike and demonstration in Rostock began quite late, and bureaucratic hurdles were erected during the registration process, which is why the demonstration was postponed from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (after school hours). It will now be important to continue building this movement against conscription in Rostock, because there is still a lot of potential among Rostock’s youth.

(Julian, student, Sol member, and active in Youth for Socialism Rostock)

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No deaths for their profits!

Organize against armament and capitalism

Flyer from Sol

The German government wants more soldiers for the military so it can wage war again in the future. We won’t let that happen!

Capitalism means war

In the capitalist system we live in, the profit interests of big banks and corporations always come first. This is also the case with the wars currently being waged. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is to be condemned. At the same time, the West has prolonged this war because it wants to weaken Russia militarily and economically and gain access to raw materials and sales markets in Ukraine.

Capitalism leads to more and more wars because competition is intensifying as a result of the global economic crisis. The armament that is currently taking place is preparation for these new wars. Conscription, which is intended to bring in more soldiers, is also part of this. If it is introduced, there is a danger that we as young people will be sent to the front lines for the profit interests of German banks and corporations. However, we do not want to kill young people from other countries or be killed ourselves in the future!

Armament does not bring peace

For years, the largest wave of armament in the history of the Federal Republic has been taking place. This year alone, 86,000,000,000 euros are planned for the Bundeswehr. That is money that is lacking in our schools, universities, and youth clubs! If NATO’s five percent target is implemented, it will be even more every year!

When it comes to legitimizing armament and war, the term “defense” is always used. Today, politicians from the CDU to the Greens claim that the current armament is necessary because Germany must defend itself against Russia. The AfD is also calling for more armament. Yet NATO’s military spending is already ten times greater than Russia’s. Even without the US Army, the European NATO armies are clearly superior to Russia in all categories of weapons and support systems. Those who invaded Afghanistan in the past or who today support Israel’s state terror against the Palestinians will also be prepared to start wars themselves again in the future.

Conscription = militarization

Contrary to what some argue, conscription would not make the Bundeswehr more “democratic” and “close to the people” under the current circumstances. Rather, its reintroduction today would mean that the bulk of the Bundeswehr would continue to consist of professional soldiers

who are drilled and indoctrinated in barracks. Conscription is intended to produce more professional soldiers and militarize society. That is why it is right to oppose these plans en masse!

We will not be sent to the front!

We do not trust pro-capitalist politicians who preach “security” while closing hospitals, cutting education funding, and dismantling labor rights. We say: Take to the streets instead of the front lines! Let’s continue to build resistance together after December 5. That’s why we want to invite you to open meetings to discuss the plans to reintroduce conscription and what we can do to oppose them.

But we must also be clear that capitalism will always lead to armament and war. If we want to put an end to militarism as a whole, we must therefore also organize against the system as a whole and fight for a socialist future!

We demand:

• No to conscription! No to “voluntary” military service!
• No to armament and militarization! No to NATO’s five percent target! Germany out of NATO!
• No to Bundeswehr advertising in our schools and universities!
• An immediate ban on arms exports!
• Nationalization of the arms industry under democratic control and administration by the working population and conversion to civilian and sustainable production!
• Massive investment in education, climate, social welfare, and health!
• Socialist democracy instead of capitalism and war!