First Veterans Day in Germany: Merz pays tribute to soldiers in focus!

First Veterans Day in Germany: Merz pays tribute to soldiers in focus!

Today the first National Veterans Day is celebrated in Germany. This important event will take place on June 15, 2025 in Berlin, around the Reichstag building. Chancellor Friedrich Merz took the opportunity to honor active and former soldiers of the Bundeswehr. In a post on the X platform, Merz emphasized that the Bundeswehr is an integral part of society and that soldiers' achievements deserve thanks, recognition and respect. Around ten million Germans have completed military service or were professional or temporary soldiers, and according to the German definition, anyone who has left the service honorably is considered a veteran.

Veterans Day was created to properly honor the achievements and challenges of service members. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius underlined the importance of this event, especially with regard to the recognition of those injured in action. According to Pistorius, the Bundeswehr is facing enormous challenges due to massive personnel problems and needs up to 60,000 new soldiers to meet current needs.

A moving contribution

A particularly moving example of the challenges faced by veterans is the story of Robert Müller, a former paratrooper and PTSD sufferer who walked almost 100 kilometers from Hamburg to Berlin to take part in the celebrations. Müller fought for twelve years to have his post-traumatic stress disorder recognized, which he suffered during his deployment in Afghanistan. His participation on Veterans Day is a strong sign of visibility to the issues many veterans face.

Veterans Day is also intended to help reduce the gap between society and the armed forces. Surveys show that 80 percent of Germans have a positive attitude towards the Bundeswehr, but many of them have no personal contact with soldiers. To change this, various activities are planned at the event location in Berlin to promote interest in soldiers and veterans.

The Meaning of Veterans Day

This central event in Berlin is not only a tribute to military service, but also a step towards better integration of the Bundeswehr into society. The deputy chairman of the Bundeswehr Association, Marcel Bohnert, estimates that up to 80,000 additional soldiers are needed to achieve NATO's goals. Veterans Day could therefore also be a platform for future discussions about the role of the Bundeswehr in Germany and the needs for dealing with veteran policy concerns.

The day of honor is therefore not only dedicated to active and former soldiers, but also to society, which should learn to appreciate and better understand the achievements and sacrifices of its soldiers.