On 29 August 2022, the NATO Military Committee visited Berlin, Germany, at the invitation of Mrs. Christine Lambrecht, the German Minister of Defense. Together with their Finnish and Swedish colleagues, thirty military personnel from the Allies attended briefings and discussions at the Ministry of Defence. The Military Committee was able to obtain a clearer knowledge of Germany’s historic shift in its foreign and security policies as a result of these contacts. The Military Committee also attended the Grand Tattoo (Großer Zapfenstreich) held in honor of Lieutenant General Hans-Werner Wiermann, the former Director General of the NATO International Military Staff.
The Military Committee visited the German Resistance Memorial Centre while in Berlin. The Centre is a location for memorialization, political studies, active learning, documentation, and research. It tries to explain how individuals and groups resisted the National Socialist regime between 1933 and 1945, and how they utilized their limited freedom of action. Admiral Bauer observed, “We must recall the past’s lessons.” Today, our security environment is deteriorating, as a war is being fought on European territory, something that has not occurred since World War II. It is imperative that we defend our ideals of liberty, democracy, and the rule of law.
Additionally, the Military Committee traveled to the German Armed Forces Memorial. The Memorial was erected in 2009 to honor military and civilian employees who perished while serving the Federal Republic of Germany. Admiral Bauer, chair of the Military Committee, lay a wreath at this location to honor all those who have made the supreme sacrifice.
Mrs. Christine Lambrecht and the German Chief of Defense, General Eberhard Zorn, held the discussions at the Ministry of Defense. The exchange of views with the Military Committee centered on how Germany is transitioning its foreign and security policies based on the new global security environment. The decision to invest 100 billion euros in the budget for 2022 and to pledge to spending 2% of the gross domestic product on defense represents a “Zeitwende” Discussions centered on present and future security threats, the war in Ukraine, the NATO’s deterrence and defense posture, and the decisions made at the NATO Summit in Madrid.
Germany contributes to transatlantic security in a variety of ways, including the protection of Baltic airspace and maritime deployments in the Aegean and Mediterranean, the leadership of NATO’s multinational battlegroup in Lithuania, and the hosting of the Joint Support and Enabling Command logistics command in Ulm. Germany supports the peacekeeping operation of the Kosovo Force and was the second largest contributor to the Afghanistan training mission. Germany’s consistent support for NATO-EU cooperation and hosting of the NATO Space Centre give it a crucial role.
The Military Committee concluded their visit to Germany by attending the Grand Tattoo (Großer Zapfenstreich) in honor of former German Military Representative to NATO and the European Union and former Director General of the International Military Staff at NATO Headquarters, Lieutenant General Hans-Werner Wiermann. The Grand Tattoo is the most significant ceremony of the German Armed Forces. The honour guards from all branches of the German Armed Forces form a single line to honor notable officials upon their retirement.