German Soldier and German Unity: Political Foundations of the German Armed Forces

Abstract

The unification of Germany has transformed the political-military landscape of central Europe. Not the least of the issues raised by the union of the Federal Republic and the German Democratic Republic is the fate of the professional soldier in a united Germany. The present study analyzes the concept of military professionalism in the setting of the two former German states, placing emphasis on the political-ethical foundations of the West German armed forces and the political mechanisms of the integration of the soldier into society. The political problems of German soldiers in the past combined with the role of the East German armed forces as an instrument of the Socialist Unity Party in the GDR pose a major major challenge to the future military of a united Germany.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1991
Accession Number
ADA233059

Entities

People

  • Donald Abenheim

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Counter WMD
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Central Europe
  • Civil War
  • East Germany
  • Europe
  • Executives
  • Germany
  • Governments
  • Intergovernmental Organizations
  • International Organizations
  • International Relations
  • Law
  • National Politics
  • National Security
  • Political Ideologies
  • Political Systems
  • Students
  • War Colleges

Fields of Study

  • Political science

Readers

  • East Asian Political and Security Studies within the Soviet Union
  • European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP).
  • Military Leadership and Professional Education.