As a podcaster and freelance journalist, Ole Nimoen recognizes that he enjoys freedom of expression and other democratic rights in his native Germany.
But he wouldn't want to die for them.
In the book released this week, Why am I not fighting for my country?The 27-year-old argues that ordinary people should not be sent to battle on behalf of the nation-state and its rulers, and that they should not even dodge the invasion. Occupation by foreign forces can lead to “silly” lives, he told the Financial Times. “But I would rather be occupied than dead.”
The self-proclaimed Marxist Nymoen does not claim to represent the German Generation Z. But his attitude, and his impressive integrity about it, has once again climbed on a scale not seen since the end of the Cold War, taking advantage of the wide range of questions that Europe faces.
Berlin has poured nearly 100 billion euros into new equipment from German forces Bandeswale since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
But these funds help fill the weapons and equipment gaps, but one of the biggest issues remaining is talent.
German military secretary Eva Hegl warned this week that the country would not approach its target of having an active troop of 203,000 by 2031, as the overall size fell slightly last year. A quarter of the 18,810 men and women who signed up in 2023 left the military within six months.
“This development needs to be stopped and reversed as an urgent issue.” Hegl said.
A Bundeswehr spokesman said the military has taken steps to stem the spill of young recruits, including a notice period to avoid “last-minute, emotional” decisions.
However, a senior Army commander said that Generation Z members, known in the business world for their efforts to rebuild corporate culture, are also in the military with a variety of ideas and perspectives. “People are vulnerable and cry easily,” he said. “They talk about work-life balance.”
“I understand that,” the commander added. “They grew up at different times. That's not a bad perspective, but that doesn't match that well with the wartime situation.”
Just as Europe once again considers it fears offensive Russia, political and military leaders of the continent dramatically strengthened their language about what they expect from the public.
Sir Patrick Sanders, a senior British general, told the British people last year that they were part of the “previous generation” who might have to prepare themselves to enter into combat. In Germany, where the 1949 constitution contains a commitment to promoting global peace, last year Defense Minister Boris Pistorius caused shock by declaring that the nation was “ready for war.”
The warnings have escalated since Donald Trump returned to the White House in January, urging Ukraine to agree to a ceasefire and threatening to withdraw long-standing US security guarantees in Europe. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tass last week said his country was preparing “large military training for all adult men.”
Germany isn't that far. Christian Democrats and top Social Democrats, and the parties likely to form the next government, ruled out the revival of traditional conscription. Merz supports annual national services offering both military and non-military options.
Yet, the European population remains to the extent that it is willing to accept the call to participate for a much larger army.
Sofia Besch, a senior fellow at Carnegie International based in Washington, said that perceptions of the threat among the European masses were changing rapidly, “he said the next step is changing rapidly. [that governments are asking citizens to make] It's a huge thing – I want to fight for my country and I want my children to fight for my country. ”
Besch said countries, including Germany, lacked deep trust and common understanding of the threats between citizens and governments built in places such as Finland.
She added that in the worst-case scenario, it is likely that young Germans will not be asked to fight for their country. “We have to ask ourselves what the young Germans today are willing to fight for today. Is it Germany? A European project?”
Since the full-scale invasion of Russia's Ukraine, Germany has seen a sharp increase in the number of conscientious opponents (including regular soldiers and part-time reserves). This figure reached 2,998 last year, up from 200 in 2021.
Klaus Fisteller of the German Peace Association – Campaign Group United War Registers said many of them had served in military service several years ago before the conscription was abolished in 2011. For the past few years, it didn't look like a difficult commitment. But today, he said, “they see this decision from a completely different perspective.”
Christian Mölling, European director of the Bertelsmann Foundation, estimates that the number of German forces should increase from 181,000 today to reach NATO targets.
This excludes the reserve force, which is now at 60,000, but it says defense authorities must rise to 260,000.
Mölling said Bundeswehr needs to significantly improve its recruitment campaign to compete in a close, competitive labour market, and is doing more to modernize the military and make it an attractive employer.
“It's not an imitation of you pretending to be a modern military,” he said. “You have to do that.”
However, many young Germans may fundamentally oppose the idea of signing up. Last month's federal elections received two parties in which Ukrainian armaments (an far-right alternative to Germany and far-right Dai Linke on the left) claim almost half of the votes between the ages of 18 and 24.
A recent survey by voter Yougov found that 58% of Germans support a return to conscription, but only a third between the ages of 18 and 29 felt the same.
Nymoen is a voter for Die Link himself and deeply doubts Europe's once again registered competition. It really worked out to make European leaders sound belligerent, he said. “The problem is, after all, that's going to be me in trench.”
Data visualization by Keith Frey
