May 2001 - Nr. 5
Forty Years of Service by Conscientious Objectors
TWIG - At a ceremony in Bielefeld (North Rhine-Westphalia) Tuesday, Federal Minister for Family Affairs Christine Bergmann commemorated the birth of Germany’s civilian service program for conscientious objectors (Wehrdienstverweigerer), calling the institution’s forty-year history an "impressive success story." Young men with moral objections to participating in the Federal Republic’s compulsory military service have had the option of serving in the civilian sector since 1961.
"Once regarded with a certain mistrust, conscientious objectors have long since proven themselves to society and made a decisive impact on the social system through their serious commitment and hard work," said Bergmann. The first 340 men to qualify for the program entered service on April 10, 1961. Many enlisted near Bielefeld at the Bodelschwinghsche Anstalten in Bethel, a group of caretaking facilities for the ill and disabled that is the largest charitable institution in Europe.
Juergen Gohde, president of the Charitable Works of the Evangelical Church in Germany, also praised the achievements of the civilian service, noting that conscientious objectors have come to be seen as "social heroes who hold their own in the most difficult situations." More than 2 million young men have chosen civilian service over the military since the program was introduced. Civilian service currently lasts eleven months - one month longer than military duty. To qualify for the program, candidates must complete a formal application and present their reasons for opposing military service. They may also be called on to defend their case at a hearing. The right to refuse military service is guaranteed by the Basic Law, the Federal Republic’s constitution.
