The recent German military service reform has sparked a slew of controversies regarding the issue of conscription and generated a young wave of protests across Germany. The Bundestag decision to reinstate compulsory questionnaires and medical checkups on young men has been contested by the students and activists, and even the civil society organizations. This article will discuss the history of German conscription, the specifics of the reform, why the government is pushing it, and the driving power behind the backlash by the youth. It also explores its wider effect on the German democracy, the European security, and the principles of a generation.

The German military policy has been characterized by conscription. Following World War II, the Bundeswehr was actually formed in the year 1955, and compulsory service was a staple of national defense. Young men would have to serve several decades, but alternative service as civilians could also be used. In 2011, the conscription was suspended, which was a big move indicating the focus of the post-Cold War on the professionalization and voluntary army service given by Germany.

The recent reinstatement of conscription-type measures is a mark in the opposite direction. Although the government maintains that the reform is not a complete reinstatement of conscription, the critics claim that questionnaires and stringent medical requirements being mandatory are steps towards the implementation of compulsory conscription. It is this historical background that has contributed to the intense response given to the reform by the youth of Germany. The history of conscription in Germany makes a very important background to why younger generations view the current reform to be a retrogressive move.

The reform to the Bundestag involves all men who reach the age of 18, beginning with those born in 2008, who must complete a questionnaire, which determines their fitness and readiness to serve. Women can take part voluntarily. Furthermore, forced medical check-ups will also return among the male population, and this is seen to revive the conscription practices. Under the law, there is the introduction of Bedarfswehrpflicht (needs-based conscription), whereby parliament may seek to mobilize compulsory service in case of the absence of voluntary recruitment goals.

This conscription integrates the principles of........

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