Berlin signs formal agreement on Bundeswehr youth‑officer school visits

The Berlin Senate and the German armed forces signed a cooperation agreement that sets a binding framework for youth officers of the Bundeswehr to give lectures in Berlin schools. The pact, announced on 8 June 2026, formalises a practice that already saw more than 2,000 visits in the first quarter of the year. Education Senator Katharina Günther‑Wünsch said the arrangement will allow students to discuss peace, security and international responsibility without imposing any political view. Youth officers will present “security‑policy information” and report their activities to the Senate annually.

Critics, including the teachers’ union GEW and a protest group called “No to Conscription,” argue the programme amounts to recruitment and undermines school neutrality. The agreement stipulates that visits are optional for schools, that a balanced forum including peace activists may be invited, and that the Bundeswehr will not engage in direct recruitment during the talks.