# German Fire Service civil defense pact

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/german-fire-service-civil-defense-pact
> Updated: 2026-07-31T07:58:02.000Z. Sources: 3. Developments: 2.

In July 2026 the president of the Deutscher Feuerwehrverband (DFV), Karl‑Heinz Banse, wrote to Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt offering the fire‑service association’s expertise to the newly created “Kommando Zivile Verteidigung.” The command, established under the “Pakt für den Bevölkerungsschutz,” is intended to coordinate civilian authorities and the Bundeswehr for defence‑related disaster response and to address rising security concerns and extreme‑weather risks.

A few days later the DFV announced its 14th Bundesfachkongress, scheduled for 16 October 2026 in Berlin, under the theme “Population Protection – Military and Civil Defence Overview.” The congress will examine the same pact, discuss civil‑military cooperation, and present case studies such as a three‑day power outage. Speakers will include representatives from the Federal Office for Civil Protection, fire services, and the DFV’s own civil‑military working group. The event aims to align expectations between military and civilian bodies and to feed its findings into the DFV Delegates Assembly on 17 October.

## Claims

- The DFV will hold its 14th Bundesfachkongress in Berlin on 16 October 2026. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- The conference title is “Population Protection – Military and Civil Defence Overview”. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- The congress will focus on the “Pakt für den Bevölkerungsschutz”. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- DFV President Karl‑Heinz Banse said the congress will examine expectations for military and civilian defence. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Grit Tüngler, President of the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance, will speak at the congress. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Stefan Hermann, commander of the Reutlingen fire service, will present a case study on a three‑day power outage. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Mathias Bessel, head of DFV’s civil‑military cooperation working group, will discuss civil‑military collaboration. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- The DFV Delegates Assembly will meet on 17 October 2026 in the Red Town Hall. (corroborated by 2 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-07-31: German Fire Service Association Sets Berlin Congress on Population Protection

The German Fire Service Association will hold its 14th Bundesfachkongress in Berlin on 16 Oct 2026, focusing on the ‘Pakt für den Bevölkerungsschutz’ and civil‑military cooperation, with speakers from federal,

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/german-fire-service-association-sets-berlin-congress-on-population-protection

### 2026-07-21: German Firefighters Offer Expertise for New Civil Defense Command

DFV President Karl‑Heinz Banse offered the German interior ministry fire‑service expertise for the newly created “Kommando Zivile Verteidigung” steering group under the “Pakt für den Bevölkerungsschutz”, to bol

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/german-firefighters-offer-expertise-for-new-civil-defense-command

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Cite as: German Fire Service civil defense pact. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/german-fire-service-civil-defense-pact