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Germany Marks Inaugural Veterans Day With Tributes and Protests

State ceremonies underscored the Bundeswehr’s social integration with critics staging anti-militarist demonstrations.

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Etwa 10.000 Besucher fanden sich am Sonntag am Reichstag zum ersten Nationalen Veteranentag ein. Linke Störer sorgten für Unruhe.
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Overview

  • Germany marked its inaugural National Veterans Day on June 15 with flagship ceremonies at the Reichstag in Berlin and a promotion ceremony in Hamburg.
  • Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and Bundestagspräsidentin Julia Klöckner led official tributes, praising the Bundeswehr as integral to society and a guarantor of peace and security.
  • More than 130 events nationwide offered military displays, informational booths and family-oriented celebrations in communities across Germany.
  • Left-wing and anti-militarist groups protested in at least 13 cities, organizing demonstrations and ad-busting campaigns to contest the day’s focus on the armed forces.
  • Veteran groups such as the Bund Deutscher EinsatzVeteranen (BDV) pressed for faster recognition of PTSD and improved psychological support services for former soldiers.