Overview
- The week-long company exercise “Bollwerk Bärlin” culminated with operations in the Jungfernheide tunnel to practise clearing transport routes, evacuations, detaining saboteurs, and fighting under restricted visibility.
- Commander Maik Teichgräber said the unit must “think from the sharp end” to be ready for worst-case scenarios in Berlin.
- Troops simulated a prolonged firefight with many casualties using blank and training munitions, and residents were notified that no live rounds would be used.
- The largely ceremonial unit trained for its statutory mission to protect federal government facilities in a Spannungs- und Verteidigungsfall.
- The exercise followed fresh warnings by Defence Minister Boris Pistorius and NATO General Ingo Gerhartz about sabotage and hybrid attacks, with some outlets calling it the Bundeswehr’s first use of the Jungfernheide tunnel.