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Protests against armaments construction: Fünfeichen calls for a funeral march!
Protest against armament plans in Neubrandenburg: Demonstration on November 8th at the Rotbuchenring parking lot for critical voices.
Protests against armaments construction: Fünfeichen calls for a funeral march!
A lot is happening in Neubrandenburg at the moment - the construction of a new training and maintenance complex by the defense company General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) is causing mixed feelings among the population. A state-of-the-art facility is to be built on the site of the former Bundeswehr base in Fünfeichen in the coming months and is due to be completed by next year. However, these construction projects also bring with them resistance, especially from the Left Party.
The protests against the company's plans have already been loudly announced. As part of a demonstration to take place on the second weekend in November, a funeral march towards Fünfeichen is planned for Saturday, November 8th. The meeting point for the demonstrators is at 9:45 a.m. in the Rotbuchenring parking lot, opposite the Sparkasse Lindenberg-Süd. The protest was registered by the BSW and is currently being examined by the assembly authority of the Mecklenburg Lake District Northern Courier reported.
GDELS in Neubrandenburg
General Dynamics European Land Systems is a well-known company headquartered in Madrid that was founded in 2003 and has since served a booming market for military vehicles and systems. With around 2,400 employees at nine locations, including Germany, the company not only develops military vehicles, but also bridge systems and financial services. The investment in the new location in Neubrandenburg amounts to several million euros. This could bring high-quality jobs to the region, emphasizes Neubrandenburg's deputy mayor Peter Modemann.
According to historical records, over ten thousand dead are buried in the Fünfeichen Forest, many of them victims of the Second World War and Soviet prisoner of war camps. However, the city of Neubrandenburg assures that the defense company's new plans will not affect the existing memorial. This has continued to be an important place of remembrance since it was inaugurated in 1993.
Growth in a controversial industry
The mood in the defense industry is currently consistently positive. The federal government plans to invest over 150 billion euros annually in external security from 2029. Defense companies, including Rheinmetall, expect deals worth billions. A notable trend is that more and more civilian companies, such as the outdoor manufacturer Schöffel, are entering the defense sector. Schöffel, for example, produces special clothing for the Bundeswehr and has already received orders from the Navy daily news reported.
The increasing military spending also has an impact on the industry: Economics Minister Katherina Reiche spoke of almost 400,000 employees in the defense industry, and the Federal Association of the German Security and Defense Industry recorded an increase in its membership by over 300 in just one year. This creates new perspectives, but there are also concerns that higher interest rates and rising national debt could make the business location less attractive in the long term.
Neubrandenburg is therefore at a crossroads: the construction of the new armaments center promises economic stimulus, while the ongoing protests are a reminder of the location's rich but also sad history. The coming weeks could be crucial, both for the local economy and for social cohesion in the region.