Scandal in Stralsund: Fake Bundeswehr posters against Veterans Day!

Scandal in Stralsund: Fake Bundeswehr posters against Veterans Day!

A striking protest phenomenon is currently visible in Stralsund. Activists have used the public advertising space to highlight the upcoming Bundeswehr Veterans Day on June 15th - but with a creative twist. On May 13, Bundeswehr posters were removed from at least four locked advertising boxes in the city and replaced with fake posters conveying a clear and provocative message. These new posters feature slogans such as “German Mix: Nazis Cartridges Isolated Cases” and “Hanging out with Nazi Preppers?”, supplemented by the words “Brown Army” under a modified Bundeswehr logo. This form of protest, also known as adbusting, is intended to challenge society's perception of Veterans Day and is viewed by police as potentially problematic because it could potentially lead to disorderly conduct. According to Ostsee Zeitung, the police are investigating this matter and have the fake posters as evidence secured.

The antimilitarist action network, whose protests include adbusting, plans to expose Veterans Day as “Nazi Prepper Day.” The activists hope that such provocations will bring a breath of fresh air into the peace movement. In addition to displaying advertising showcases and poster campaigns, a QR code is also offered that leads to further information. In the past, similar protest actions, such as those in 2021 under the motto “No Bundeswehr Day!”, were extremely successful and attracted a lot of media attention. Indymedia reports that Veterans Day events organized by veterans' associations are also planned in other cities such as Berlin, Kiel and Hamburg.

Creative resistance

Veterans Day, which was decided by the Bundestag in 2024, is intended to honor active and former soldiers. But the critics, represented by the Antimilitarist Action Network and other groups, see this as a militarization of society, which is encouraged by wars and lobbying. A recent seminar on creative protest in Berlin collected some of the key messages to be spread on the day. Participants also discussed the influence of anti-Semitism and sexism within the peace movement. Suggestions like “Don’t court Nazis – no to Veterans Day” and “Hero worship is something from 1933” are intended to set the tone for the protest actions. nd-aktuell emphasizes that the creativity of the forms of protest brings important issues such as rearmament and the necessary financial resources for local public transport to the fore, while at the same time the military presence in society is criticized.

The police in Stralsund have now initiated an investigation into whether a politically motivated crime occurred. Even though activists note that adbusting is not a crime as long as no original posters are stolen or advertising boxes are damaged, the legal situation remains uncertain. The discussion about the limits of art and protest continues in this northern German city - with a radical form of resistance against the acceptance of militarism in society.