First veteran day in Kiel: Germany honors its soldiers!
First veteran day in Kiel: Germany honors its soldiers!
Kiel, Deutschland - On June 15, 2025, Germany's first national veteran day is celebrated. The solemn ceremonies take place in Schleswig-Holstein and make Kiel a place of appreciation and recognition for active and former soldiers of the Bundeswehr. Organized by the State Government of Schleswig-Holstein and the State Commands, visitors can expect a colorful citizens' festival around the Landeshaus.
The day begins with a field service, followed by a festival full of hands-on activities, music, information stands and discussions. The special honor is given to the veteran when Colonel Michael Skamel, Prime Minister Daniel Günther (CDU) and President of the Landtag Kristina Herbst (CDU) give the veteran needle. A live circuit for the Reichstag in Berlin will make it possible to hear greetings from Bundestag President Julia Klöckner (CDU). Around the day is celebrated until around 5 p.m., whereby the goal is clearly defined: more appreciation and respect for the soldiers.
a solemn event
The veteran day, which is now celebrated annually on June 15, was only decided by the Bundestag on April 25, 2024. During this day, it serves to increase the visibility of the military service in society and to recognize the former and active soldiers of the Bundeswehr, the definitions are clear: over ten million people have served since the Bundeswehr was founded, and around 500,000 soldiers were active in various missions. href = "https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/bundestag-schliesst- veteranentag-bundewehr-100.html"> Deutschlandfunk reports of the idea of designing the day as a family-friendly folk festival to promote a positive connection between society and the military.
It is particularly worth mentioning that despite the positive attitude of around 80% of Germans to the Bundeswehr, many people have no personal points of contact with soldiers. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius underlines the importance of this day. He sees him as an opportunity to close the gap between society and the Bundeswehr and makes the troop's acute personnel problems clear. Up to 60,000 new soldiers are needed to master current challenges. Tagesschau reports on the demands of the deputy chairman of the Bundeswehr Association, Marcel Bohnert, who even speaks of up to 80,000 additional soldiers to become.challenges and social response
The veteran day should not only be a celebration, but also offer insights into the challenges of the soldiers. The former paratrooper Robert Müller runs almost 100 kilometers from Hamburg to Berlin to draw attention to his illness, PTSD, which he suffered during his Afghanistan mission. Müller fought for the recognition of his illness for twelve years, and his project is recognized as an impressive sign of strength and determination. NDR reports on personal stories that are intended to raise public awareness of the concerns of veterans.
In addition, a public vow is held by reservists in Vechta on this important day, which underlines the nationwide celebrations of the Veteran Day. Despite the challenges to be mastered, politicians of different parties are committed to more support and measures to health and security. The SPD parliamentary group leader Serpil Midyatli calls for additional efforts to strengthen defense and improved aftercare for soldiers with damage from foreign missions.Overall, the veteran day shows that the Bundeswehr and the topics that affect it are no longer in secret. There is still a lot to the company to build a bridge between the soldiers and the citizens. June 15th will be a symbol of this interrelation and the respect that the soldiers have earned.
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| Ort | Kiel, Deutschland |
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