Thousands of German pupils protest against military service plans

Thousands of schoolchildren in Germany demonstrated against the government’s plans for a new voluntary military service in cities and towns across the country on Friday.

Many of them skipped school to take part in the protests after organizers had called for a “school strike against conscription”.

Germany’s lower house backed the bill on Friday morning, which must now be approved by the upper house before it can take effect in January.

Young men will then have to undergo medical examinations and be registered on a list, while active service remains voluntary.

The plans now provide for parliament to decide on needs-based conscription if targets for expanding the armed forces are missed through voluntary measures alone.

Many young people took part in the demonstrations, especially in the big cities. Police estimated that around 3,000 demonstrators had gathered in Berlin at midday and marched through the Kreuzberg district.

Many carried banners and chanted slogans. Parents with small children and primary school classes carrying homemade posters also took part in the demonstration.

“We don’t want conscription, that’s why we’re here today,” Justin, 16, told dpa. “There are people who have other wishes and dream jobs. If they are drafted, that will be ruined for them.”

“I don’t think anyone should be forced against their will to join the military,” Theo, also 16, said.

Both Berlin pupils said they had their parents write them sick notes so they could attend the demonstration.

Police said 1,700 people took to the streets in Hamburg, while organizers spoke of up to 5,000 participants.

Demonstrations also took place in Germany’s most populous state, North Rhine-Westphalia, with around 1,000 participants in Dortmund and several hundred each in Cologne, Düsseldorf, Essen and Bochum.

Some 2,000 people took part in the school strike across Dresden, Leipzig and Chemnitz in eastern Germany.

The predominantly young protesters in Dresden chanted “No people, no pennies for the Bundeswehr,” and “Up with education, down with weapons”.

In southern Germany, demonstrations drew several thousands of people in Munich, Stuttgart, Freiburg and Heidelberg.

According to the police, around 600 schoolchildren gathered in Frankfurt. Among them were Friedemann, 15, and Max, 16, who said they thought it was important to show “that we don’t agree with older politicians deciding how we should live or what we should do.”