Children should be prepared for battle to bolster ‘resilience’, says Germany’s education minister as tensions continue to heat up with Russia.
Bettina Stark-Watzinger, 55, said she would also like for schools to introduce ‘civil defence’ exercises so that children are ready for years ahead.
‘Society as a whole must prepare well for crises, from a pandemic to natural disasters to war,’ she told Funke Media Group.
‘Civil defence is immensely important, and it also belongs in schools. The goal must be to strengthen our resilience.’
The 55-year-old German minister expressed her desire for German Army members – also known as Bundeswehr – to work more closely with communities.
Germany’s education minister, Bettina Stark-Watzinger (pictured 2024) believes children should be ready for battle as tensions heat up between Nato and Russia
The 55-year-old minister wants German Army members (pictured) to work more closely with the community so children can be familiarised with them
She believes that this would make children in the country more at ease with military officials.
‘I think it is important that youth officers come to schools and report what the Bundeswehr is doing for our security,’ she added.
Some German education officials have also agreed with the minister’s most recent position.
The president of the German Teachers’ Association, Stefan Düll said her ideas made ‘sense’.
‘I expect the federal minister to now seek discussions with the education ministers in the federal states,’ he told the German news outlet, Bild.
‘A declaration of intent is not enough – politics lessons now have to teach about the war in Ukraine and the pan-European, even global threat situation.’
Stark-Watzinger’s comments come shortly after the German government declared they wanted to make their nation ‘kriegstuchig’, which in English means ‘war ready’.
This declaration comes as the relationship between Nato and Russia becomes increasingly strained, with senior German defence officials predicting that conflict could arrive in other borders in the continent the next few years, The Telegraph reports.
The education minister’s statements represent a change in stance in Germany, which for years has shied away from being a security power in Europe.
The politician also hopes to see schools introduce ‘civil defence’ exercises so that children can be ready for the years ahead
The president of the German Teachers’ Association, Stefan Düll has agreed with the minister’s recent comments but has said intent is ‘not enough’ (pictured: members of the Bundeswhere during a NATO exercise in 2024)
But after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, their stance on international relations has since changed.
German chancellor, Olaf Scholz coined the Ukraine war as a ‘zeitenwende’, signifying a turning point for his country.
With this, he also promised Ukraine record amounts of money – but his support only extended so far.
Some have been critical of the Chancellor’s initial hesitance to dispatch tanks to the war-torn country.
More recently an extraordinary spat erupted after Mr Scholz declared he would not hand long-range Taurus missiles to Kyiv as it would require German troops to assist on the ground.
He argued that following the lead of the UK and France would make his nation a ‘participant in the war.’
Tories branded the comments ‘dangerous’, ‘irresponsible’, and a ‘slap in the face’ for NATO allies. He was also accused of giving Vladimir Putin an excuse for ‘escalation’.
Underlining the risks of Mr Scholz’s words, Mr Putin used an annual speech today to claim NATO and the West are ‘preparing to strike’ Russian territory and warn that he is ready to retaliate with nuclear weapons.