Military free schools in Germany

As part of the work against the militarisation of education, since 2011, several schools in Germany have opposed cooperation with the German Bundeswehr and do not allow visits by Bundeswehr representatives to the school.

Robert-Blum-Gymnasium, Berlin: The school conference of the Robert-Blum-Gymnasium decided on Thursday, 24 March 2011, with a vote of 7 to 1 to adopt a proposal for making it a military-free school. The proposal was worded as follows:

Robert-Blum-Gymnasium – School without military

The school conference of the Robert-Blum-Gymnasiums is opposed as a matter of principle to any cooperation with the Bundeswehr in the educational sector. This includes for example:

• Cooperation agreements with the Bundeswehr
• The invitation of officers to lessons or school events
• Promotion of internships at Bundeswehr facilities
• Excursions to Bundeswehr facilities or to events organised by the Bundeswehr
• Promotion of apprenticeships at the Bundeswehr or of studies at one of the Bundeswehr academies
• Participation of the school in competitions, youth fairs, job fairs organised by the Bundeswehr
• The distribution of Bundeswehr promotional material

On 23 and 24 March 2011 the decision-making bodies of the Käthe-Kollwitz-Schule (vocational school in Offenbach, Hessen) also voted against any cooperation with the Bundeswehr – in spite of the cooperation agreement between the Hessen Ministry of Culture and the Bundeswehr from November 2010.

On 15 June 2011, the overall conference of the August-Sander-Schule (vocational school in Berlin—Friedrichshain) passed a proposal for the school conference, which – like the decision of the Robert-Blum-Gymnasiums – opposes any cooperation with the Bundeswehr and at the same time stresses the authority of the teacher in deciding on his/her lessons bearing in mind the 'Beutelsbach consensus' (a key document in German educational policy).

Martin-Buber-Schule Heppenheim: Here the teacher conference passed a decision against visits by the Bundeswehr.

Vocational school in Gelnhausen: Here it was possible to get a Bundeswehr Youth Officer to withdraw: After the students sent him a list of critical questions, his superiors suddenly did no longer give him permission to visit the school (Class 12/5 of the vocational secondary school, department of economy and administration; see http://www.ag-friedensforschung.de/themen/Schule/gelnhausen.html)

Hulka-Pankok-Gesamtschule Düsseldorf: A proposal titled "School without Bundeswehr" was made by the student council. It was passed by teachers, parents, and students unanimously in October 2010.

At the Bertolt-Brecht-Schule (BBS) in Darmstadt the general conference of the school decided on 11 May 2012 to oppose the co-operation agreement of the Bundeswehr with the state of Hesse.
On 24 May the proposal was discussed in the school conference. On 25 May in the open room of the General Student Committee (AstA) of the Technical University, a press conference took place with a representative of the school, a teacher and a representative of the group "Schule ohne Bundeswehr" (Schools without the Bundeswehr).

For more information see: http://schule-ohne-militaer.de