Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: The military stronghold compared to the south!

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: The military stronghold compared to the south!

When it comes to ties to the Bundeswehr, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania clearly stands out from other federal states. According to a current survey by the Federal Office for Personnel Management of the Bundeswehr, MV has the highest number of soldiers in relation to the population. With an impressive 529 soldiers per 100,000 inhabitants, the northernmost federal state surpasses even the much larger and economically stronger federal states in the south of Germany. Baden-Württemberg, as a comparison, only has 105 soldiers per 100,000 inhabitants, which illustrates the magnitude of the difference. Such figures make it clear that the Bundeswehr is deeply rooted in MV and provides up to five times more soldiers to the entire German army than Baden-Württemberg.

But it's not just MV that stands out. Schleswig-Holstein is also high with 462 soldiers per 100,000 inhabitants, while Lower Saxony has 357. The city states of Bremen, Berlin and Hamburg also lag behind the northern states and have lower recruitment numbers. On the other side of the spectrum, Bavaria and Rhineland-Palatinate didn't exactly cover themselves in glory with 188 and 324 soldiers.

The economic background

A question that often arises in connection with these figures is about the economic conditions. Henning Otte, the CDU's military representative, attributes the differences between north and south to the economic situation. There is greater job diversity in southern Germany, which could lead potential recruits to show less interest in serving in the Bundeswehr. In rural regions, however, such as in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the willingness to work for the common good is traditionally more pronounced.

Therefore, Otte demands that the Bundeswehr should establish its locations closer to the applicants' homes. After all, they primarily want to be deployed close to home. Words that are supported by Sören Pellmann, chairman of the left-wing faction in the Bundestag. He attributes the high recruitment numbers in the northern and eastern federal states to socio-economic reasons and emphasizes that the Bundeswehr offers valuable career prospects for many in these regions.

Recruits and service in the Bundeswehr

The Bundeswehr is currently working intensively on recruiting new soldiers. More than 280 recruits have started their service as soldiers in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. This happens in a context in which the debate about the reintroduction of compulsory military service continues to arise. Service in the Bundeswehr has been voluntary since 2011 - volunteers can commit between 7 and 23 months, while contract soldiers can remain active for several years.

Another aspect that should not be forgotten in the discussion is the change at the top of the squadron in MV. After almost two years, Colonel Gerd Schnell is handing over leadership to Lieutenant Colonel Dominique Gentzsch. The 24-month term is being watched with curiosity and anticipation by many in the force.

It remains to be seen what future developments will look like in the Bundeswehr and in the individual federal states. However, the numbers and urgencies speak for themselves: in northern Germany, military readiness is high and the Bundeswehr is firmly anchored.