Darmstädter Signal

Darmstädter Signal is an independent organization (military watchdog group[1]) opposing weapons of mass destruction and the primary use of military means to solve conflicts.[2] It was founded in 1983 as a group of officers, soldiers and civil Army employees of the German Bundeswehr. According to its mission statement, the organization respects the German Army's role-defending the country within the existing legal framework, but strives to give critical feedback about the Army's mission and alternative non-military concepts of conflict resolution.The Darmstädter Signal sees the central task of the Bundeswehr in defence of freedom and democracy as basic principles of the country.

Darmstädter Signal logo.

History

The organization had been founded during September 1983 in Darmstadt by 20 officers and lance sergeants. Main point of criticism in the appeal „Darmstädter Signal „with peace-political content was the deploy of new nuclear weapons/missiles in the middle of Europe as a consequence to the NATO Double-Track Decision. Until today, the working group claims the removal of weapons of mass destruction and of the US nuclear weapons in Germany. Supporters of the DS founded on the 15th of March 1986 the development association of the DS. Today 130 members belong to the working group and 200 supporters are organized in the development association. Annually, two to three workshops and public meetings take place to define positions and to draw attention to new developments by talks and lectures.

Several former Federal Ministers, active und former members of the German Federal Parliament/Bundestag as well as several former Generals of the Bundeswehr are members of the development association. Spokesmen of the development association were Horst-Eberhard Richter, Gernot Erler und Konrad Gilges. Since autumn 2013, the retired General-Surgeon Karl Wilhelm Demmer is in this function.

Goals

On the basis of the principle of Inner Leadership (= leadership & participation & education) (Innere Führung) with its corollary of the citizen in uniform[3] Rose, Juergen. Demokratisierung der Bundeswehr als Schritt auf dem Weg zum Frieden.[4] (Staatsbuerger in Uniform) the "Signalers" use their fundamental right of free speech also in public and contribute to assure that the norms and values of the German Basic Law remain embedded in the Bundeswehr.The concept of Innere Führung was introduced during the early years of foundation of the new German armed forces after World War II and especially advocated by Lieutenant General Wolf Graf von Baudissin.It is a hallmark making the difference between Bundeswehr and Wehrmacht. Important goals of the Working Group are the removal of nuclear warheads and the democratization of armed forces. Darmstädter Signal does not reflect a general or official image of the mood and opinion in the German armed forces.

The 25th anniversary of the organization was celebrated in the House of History in Bonn with a laudatio by Egon Bahr. For 27 years, Helmuth Prieß had been the spokesman of the Signal.

Claims
  • Absolute precedence of peace keeping and peaceful solutions of conflicts over military missions.
  • Strict abidance of the army to constitutional principles and international law.
  • Empowerment of UN and OSCE
  • Removal of all weapons of mass destruction
  • National defence in alliance
  • Diminution of the German Army to 120.000 soldiers
  • No participation in peace enforcing military missions
  • Participation in peace-keeping Blue Beret Missions
  • Removal of the atomic warheads from Buechel[5] and Ramstein[6]
  • No in-country missions of the German armed forces
  • Stop of weapon exports
  • Democratization of armed forces
  • Open discussion of ethic questions of soldierhood
gollark: Done. However, it cannot currently be swapped out at runtime.
gollark: Interesting!
gollark: If it's not competing with potatOS now I *guess* it can be moved.
gollark: [REDACTED] class-υ apiopurposes.
gollark: This is a CANONICAL list of bad and good things,

References
  1. "Torture or only Mistreatment? - Germany- News and in-depth reporting from Berlin and beyond - DW - 24.11.2004". DW.COM.
  2. Lothar Liebsch: Frieden ist der Ernstfall. Die Soldaten des „Darmstädter Signals" im Widerspruch zwischen Bundeswehr und Friedensbewegung. Jenior, Kassel 2003, ISBN 3-934377-84-X
  3. "Citizen in Uniform" (PDF). armywarcollege.edu.
  4. "Working Paper" (PDF). uni-marburg.de.
  5. "US - Atomwaffen in Deutschland und Europa". bits.de.
  6. Leyendecker, Hans; Obermaier, Frederik; Obermayer, Bastian (11 December 2013). "Secret U.S. drone bases in Germany revealed". International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
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