Germany gets Veterans Day
The traffic light factions are on the same wavelength on this topic: as in the USA, there should be a Veterans' Day in Germany. Former servicemen and women are to be honored with a central, but also many smaller events throughout Germany.
It already exists in the USA, and in Germany former soldiers of the Bundeswehr are also to be given a day of remembrance in future. "Germany is getting a Veterans' Day," SPD defense politician Johannes Arlt told the "Tagesspiegel" newspaper. "We agree on this in the traffic light factions and will clarify the final details next week with the CDU/CSU faction, which we would like to have on board on this issue."
Alexander Müller, the defense policy spokesman for the FDP parliamentary group in the Bundestag, also confirmed to the newspaper: "Veterans' Day is coming." Only on Friday, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz had also signaled support for "an initiative from the middle of the Bundestag" at the Bundeswehr conference.
As the largest opposition parliamentary group, the CDU/CSU had already tabled a corresponding motion in the Bundestag a few weeks ago - and now welcomes the agreement of the traffic light: "I am pleased that there is a consensus in the democratic center to appropriately honor the achievements of our soldiers," Johann Wadephul, the CDU/CSU parliamentary group deputy responsible for defence policy, told the newspaper, adding that they were "only still negotiating the exact form": "We are proposing 12 November as Veterans Day with a central, but also many smaller events throughout Germany. November, the birthday of the Bundeswehr - but we are also open to other days."
Arlt emphasized that the joint motion in parliament also aims to improve social benefits and to "close a number of gaps in care for veterans". For example, support from the state is to be "organized uniformly, regardless of whether someone was a regular or professional soldier". In addition, deadlines are to be adjusted because "post-traumatic stress disorders can only occur after a long delay".
The German Armed Forces will be celebrated on this new day of remembrance, with the German traffic light coalition agreeing on a Veterans' Day similar to the one in the USA. The Military, including former servicemen and women from Germany's Bundeswehr, will be honored during central events and numerous smaller occurrences nationwide.
With the CDU/CSU faction on board, the traffic light coalition intends to finalize the details for Germany's Veterans Day next week, proposing 12 November as the chosen date with a mix of central and smaller events across the country.
Source: www.ntv.de
