Historical and political education programmes for the Bundeswehr

The tour explores the interplay between social change, technological development and the military between 1789 and 1914. Exhibits spanning the French Revolution, the Napoleonic Wars and the Wars of unification illustrate how military demands and tactics evolved. The Wilhelmine era rounds off our understanding of the ‘long 19th century’.

The “great seminal catastrophe” (George F. Kennan) of the 20th century shook humanity to its core as a form of industrialized mass killing. Trench warfare, poison gas and steel helmets continue to define its image to this day. Through original artefacts, maps, models and the “smell of war”, the guided tour gives visitors a sense of the scale of the First World War.

This tour explores dictatorship, the military, propaganda, persecution and resistance in Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945. Exhibits such as weapons and uniforms, as well as large-scale equipment and personal belongings, illustrate the nature of this era.

This tour takes visitors through a period of unbridled violence and fragile peace. Using original artefacts, it highlights the connections and differences between the two world wars. Military equipment tells the story of the fighting in both wars, while bombs and ration cards illustrate how the boundaries between the front line and the home front were blurred.

In divided Germany, the Bundeswehr and the NVA stood in opposition to one another. The Bundeswehr’s guiding principle of the ‘citizen in uniform’ differed greatly from the ‘socialist soldier personality’ in East Germany. The tour showcases objects from everyday life in the barracks and traces a path from rearmament and the nuclear threat, through the peace movement and the fall of the Wall, to the Army of Unity.

This tour explores the recent history of the German Armed Forces. Starting from two sections of the Berlin Wall, the tour takes visitors from the Army of Unity to operations both at home and abroad. It examines the importance of national and alliance defence in the context of the turning point declared in 2022. The exhibits tell stories of camaraderie, combat, injury and death.

The tour illustrates how major powers perceived one another and developed strategies for defence and deterrence as a result. Topics include the German–British naval arms race, security strategies during the Cold War, the transformation of the Bundeswehr into an army on international missions facing asymmetrical threats in Afghanistan, and the importance of effective alliance defence.

The tour of the permanent exhibition combines chronological and thematic perspectives on military history. Particularly striking are the exhibits in the spectacular extension, which explore themes such as the relationship between the military and technology, animals in the military, and war and play. A highlight of the tour is the visit to the Libeskind wedge on the fourth floor, offering a breathtaking view over Dresden.

The tour presents selected artefacts spanning over 200 years of military history – from the Iron Cross awarded during the German campaign of 1813, through personal items belonging to members of the military resistance, to exhibits from Bundeswehr operations both at home and abroad. The tour encourages visitors to take a critical look at the past and the potential foundations for upholding traditions within the Bundeswehr.

This tour presents military technology in its cultural and historical context. In chronological order, it introduces key technological milestones that have shaped both military and wider social developments. The tour ranges from medieval artillery and weapons from both world wars to objects from Bundeswehr missions in Afghanistan, where new forms of warfare put soldiers to the test.

Armies are built on the principle of obedience – but where are its limits? This tour explores the tension between military obedience and resistance over 200 years of German military history. A central focus is the resistance to the Nazi regime, particularly the events of 20 July 1944, including personal belongings and insights into the motivations of those involved.

Military service raises ethical and moral questions, as soldiers are confronted with combat, destruction and death. At its core is the question of what gives meaning to one’s actions. The tour explores how such meaning has been understood in different historical contexts – from family obligations and national consciousness to ideological conviction, material incentives and the belief in serving a democratic state.

War brings with it illness, injury and death. Through individual exhibits, the tour illustrates the interplay between warfare, the types of injuries sustained, and the medical capabilities available to treat them. It also explores how society has dealt with the visible and invisible trauma caused by wars from the Middle Ages to the present day.

The question of the purpose of military service is closely linked to the understanding of values and traditions in the Bundeswehr. To make this tangible, the workshop examines and discusses key events in German military history. Participants explore historical narratives, customs and traditions of the Bundeswehr – thereby strengthening their historical and critical awareness as citizens in uniform, as well as their sense of military identity. The three-day workshop is particularly suitable for imparting core knowledge to enlisted personnel on long-term contracts.

The European security order was fundamentally shaken following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. This workshop explores historical narratives of the Cold War, military capabilities and threat perceptions, and places them in the context of the current conflict. The focus is on our commitment to defending our liberal democratic constitutional order against Russian expansionist ambitions.

In the years following the Second World War, there were lively debates both at home and abroad regarding Germany’s rearmament. Despite much controversy, the Federal Republic and its armed forces – the Bundeswehr – are regarded as a reliable partner and a fundamental pillar of European defence. From the Cold War through the era of stabilization missions to the turning point declared in 2022, workshop participants explore the fascinating history of the German Armed Forces – and, in doing so, their own identity within the Bundeswehr.