Students want to have their say

More than 50,000 schoolchildren took to the streets yesterday in many cities across Germany for the first school strike against the new compulsory military service introduced in the Bundestag on that day. In Berlin, the school groups had registered 1,000 demonstrators and were then delighted to report 7,000 people in the afternoon. The police reportedly saw only 3,000 participants. Activists from Freedom Not Fear were surprised by the crowds moving out of the U1 and U6 subway lines at 12:10 p.m.

Kurt Tucholsky's words "Down with compulsory military service! Never again war!" could be read on many flyers. Many students were particularly outraged that politicians did not consider it necessary to seek dialogue with them.

No one talks to us.
No one asks us what we want.
No one wants to know what we think.

The student demonstration led from the Hallesches Tor underground station to Oranienplatz. Older people then joined them there to march to Neukölln Town Hall at 4 p.m.

They all shared a desire for peace and a revulsion for compulsory military service. Many fear that unchecked armament can only lead to war. After an incredible arms race, we have now more than doubled our military budget. Just a few years ago, we were paying 30 billion euros a year to the arms manufacturers, but this year we are now at over 80 billion, and on top of that there is the "special fund for the Bundeswehr", which has no upper limit.

Reinhard Mey's 1986 song "Nein meine Söhne geb' ich nicht" (No, I won't give up my sons) is unfortunately more relevant now than we would have thought after years of détente. It is time to revive the “School without Military” alliance of students, teachers, and parents.

Read more at https://frikoberlin.de
and https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/gesellschaft/wehrdienst-schueler-streik-100.html

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