This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(September 2018) |
TheCompulsory Border Protection Service(German:Grenzschutzdienstpflicht) was enacted by theGermanparliamentin the Federal Border Protection Act of 18 August 1972, based on Article 12a of theGerman Constitution.[1]The remaining provisions of the Federal Border Protection Act were repealed in 1994.[2][3]However, compulsory border protection service has not been enforced since 1973. Anyone who serves or served in theFederal Border Protection(German:Bundesgrenzschutz) can no longer be assigned to themilitary service(§ 42a Conscription Law) in theFederal Defence Forces(German:Bundeswehr). In 2005 the Federal Border Protection was renamed theFederal Police(German:Bundespolizei) and any mandatory service would be performed there.[4][5][6]
History
editThe implementation of compulsory border protection service has to be seen in a historical context. Until the 1980s the BGS was organized as aparamilitaryforce that could be deployed nationwide, either at theinner-German border,but also elsewhere in case ofcivil disorder.Domestic military operations of any kind on the territory ofWest Germanywere prohibited for theBundeswehrat that time. The BGS used heavy military equipment and the officers were officiallycombatantsuntil 1994. Furthermore, the member states of theWarsaw Pactmaintained a very large number ofInternal Troops,mainly staffed by conscript soldiers like theEast GermanVolkspolizei-Bereitschaften (VPB).Interior troops were a considerable reinforcement of theinfantryforces during thearms raceof theCold Warperiod and were not affected by disarmament negotiations as they were not part of the regular military.
After the "German Emergency Acts"(German:Notstandsgesetze) were enacted in 1968, the tasks of the BGS changed slowly. The military task was gradually reduced, because in aState of Defence(German:VerteidigungsfallorV-Fall) theBundeswehrwas and still is thereafter empowered in very limited circumstances to be deployed in domestic disturbances. Nevertheless, the BGS was equipped with light and medium infantry weapons until the mid-eighties and still, now nominated asBundespolizeimaintainsarmoured personnel carrierslike theLAPV EnokorMowag Eagle.
Drafting of Border Protection
editMen at the age of eighteen, or older if they were former members of the Federal Police or if they had not previously served in the military or federal police, can be drafted to the border protection service. Mandatory service can be introduced if there are not enough volunteers joining the federal police. If the need is covered by volunteers at a later date, currently drafted persons are to be released. The employment status of the draftees is similar to the status during military service. The service is divided into border protection basic service, border protection exercises and perpetual border protection service in case of defense and in the cases mentioned in article 91 of the constitution. After their service has been completed, members are transferred to the border protection reserve.
Current enforcement of the draft
editSimilar to the suspendedconscriptionfor military service since 2011, the compulsory border protection service is legally paused since 1994, but can be reactivated anytime by a resolution of the parliament.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^"Bundesgesetzblatt".
- ^"§ 50 BGSG, Beginn und Ende der Grenzschutzdienstpflicht".Archived fromthe originalon 2018-11-16.Retrieved2018-11-15.
- ^"BGSG - nichtamtliches Inhaltsverzeichnis".
- ^Verheyen, Josef (2013-11-11).Rechtskunde — leicht verständlich.Springer.ISBN9783663130871.
- ^http://dipbt.bundestag.de/doc/brd/1994/D840+94.pdf[bare URL PDF]
- ^Parma, David (2016). "Einführung der Grenzschutzdienstpflicht".Installation und Konsolidierung des Bundesgrenzschutzes 1949 bis 1972.pp. 348–376.doi:10.1007/978-3-658-10928-8_9.ISBN978-3-658-10927-1.S2CID163248420.