Fear has returned to everyday life. It is inactive abstract, not focused on a circumstantial threat, but on the foundations of the national Republic of Germany — Peace, security, prosperity They broke.
Today it seems that War in Ukraine is getting closer — if not in the country, then in political reasoning and in the fear that its continuation is generating.
When Olaf Scholz declared "return" more than 3 years ago, it was not only a fundamental change in the political direction, whose success is of course controversial. The announcement of a fresh direction besides became the beginning of a change of consciousness, which is now becoming increasingly rooted in society and manifests itself in increasing concerns.
Germany is far from peaceful today. The polls show how dramatic changes in our time have affected their mood.
German uncertainty
The vast majority of Germans are very afraid about the current situation in Europe and in the world. The sense of safety of the German population is dropping rapidly. While 82% inactive felt safe in their country in 2021, this percent fell to 60% by 2025. 61% fear that Germany may be drawn into armed conflicts. These are the results of a study on the safety of the Centre for strategy and Leadership and the Allensbach Institute, which conducted a survey on 7-18 January that year.
The poll took place before the inauguration of U.S. president Donald Trump, before his Munich speech Vice president J. D. Vancewho believes that freedom of speech in Europe is at hazard and before a scandal in the Oval Office during the visit of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenski.
The reversal of the US from Europe and Western values most likely further exacerbated the uncertainty among the German population, which was already visible at the beginning of the year. Fear of becoming Russia’s target seems stronger than the rational argument that specified a script is highly improbable in the present situation.
So what is behind these feelings? Does “German anxiety” that makes Germany seem much more anxious and indecisive than another nations spread again?
The Importance of the Army
Sociologist from Freiburg, Ulrich Brockling, doubts that specified reasoning is right. “ This is not about national emotional balance, ” he explains. The Wehrmacht's "criminal extermination war and Allied victory" led to "the war being completely compromised after 1945".
The current scepticism has more to do with the fact that "The army played a much smaller function in the national Republic than in France or large Britain, for example, and even more so in the US." In fresh decades, the military has barely appeared in the regular lives of most people in Germany, making it seem even more abroad now.
Brockling, however, warns against rejecting people's fears as naive, outdated or purely irrational. — The social agreement on which the national Republic of Germany is based — prosperity and safety in exchange for political loyalty — became fragile in the time of the polycrisis, explains the sociologist. It's annoying. — If people do not feel engaged enough, the essence of democracy is threatened “ Even more so, fear is mobilised much faster in these critical times, ” explains the expert.
According to Brockling, it is inactive besides early to summarize the current changes in society. There are many ‘critical points’ whose consequence is inactive open. At the same time, a sociologist is observing any "fatigue of change" among many people, which could lead to a decline in political acceptance.
From 1 epochal turning point to another
Fundamental uncertainty is indeed 1 of the characteristics of this decade. From 2020 pandemic outbreak people go from 1 epochal turning point to another. Distortions collided with society, which after decades of peace and prosperity forgot how to adapt to crisis situations. We hear everywhere that Germany is not prepared adequate for a possible war in many segments, specified as wellness care or civilian defence.
Kira Hofmann / Photothek / dpa Picture-Alliance via AFP / AFPBundeswehr soldiers
This is besides illustrated by reports by relief organizations specified as the Workers' Samaritan Federation (ASB), which is liable for civilian defense. On behalf of the national Office for civilian Protection and Assistance in the case of Disaster, these organisations offer courses during which citizens can prepare for possible emergencies. According to ASB, the alleged first aid with self-defense aims to increase "the resilience and applicable capacity of the population to aid themselves and others".
— erstwhile the war broke out in Ukraine, the request for these courses increased rapidly, says Michael Schnatz, head of the civilian protection department at ASB. For a long time, the focus was on the peace dividend. “ That is why the subject of civilian protection has been playing a smaller and smaller role, ” he explains. And he adds that it's slow changing.
There is inactive large interest among citizens. “ In fact, we would gotta double the funds to train at least 1 million people and meet demand, ” the expert explains. It seems that society has long seen return point. Schnatz explains, however, that courses do not concern concrete preparations for war. He thinks it's a mistake. “ It would besides be sensible to prepare the population to supply them with comprehensive information,” he explains.
The lunatics of our time
However, even now specified preventive measures can aid rationalising concerns. “People who are very afraid tend to think catastrophically and adopt social withdrawal strategies,” explains Eva-Lotta Brakemeier, prof. of clinical psychology and psychotherapy at Greifswald University. Fear besides has a protective function. Nevertheless, people "have difficulty making rational assessments in fear phases". On the another hand, experience and cognition in dealing with crises can defend you from fear.
It seems that during preliminary talks between CDU/CSU and SPD it was considered that more should be done in the field of civilian protection and civilian protection. Strengthening this sector is mentioned in the planned dedicated infrastructure fund.
So did the Germans wake up? An absolute change in the policy of Friedrich Merz's CDU leader, who is abruptly ready to improvement the debt brake and accept billions of public debt, seems to advocate this.
What any call "election fraud" takes on a different meaning if fundamental reorientation is considered a consequence of cesuria in the global political order. Then it is no longer a question of betrayal, but a realization of necessity. This is the structural balance of overcoming fear. This contributes to de-identifying society.
However, the determination to rationality and pragmatism did not give way to the tendency to play with power. Historian Christopher Clark accurately describes the characters in the run-up to And the planet war as sleepwalkers— “sensitive but blind, tormented by nightmares, but incapable to admit the reality of horrors that they would unleash in the world”.
Despite all the differences, the resemblance to the political present is striking. The question of whether fresh lunatics of our time will dominate the planet again remains open. This position is improbable to be an effective remedy for the fear that is spreading in society.
