Germany's Scholz says armed forces at heart of 'democratic society'

Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday said the country's armed forces belong in the "centre of [Germany's] democratic society," as the country marked the 80th anniversary of the assassination attempt on Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.

Scholz made the comments at an oath-taking ceremony for almost 400 recruits to the German Armed Forces, or Bundeswehr, after earlier laying a wreath at the German Resistance Memorial Centre in Berlin alongside President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

The chancellor said members of the Bundeswehr must remain citizens, alongside their military duties.

"Serving in the Bundeswehr today requires you to think for yourself and not just blindly obey," he added.

Scholz said that many German soldiers were torn at the outbreak of World War II between their conscience and their military oath, questioning whether "to rebel against the war of extermination and mass murder."

The current constitutional order in Germany is based on the principle that no soldier should ever again face such a choice, he said.

Scholz also commented on the war in Ukraine.

The chancellor said that the new German Air Force recruits are taking their vows at a challenging time: "Not only peace in Europe, but our freedom is under pressure," Scholz said.

Authoritarian regimes around the world are gaining strength, he argued, causing challenges for democracies. "Even within virtually all liberal societies, movements that look to tyrannical rulers like Putin as role models are gaining ground," Scholz added.

The challenging global situation serves as a reminder of the importance of those "who courageously defend peace and freedom," the chancellor stated.