Citizen Participation (I)

2017/06/20
BERLIN
(Own report) - The Federal Academy for Security Policy (BAKS) is calling for a propaganda
campaign to strengthen the German population's resilience to attacks in their country by enemy
combatants. In collaboration with "media partners" and "civil society," an "understanding" must
be achieved that "firmness against crisis" by each citizen towards "terrorist attacks" forms an
"integral part" of society's overall resilience," explains the government's military policy think tank.
BAKS explicitly refers to the "White Paper on Security Policy and Future of the Bundeswehr,"
presented by the German Defense Ministry in 2016, which is also pleading "to improve the ability
of both state and society to withstand and adapt" to all kinds of attacks, necessitating a "whole-
of-government approach to security." The state-owned Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft had launched
urban projects along the same lines, already years ago, in which "each individual citizen" is
considered "part of a comprehensive concept of resilience to multiple security risks."
Crisis Resistant Citizens
In a current "Working Paper," Lieutenant Colonel Michael Hanisch, the Executive Assistant to the
President of the Federal Academy for Security Policy (BAKS) is calling for "measures to advance
the strengthening of resilience in Germany." The set of measures, he is proposing include an
"information campaign" to be launched in cooperation with "media partners" and "civil society."
Each citizen's "firmness against crises, be it towards propaganda, fake news or terrorist attacks,
ultimately forms an integral part of society's intended overall resilience. To make the general
public understand this - ultimately leading to their willingness to actively contribute - will require
a great deal of explaining and persuading."[1]
Society's Ability to Protect and Help Itself
To create the conditions for such a propaganda campaign, Lieutenant Colonel Hanisch proposes
to proceed in several coordinated steps. First, a "framework model" should be developed, which
would define "major requirements" for "strengthening resilience." This, however, should not only
be oriented toward the "provision of public and commercial measures to prevent and manage
crises," but should include measures for "society's ability to protect and help itself." The author
subsequently proposes to "establish an 'Advisory Council for Resilience Promotion' at the German
Chancellery, consisting of representatives from all relevant areas of state and society." The
Advisory Council could assist in determining "whose resilience is more relevant or critical for
whole-of-society security," Hanisch explains, referring to "certain groups of persons or
occupational categories" such as policemen, fire fighters and paramedics as well as "sensitive
infrastructure (IT networks)." In a third step, the BAKS fellow would like to "design tangible
projects" and, in major cities, establish "resilience partnerships" between the state economy,
science and society. "Experience on networking between the different actors and joint, effective
action in the event of disturbances (which is gained from such small-scale pilot projects) could
then be transferred to other regions so that resilience is built gradually from the bottom up."[2]
Self-Evident Cooperation
In his reflections on "promoting resilience", Lieutenant Colonel Hanisch explicitly refers to the
"White Paper on Security Policy and Future of the Bundeswehr," presented by Germany's
Defense Ministry in 2016. (german-foreign-policy.com reported [3].) This basic document for
military policy defines "strengthening resilience" as a "whole-of-society endeavor," which has a
major function to maintain and increase Germany's capacity to wage war: "The state, the
economy and society must increase their resilience so that Germany has the freedom to
determine how best to respond, and they must defend themselves robustly when threats arise."
Since, according to the German government, not only the "physical infrastructure" but also
"public opinion" can be "targeted" by enemy combatants, a whole-of-society orientation is
needed. "This means intensifying cooperation between government bodies, citizens and private
operators of critical infrastructure, as well as the media and network operators. Everyone
involved in this approach must work closely together."[4]
Inclusive Processes
It is not the first time that the BAKS fellow, Hanisch has reflected on "enhancing resilience" in
Germany, as can be seen by one of his earlier "Working Papers." In that paper, he particularly
praised the Rockefeller Foundation's "100 Resilient Cities" project, because it is aiding "100 cities
around the world to become more resilient to the physical, social, and economic challenges of
the 21st century."[5] To promote "inclusive processes" is an integral component of the
Rockefeller Project. They are aimed at enabling urban populations to "act collectively," for
example in the event of an attack by enemy combatants and "to protect themselves."[6]
Comprehensive Concept
The German Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is pursuing a similar strategy. In the framework of its
"Morgenstadt" ("City of the Future") initiative (german-foreign-policy.com reported.[7]), already
in 2012, the state-owned research institute introduced its "vision" of a "resilient" urban space. In
addition to monitoring systems identifying "dangers in the entire urban area" with "risk
assessment tools," the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft seeks to integrate all inhabitants in a process of
establishing "sustainable security." "Public security in the Morgenstadt lies not only in the hands
of the police, but each individual citizen is part of a comprehensive concept of resilience to a
wide variety of security risks."[8]
Spiritual Unity
The idea of mobilizing the entire society for struggle on the home front and therefore making the
population "resilient" in face of the effects of war is nothing new. This had already been among
the reflections of Gen. Erich Ludendorff, who, during World War I, had been a member of the
German Empire's Supreme Army Command, and later joined the Nazi movement in the 1920s. It
was Ludendorff, who coined the term "total war," who's "foundation" he saw in "the people's
spiritual unity." "Spiritual unity alone enables the population to repeatedly fill the beleaguered
Wehrmacht with renewed spiritual energy, to work for the Wehrmacht and in the hardships of
war, even under enemy combat, continue to relish victory and take pleasure in resisting."[9]
[1], [2] Michael Hanisch: Vorwärts, Resilienz! Vorschläge zum Resilienzausbau in Deutschland.
Bundesakademie für Sicherheitspolitik, Arbeitspapier Sicherheitspolitik 16/2017.
[3] See Zivile Kriegsvorbereitung.
[4] Bundesministerium der Verteidigung (Hg.): Weißbuch 2016 zur Sicherheitspolitik und zur
Zukunft der Bundeswehr. Berlin 2016.
[5] Michael Hanisch: Was ist Resilienz? Unschärfen eines Schlüsselbegriffs. Bundesakademie für
Sicherheitspolitik, Arbeitspapier Sicherheitspolitik 19/2016.
[6] The Rockefeller Foundation/Arup: City Resilience Framework. November 2015.
[7] See Urbane Entwicklung (I).
[8] Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.: Visionen zur
Morgenstadt. Leitgedanken für Forschung und Entwicklung von Systeminnovationen für
nachhaltige und lebenswerte Städte der Zukunft. Stuttgart 03.02.2012.
[9] Erich Ludendorff: Der totale Krieg. München 1935.

Citizen Participation (II)

2017/06/29
BERLIN
(Own report) - The current discussion in Germany about the German population's "resilience" to
attacks by enemy combatants can be traced back to reflections expressed in World War I and
during the Nazi period. In 1935, Gen. Erich Ludendorff, who had been appointed in 1916 to the
Supreme Command of the German Empire's army, declared that the "German people's spiritual
unity" was a prerequisite to victory in the coming "total war." According to Ludendorff, the
population, the military and the political leadership must be "welded" into a "powerful unity,"
seeing itself as a "community of destiny" and devoting all its energy to the service of warfare. To
this end, the general demanded the introduction of "general compulsory service" for men and
women, as well as the launching of the appropriate propaganda campaigns - "already in
peacetime." Parallels can be found today in current German government initiatives. For example,
in its "Civil Defense Concept" the German Ministry of the Interior speaks of changing the
constitution to permit women to be obligated to work in "defense-relevant domains." Through
"social discourse" the population should be prepared to "assume risks" and "endure" damaging
events.
Resilience
The propaganda campaign to strengthen the German population's resilience to attacks by enemy
combatants, recently proposed by the Federal Academy for Security Policy (BAKS) [1] has
historical predecessors. Gen. Erich Ludendorff, for example, who had been appointed in 1916 to
the Supreme Command of the Empire's army, had considered the corrosion of the "German
people's spiritual unity" to be the reason for Germany's WW I defeat. In 1935, Ludendorff
argued that because the political leadership of the German Reich sat back and "passively"
watched the "subversive activities" by socialist and Jewish "elements," a revolutionary
development had been able to rob the "people and the army" of its "resilience."[2]
Spiritual Unity
For Ludendorff, the people's "spiritual unity" had formed the "basis" for waging a "total war,"
which "is not only a matter of the armed forces," but requires "the combined strength of the
people." "Spiritual unity alone enables the population to repeatedly fill the beleaguered
Wehrmacht with renewed spiritual energy, to work for the Wehrmacht and in the hardships of
war, even under enemy combat, continue to relish victory and take pleasure in resisting." Like
the war, politics must also assume a "total character," the General declared. "Since war puts the
utmost strain on people to survive, ... total politics ... must prepare, already in peacetime, for
the people's struggle for survival in war and consolidate the basis for this struggle for survival in
such a way that it cannot be shifted, crumbled or completely destroyed by enemy activities
under the grave conditions of war."[3] In this context, military policy think tanks, such as BAKS,
speak of "building resilience." Official documents, such as the "White Paper on Security Policy
and Future of the Bundeswehr," published in 2016, underline the importance of engaging
"everyone" in the organization of the "overall defense."[4]
Propaganda
In order to "weld the people, the military and the political leadership" into a "powerful unity,"
Ludendorff, at the time, - like BAKS, today - recommended a propaganda campaign, using the
mass media; "total warfare and total politics ... must not only prevent threats to the people's
unity. They also must preserve this unity with all means at their disposal, for example in the
press, radio, films and all other available publications." In addition, in reference to future wars,
the general called for dispensing with formal declarations of war: "The point of view that a war
must begin with a formal war declaration is mistaken. ... People have no sympathy toward wars
of aggression, but for struggles for survival. In a declaration of war, they easily recognize the will
for aggression. They do not feel threatened, and the soul of the people cannot be awakened."[5]
Beginning with the aggression against Yugoslavia in 1999 and the invasion of Afghanistan in
2001, the German heads of state had not issued declarations of war; even the term "war" is
carefully avoided in official statements. In the context of the current warnings of a pervasive
"terrorist threat," the image of the enemy is being depicted, as generally striking at our
"freedom-loving way of life."
Supply Services
In order to make the German society resistance and combat ready, alongside propaganda
measures, Ludendorff calls also for economic measures. He considers supplying the population
and the military with daily necessities should have top priority: "It goes without saying that the
supply of the people and the army with food, feed, and fuel ... is of top priority. People must first
of all live and stay alive to be able to work and fight."[6] His proposals included storing raw
materials, clothing, and fuel, as well as the warehousing of grain and feed and the rationing of
food. The same proposals can be found in official government documents of the Federal
Republic of Germany. The "Civil Defense Concept" formulated by the German Ministry of the
Interior in 2016, describes the "defense and mastery of deficiencies and shortages in supply
services" as "strategic objectives of defense."[7]
Service Obligations
The same holds true for Ludendorff's proposal to introduce a "general service obligation for both
men and women" - albeit, during World War I, the general had only been able to have this
service obligation applied to males.[8] The Ministry of the Interior evidently considers the
constitutional "work obligations" for men in times of war, to be insufficient. The "Civil Defense
Concept" addresses this point as follows: "In accordance with Art. 12, Para. 4 of the (German)
Constitution - women, unlike men, may only be obligated to work duty in civilian first aid and
medical, as well as within stationary local military medics facilities. It should be examined
whether these regulations still meet contemporary requirements." It is also to be investigated
"whether a corresponding legal precaution should not be taken, even for certain crisis situations
outside a conflict or defense situation."[9]
Conceptual Continuity
German historians consider Ludendorff - because of his anti-Semitism and his militarist views, as
well as his support for chauvinist movements in the 1920s - as one of the trailblazers for the Nazi
regime. He is said to be at the origin of, what historians have long-since disproved, the "Stab-in-
the-Back" myth - contending that in World War I, the German army "remained undefeated on
the battlefield," but were forced to retreat in November 1918 by the revolutionaries "on the
home front." However, in spite of these facts, the political-military leadership of the Federal
Republic of Germany has, to a large extent, continued to adhere to the ideas formulated by the
imperial general for waging "total war."
[1] See Citizen Participation (I).
[2], [3] Erich Ludendorff: Der totale Krieg. München 1935.
[4] Bundesministerium der Verteidigung (Hg.): Weißbuch 2016 zur Sicherheitspolitik und zur
Zukunft der Bundeswehr. Berlin 2016.
[5], [6] Erich Ludendorff: Der totale Krieg. München 1935.
[7] Bundesministerium des Innern: Konzeption Zivile Verteidigung (KZV). Berlin 24.08.2016.
[8] Erich Ludendorff: Der totale Krieg. München 1935.
[9] Bundesministerium des Innern: Konzeption Zivile Verteidigung (KZV). Berlin 24.08.2016.