Appreciation for soldiers: First Veterans Day in Frankfurt is approaching!

Appreciation for soldiers: First Veterans Day in Frankfurt is approaching!

On June 15, 2025, Germany will celebrate nationwide Veterans Day for the first time. In Frankfurt, at the start of the annual events, the city administration will invite former and active soldiers to honor former and active soldiers in the Kaisersaal in the Römer. The response to this event is great, because the Frankfurt Reservist Association not only hopes for more visibility for the Bundeswehr, but also for greater social integration of veterans. As [fnp.de](https://www.fnp.de/frankfurt/mit-veteranentag-gelangen-bundeswehr-und- Defense-in-den-blick-93784354.html) reports, Helge Kingreen, the chairman of the comradeship, emphasizes that the topic of the Bundeswehr has lost a lot of visibility in Frankfurt.

The organization of the reception goes back to a request from the CDU in the summer of 2024. Mayor Mike Josef (SPD) finally took responsibility for coordination and implementation. Kingreen mentions that the city appears indecisive and some parties remain skeptical about the military presence in Frankfurt.

The need for appreciation

In his statements, Kingreen criticizes the lack of appreciation for the soldiers, especially during the challenges of the corona pandemic. He sees a connection to the lost connection to the Bundeswehr, which has hardly been present since compulsory military service was suspended in 2011. Frankfurt was once a garrison city, but now you often see soldiers at the main train station viewed with skepticism. Kingreen, who himself served 14 years in the military and now works in security management at a bank, advocates for general compulsory service for women and men and emphasizes the need for annual civil defense exercises.

The Bundeswehr plans to increase its active strength to 208,000 soldiers by 2030 and will ultimately need 260,000 reservists to reach a total strength of 470,000, as statista.com reports that around 181,000 soldiers and voluntary military service members are represented in the armed forces. The majority of these soldiers belong to the army, followed by the air force and the navy.

Diverse celebrations

Shortly after the Frankfurt reception, Veterans Day will also be celebrated in other cities. A variety of events will take place on the same day: In Augustdorf, guests can expect a combined event with a field service, greetings and musical performances. In Duisburg, a “March of Appreciation” leads participants through the city. Various celebrations and honors are also planned in Euskirchen, Lippstadt and many other places, as detailed on veteranentag.gov.de. It starts with an ecumenical service in Euskirchen and a photo exhibition in Düsseldorf that focuses on the faces of veterans' lives.

Commitment to recognizing veterans can help promote dialogue between soldiers and society in the future. Against the background of the current security policy challenges, the importance of the Bundeswehr in public perception will continue to increase in the coming years.