The Concept of Innere Führung: Dimensions of Its Ethics

chapter 8 The Concept of Innere Führung: Dimensions of Its Ethics

Angelika Dörfler-Dierken

The German concept of Innere Führung (Leadership Development and Civic Education) – in its key ideas – is 70 years old. It was developed after the end of World War ii by a former officer of the Wehrmacht, the future nato General Wolf Stefan Traugott Graf von Baudissin (1907–1993). Owing to the experience that soldiers of the Wehrmacht had to decide between their own conscience and the order of the Führer or his local representative, he had begun to pon- der over a new structure for armed forces that have entered democracy and are tasked to defend freedom. Baudissin wanted to develop a new concept. He aimed at a kind of reformation for a new Wehrmacht (as the Bundeswehr was called initially) that would be just as profound as the religious reformation in the 16th century. The central idea was that each soldier would be able to serve in accordance with the convictions of his or her conscience. If the conscience told the soldier: ‘No, you must not obey this order!’ then he should be protected in his conscientious belief. During his service in the Wehrmacht, Baudissin had experienced that soldiers had to compromise either their conscience or their orders. Never again should German soldiers be confronted with such a dilem- ma. In addition, there was another point: most Germans were tired of war and did not accept any military service, not even for purposes of national defence.1 Nevertheless, it was possible to set up the Bundeswehr ten years after the end of World War ii. This was, of course, also due to the increasing bloc confronta- tion that made it necessary for West Germany to participate in the defence of the border to the Soviet controlled Eastern Bloc.

1 See also Rudolf J. Schlaffer and Wolfgang Schmidt (eds), Wolf Graf von Baudissin. Moderni- sierer zwischen totalitärer Herrschaft und freiheitlicher Ordnung (Oldenbourg 2007) that was published on the occasion of Baudissin’s 100th birthday. On the political, historical and ethical background of the concept see also inter alia Angelika Dörfler-Dierken, Ethische Fundamente der Inneren Führung: Baudissins Leitgedanken: Gewissensgeleitetes Individuum – Verantwortlicher Gehorsam – Konflikt- und friedensfähige Mitmenschlichkeit (Berichte 77) Sozialwissenschaftliches Institut der Bundeswehr 2005. See also inter alia the new edition of Baudissin’s papers by Claus von Rosen (ed.) ‘Wolf Graf von Baudissin Grundwert Frieden’ in Politik – Strategie – Führung von Streitkräften (Miles 2014).

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In our context, it is not important to understand the whole history of Innere Führung.2 It is more important to understand the deep changes that took place after the wall between East and West Germany was torn down3 and to learn our German way of handling the problems related with the inner culture of the Bundeswehr.4 This study is divided into five sections: A short introduction will address the most important modifications to our leadership culture during the last years. In a second step, the ethical dimensions of Innere Führung will be explained. Subsequently, a few examples of ethical problems that arose with the first missions abroad will be given. The fourth step will provide an introduction to some empirical studies on the concept of Innere Führung. And the last step will answer the question whether the concept of Innere Führung describes an ideal for good soldiers, whether it is an

2 On the history of the implementation of Innere Führung see also Frank Nägler Der gewollte Soldat und sein Wandel. Personelle Rüstung und Innere Führung in den Aufbaujahren der Bundeswehr 1956–1964/65 (Oldenbourgh 2007). See also also Donald Abenheim, Bundeswehr und Tradition. Die Suche nach dem gültigen Erbe des deutschen Soldaten (Beiträge zur Militärgeschichte 27) (Oldenbourg 1989). 3 When the two armies, the National People’s Army (nva/gdr) and the Bundeswehr (frg) were united, they adopted the now common name Bundeswehr see also Nina Leonhard, ‘Die Bundeswehr und die “innere Einheit.”’ Einstellungen von ost- und westdeutschen Soldaten im Vergleich’ (sowi-Arbeitspapiere 136) Sozialwissenschaftliches Institut der Bundeswehr 2004; Nina Leonhard, ‘Armee der Einheit: Zur Integration von nva-Soldaten in die Bundeswehr’ in Sven Bernhard Gareis and Paul Klein (eds), ‘Handbuch Militär und Sozialwissenschaft’ (vs Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften 2006) 61–71. 4 One very important mechanism of public and political control of the Bundeswehr is the institution of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces who publishes a re- port on complaints of subordinates about their superiors and problems of the inner culture, the education and the equipment of the German Armed Forces every year. Another special institution in the Bundeswehr is the Christian church, represented by its protestant and its catholic branches. Since 1957, when a special treaty between the German protestant church and the government of the Federal Republic of Germany was concluded – which is named ‘Loccumer Vertrag’ after the village where it was signed – both churches have been free to exert their influence in the army. They are allowed to care for the souls of all soldiers and to be a part of their training in ethics. Unlike in other countries, German military chaplains are not part of the military hierarchy. They remain members of their regional churches and have to leave the armed forces after six or no later than after twelve years of service. See also Dörfler-Dierken, Angelika. Zur Entstehung der Militärseelsorge und zur Aufgabe der Militär- geistlichen in der Bundeswehr (Forschungsbericht 83) Strausberg: Sozialwissenschaftliches Institut der Bundeswehr 2008. In addition, there are critical work groups supervising the development of Innere Führung and its implementation in the Bundeswehr. See also the essays in Detlef Bald et al. (eds), ‘Zurückgestutzt, sinnentleert, unverstanden: Die Innere Führung der Bundeswehr’ (Demokratie, Sicherheit, Frieden 187) (Nomos 2008).