Military forces of Germany, Bundeswehr, are preparing urban areas for potential conflict situations
In a significant development, the German Armed Forces have been working closely with municipalities and federal states to prepare for a potential war on German soil or in Eastern Europe. The planning, known as Operation Plan Germany, began in March 2025 and is expected to be completed by autumn of the same year.
The goal of this operation is to provide sufficient deterrence against all scenarios, thereby preventing a potential conflict with Russia, particularly in response to the Russian attack on Ukraine. The plans aim to establish German defense readiness, visibly and effectively.
Municipalities have been asked to contribute to making Germany a "hub" for NATO's allied forces in the event of war. This includes ensuring that cities and communities take precautions for the smooth marching of marching units and the medical and logistical supply of troops.
Critical infrastructures, such as IT systems, networks, and communication platforms essential for command and troop coordination, especially in the Cyber and Information Space Command (Cyber- und Informationsraum, CIR), are identified as primary targets for protection. Measures focus on cybersecurity, secure software development, and ensuring robust, secure interfaces among the army, air force, navy, and the CIR to maintain operational readiness and secure communication in deployments.
In a tension or defense case, the currently suspended conscription for all German men aged 18 to 60 could be reactivated, meaning men could be immediately called up for military service. The German economy is also called upon to prepare to provide deployable employees in case of war, with companies expected to fill the resulting personnel gaps in production and administration themselves.
Real estate can theoretically be seized or expropriated in a tension or defense case - for example, for the construction of fortifications or collection points. Companies could be compulsorily recruited for national defense in an emergency, with massive interventions in their autonomy, without direct remuneration, and with incalculable risks to their existence. The right of appeal is excluded.
The German Armed Forces have identified other critical infrastructures such as important intersections, bridges, or emergency wells that need to be identified and protected. Concepts must be developed for how these infrastructures can be restored as quickly as possible after a bombing attack to continue functioning.
Home defense concepts must also be submitted to intercept saboteurs or prevent attacks. The Federal Academy for Security Policy has presented a working paper describing a potential scenario in 2029, involving multiple deliberate large-scale forest fires, cyber attacks, disruptions to satellite communication, and drone attacks on chemical plants.
Many cities have received visits from high-ranking officers of the German Armed Forces in recent weeks for confidential meetings to prepare cities for an expansion of their war-readiness. However, these municipal secret committees often lack the specialist knowledge for the decisions they have to make.
The plan is continuously developed under the responsibility of the Operational Command of the German Armed Forces. The German military is pressuring German cities and municipalities to prepare for a potential war on German soil, a move that raises concerns about the potential impact on civil liberties and the economy.
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