Very few people realise that the Bundeswehr and life in the military are profoundly marked by customs. The hand salute, uniforms and the solemn pledge are a few examples of the Bundeswehr’s customs. Without them, the Bundeswehr would not be the organisation we know.
Many people are unaware of the Bundeswehr’s wealth of customs because they often mistakenly believe them to be the same as traditions. However, according to the Guidelines on Tradition and the Cultivation of Tradition in the Bundeswehr, “Many ways, conventions and practices that have been passed down are not traditions but rather customs, that is, military habits and formalities”. Traditions are the “core of the Bundeswehr’s culture of remembrance” and its “value-oriented identity”. By contrast, a custom does not convey any values. Customs in the Bundeswehr also prioritise form over substance: “Traditions have a core of values. Customs are merely the outer shell”, Colonel (General Staff) Dr Sven Lange from the Federal Ministry of Defence sums it up. As the historian from the Leadership and Civic Education division explains, traditions must refer back to values such as “freedom, democracy or the rule of law”.
Colonel (General Staff) Dr. Sven Lange Bundeswehr/Jonas Weber
Traditions have a core of values. Customs are merely the outer shell
Customs offer guidance and support
Military customs have developed and changed over a long period of time. They are handed down, and it is often impossible to say exactly when, how or why certain traditions emerged. Nevertheless, the Bundeswehr’s customs are important for the forces and for the military community. They promote solidarity and comradeship. They strengthen the sense of togetherness and “give us the ability to act with confidence in everyday military life”, says Sven Lange. In a world of constant change and growing uncertainty, customs offer military personnel guidance and support. Unlike traditions, many customs in the Bundeswehr are only practised in individual branches, armed services or units in order to underscore their unique features. The Navy, for example, has different customs than the Army, the Air Force or the Joint Support and Enabling Service. One example is flag dipping on ships and vessels, where the military personnel greet the German flag at the stern of the ship.