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The principles of Innere Führung

In the debate over the establishment of the Bundeswehr, the concept of Innere Führung (leadership and civic education) was seen as a way of reforming the armed forces through a conscious departure from earlier traditions. It was also incorporated into the Law on the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces without, however, being precisely defined. Down to the present day, its essence and impact have been the subject of lively debate. It is generally agreed that the principles of Innere Führung provide basic guidelines for the internal organisation of the Bundeswehr on the one hand, and for its integration into state and society on the other.

Internally, the aim is to ensure that modern principles of leadership and man management are applied. Innere Führung serves to reduce to a tolerable level any tensions or conflicts arising between the individual rights and freedoms of service personnel as citizens on the one hand, and the demands of their military duties on the other. The leadership behaviour of superior officers must be imbued with respect for human dignity - the basis of our constitutional order. Societal, political and social developments and trends in the Federal Republic of Germany, as well as the results of changes in military technology, have to be taken into account. The principles of Innere Führung find expression “in leadership and training, in the exercise of disciplinary power, in the provision of political education and information for service personnel, in concern for the individual human being, in the fostering of a sense of community outside duty hours”, as Count Baudissin, one of the spiritual fathers of the concept for reforming the armed forces, put it on 10 January 1953. A further requirement of modern leadership is that the framework of everyday life in the armed forces, marked by forms and structures of organisation, personnel management and infrastructure, ensures that each serviceman is respected as an autonomous and responsible individual.

Externally, the objective is to foster the integration into state and society of the Bundeswehr as an institution, and of all service personnel as individual citizens. They should see themselves, and be seen by others outside the armed forces, as an integral component of society as a whole. The aim is to dispel any worries that the Bundeswehr could become a “state within a state” - a danger inherent in all armed forces.

The discussion within the Bundeswehr on the concept of Innere Führung came to a provisional conclusion in February 1993, when Joint Service Regulation 10/1 - Innere Führung - was issued. It describes this concept as follows:

The objectives of Innere Führung are

• to make service personnel fully aware of the political and legal bases of the Bundeswehr as well as of the purpose and meaning of their military mission;
• to promote the integration of the Bundeswehr and its service personnel into state and society and to create greater public awareness and understanding of their mission;
• to enhance the willingness of service personnel to carry out their duties conscientiously, and to maintain discipline and cohesion within the armed forces;
• to ensure that the internal structure of the armed forces is organised on the basis of respect for human dignity and for the legal and constitutional order, and so as to facilitate the effective performance of the armed forces’ mission.

The actual substance and objectives of Innere Führung in everyday military life are laid down in a series of laws, orders and service regulations. The main statutory basis is the Legal Status of Military Personnel Act, which describes the rights and duties of service personnel, in particular in their role as superiors and subordinates. However, the application of specific regulations is not the only aspect of Innere Führung. This applies in special measure to the manner in which superiors treat their subordinates in everyday military life. They are expected to lead not only by the letter of the law but also with empathy and sensitivity. Service personnel, as citizens in uniform, should retain their freedom as individuals. They should act as responsible citizens while maintaining their operational readiness. They are not called upon to show blind obedience, but obedience born of understanding.