The German government has ordered schools across the country to begin preparing children for war and urged citizens to start stockpiling food, water, and other essentials.
The directive was issued by Germany‘s Interior Ministry.
The order comes in response to the deteriorating security situation in Europe and a growing threat of World War Three.
The unprecedented move was confirmed in a statement to Handelsblatt newspaper.
German schoolchildren will now be taught how to respond in volatile war-like scenarios.
A ministry spokesman said civil protection “should be given greater focus, including in schools.”
According to the ministry, the increased focus is due to the alarming recent geopolitical developments and expert testimonies that Russia could be ready to strike NATO territory within a few years.
Defence spokesperson Roderich Kiesewetter said it was “absolutely necessary” for schoolchildren to train for emergencies.
Kiesewetter, a member of the conservative CDU party, called children “especially vulnerable and particularly affected in an emergency.”
He is calling for mandatory basic training in disaster response.
The training is modelled on systems in Finland.
Finland, which borders Russia, has been preparing citizens for the possibility of a war with Vladimir Putin for years.
Berlin says it even stands ready to provide all schools and teachers with national crisis materials via the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK).
The ministry also approved a new EU Commission initiative on wartime readiness.
It recommends that all German citizens begin preparing emergency supplies to last at least 72 hours, as per recommendations from the European Union.
“Temporary crisis situations can be handled well with basic reserves,” the spokesperson said.
Kiesewetter pointed out that Germany is “very less resilient” with “backward” crisis preparedness structures compared to Nordic countries.
The push for preparedness follows rising concern that Germany is woefully unprepared for a major conflict.
However, the lack of preparedness is not just in terms of Germany’s poorly-equipped military.
Red Cross officials have warned that massive swathes of the population would be left utterly defenceless in a real emergency.
Meanwhile, internal assessments suggest the civil protection system is totally underfunded, disorganized, and even outdated.
Last month, estimates suggested Germany would need to spend a staggering €30 billion to bring its civil defence up to minimum wartime standards.
Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service (BND) and the inspector general of the nation’s army, Carsten Breuer, pointed out that a major war threatening Europe is a realistic scenario.
During a security conference in Berlin, Breuer recently told attendees:
“According to our analyses, Russia is capable of attacking NATO territory in four to seven years.”
The EU is now pushing for every household in the 27-nation bloc to have a three-day survival kit ready.
It comes as Brussels hopes to ensure every citizen is equipped for 72 hours of self-sufficiency amid the growing war threat.
EU citizens are told to stock up on a dozen key items, including matches, ID documents in a waterproof pouch, bottled water, energy bars and a flashlight.
These items will form part of their “resilience” kit.
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