Compulsory Border Protection Service: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Compulsory national service in Germany}}

{{refimprovemore citations needed|date=September 2018}}

[[File:BGSalt.jpg|thumb|BGS Federal Eagle ([[Coat of arms of Germany|Bundesadler]]) worn from 1976 until 2001]]

The '''Compulsory Border Guard Service''' (German: ''Grenzschutzdienstpflicht'') was enacted by the [[Germany|German]] [[Bundestag|parliament]] in the Federal Border Protection Act of 18 August 1972, based on Article 12a of the [[Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany | German Constitution]].<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.bgbl.de/xaver/bgbl/start.xav?start=//*%5B@attr_id=%27bgbl169s0041.pdf%27%5D#__bgbl__%2F%2F*%5B%40attr_id%3D%27bgbl169s0041.pdf%27%5D__1542290943773 | title=Bundesgesetzblatt}}</ref> The remaining provisions of the Federal Border Protection Act were repealed in 1994.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.jurion.de/gesetze/bgsg/50/ | title=§ 50 BGSG, Beginn und Ende der Grenzschutzdienstpflicht}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bgsg/index.html | title=BGSG - nichtamtliches Inhaltsverzeichnis}}</ref> However, the compulsory border guard service has not been enforced since 1973. Anyone who serves or served in the [[Bundesgrenzschutz|Federal Border Guard]] (German: ''Bundesgrenzschutz (BGS)'') can no longer be assigned to the [[military service]] (§ 42a Conscription Law) in the German [[Bundeswehr | Federal Armed Forces]] (German: ''Bundeswehr''). In 2005 the border guard service has been renamed to [[Federal Police (Germany) | Federal Police]] (German: ''Bundespolizei''), so the mandatory service has to be achieved there.<ref>{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/?id=RcPPBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA57&lpg=PA57&dq=Grenzschutzdienstpflicht#v=onepage&q=Grenzschutzdienstpflicht&f=false | title=Rechtskunde — leicht verständlich| isbn=9783663130871| last1=Verheyen| first1=Josef| date=2013-11-11}}</ref><ref>http://dipbt.bundestag.de/doc/brd/1994/D840+94.pdf</ref><ref>{{Cite book | doi=10.1007/978-3-658-10928-8_9|chapter = Einführung der Grenzschutzdienstpflicht|title = Installation und Konsolidierung des Bundesgrenzschutzes 1949 bis 1972| pages=348–376|year = 2016|last1 = Parma|first1 = David| isbn=978-3-658-10927-1}}</ref>

{{conscription}}

The '''Compulsory Border GuardProtection Service''' (German: ''Grenzschutzdienstpflicht'') was enacted by the [[Germany|German]] [[Bundestag|parliament]] in the Federal Border Protection Act of 18 August 1972, based on Article 12a of the [[Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany | German Constitution]].<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.bgbl.de/xaver/bgbl/start.xav?start=//*%5B@attr_id=%27bgbl169s0041.pdf%27%5D#__bgbl__%2F%2F*%5B%40attr_id%3D%27bgbl169s0041.pdf%27%5D__1542290943773 | title=Bundesgesetzblatt}}</ref> The remaining provisions of the Federal Border Protection Act were repealed in 1994.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.jurion.de/gesetze/bgsg/50/ | title=§ 50 BGSG, Beginn und Ende der Grenzschutzdienstpflicht | access-date=2018-11-15 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116000909/https://www.jurion.de/gesetze/bgsg/50/ | archive-date=2018-11-16 | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bgsg/index.html | title=BGSG - nichtamtliches Inhaltsverzeichnis}}</ref> However, the compulsory border guardprotection service has not been enforced since 1973. Anyone who serves or served in the [[Bundesgrenzschutz|Federal Border GuardProtection]] (German: ''Bundesgrenzschutz (BGS)'') can no longer be assigned to the [[military service]] (§ 42a Conscription Law) in the German [[Bundeswehr | Federal ArmedDefence Forces]] (German: ''Bundeswehr''). In 2005 the borderFederal guardBorder serviceProtection has beenwas renamed tothe [[Federal Police (Germany) | Federal Police]] (German: ''Bundespolizei''), soand theany mandatory service has towould be achievedperformed there.<ref>{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RcPPBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA57&lpg=PA57&dq=Grenzschutzdienstpflicht#v=onepage&qpg=Grenzschutzdienstpflicht&f=falsePA57 | title=Rechtskunde — leicht verständlich| isbn=9783663130871| last1=Verheyen| first1=Josef| date=2013-11-11| publisher=Springer}}</ref><ref>http://dipbt.bundestag.de/doc/brd/1994/D840+94.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book | doi=10.1007/978-3-658-10928-8_9|chapter = Einführung der Grenzschutzdienstpflicht|title = Installation und Konsolidierung des Bundesgrenzschutzes 1949 bis 1972| pages=348–376|year = 2016|last1 = Parma|first1 = David| isbn=978-3-658-10927-1| s2cid=163248420 }}</ref>

== History ==

The implementation of the cumpulsorycompulsory border guardprotection service has to be seen in a historical context. Until the 1980s the BGS was organized as a [[paramilitary | paramilitary]] force forthat nationalcould deploymentbe deployed nationwide, botheither at the [[Inner German border|inner-German border]], orbut also elsewhere in case of [[civil unrest,disorder]]. becauseDomestic thismilitary wasoperations of any kind on the territory of [[West Germany]] were prohibited for the ''Bundeswehr'' inat principlethat time. The BGS was featured withused heavy military equipment and the officers were officially [[combatant | combatants]]s until 1994. AfterFurthermore, emergencythe lawsmember havestates beenof enactedthe in[[Warsaw 1968,Pact]] themaintained tasksa very large number of [[Internal Troops]], mainly staffed by conscript soldiers like the BGS[[East changed.Germany|East TheGerman]] military[[Volkspolizei-Bereitschaft task| wasVolkspolizei-Bereitschaften reduced,(VPB)]]. becauseInterior introops were a stateconsiderable reinforcement of emergency the ''Bundeswehr''[[infantry]] isforces nowduring entitledthe under[[arms restrictiverace]] circumstancesof tothe be[[Cold deployedWar]] inperiod interiorand events.were Nevertheless,not theaffected BGSby wasdisarmament equippednegotiations withas lightthey andwere mediumnot infantrypart weapons untilof the mid-eightiesregular military.

After the "[[German Emergency Acts]]" (German: ''Notstandsgesetze'') were enacted in 1968, the tasks of the BGS changed slowly. The military task was gradually reduced, because in a [[State of Defence (Germany)|State of Defence]] (German: ''Verteidigungsfall'' or ''V-Fall'') the ''Bundeswehr'' was and still is thereafter empowered in very limited circumstances to be deployed in domestic disturbances. Nevertheless, the BGS was equipped with light and medium infantry weapons until the mid-eighties and still, now nominated as ''Bundespolizei'' maintains [[armoured personnel carrier]]s like the ''[[LAPV Enok]]'' or ''[[Mowag Eagle]]''.

== Draft of Border Guards ==

Men, at the age of eighteen or older and if they were retired members of the Federal Police or they did not serve in the military or federal police yet, can be drafted to the border guard service. The mandatory service can be introduced, if there are not enough volunteers joining the federal police. If the demand is covert with volunteers again, the service ends at the same time for the already drafted persons. The employment status of the draftees is similar to the status during the military service. The service is divided into border protection basic service, border protection exercises and perpetual border protection service in case of defense and in the cases mentioned in article 91 of the constitution. Retired members belong to the border guard reserve.

== DraftDrafting of Border GuardsProtection ==

Men, at the age of eighteen, or older and if they were retiredformer members of the Federal Police or if they didhad not servepreviously served in the military or federal police yet, can be drafted to the border guardprotection service. The mandatoryMandatory service can be introduced, if there are not enough volunteers joining the federal police. If the demandneed is covertcovered withby volunteers again,at thea servicelater endsdate, atcurrently thedrafted samepersons timeare forto thebe already drafted personsreleased. The employment status of the draftees is similar to the status during the military service. The service is divided into border protection basic service, border protection exercises and perpetual border protection service in case of defense and in the cases mentioned in article 91 of the constitution. RetiredAfter their service has been completed, members belongare transferred to the border guardprotection reserve.

== Current enforcement of the draft ==

Similar to the suspended [[Conscription in Germany|conscription]] for military service since 2011, the compulsory border protection service is legally paused since 1994, but can be reactivated anytime by a resolution of the parliament.

== See also ==

* [[Border guard]]

* [[Border guards of the inner German border]]

* [[Civil conscription]]

* [[Internal Troops]]

* [[Law enforcement in Germany]]<references />

== References ==

<references />

Although the compulsory border guard service remains in the law, but since 1994 it needs to be put into effect by a resolution of the parliament, similar to the suspended [[Conscription in Germany | conscription]] for the military service in 2011.

== See also==

[[Law enforcement in Germany]]<references />

[[Category:German federal agencies]]

[[Category:1972 establishments in West Germany]]