The Army Inspector at the University of Potsdam
On June 2, 2026, a panel discussion was held at the University of Potsdam featuring Lieutenant General Dr. Christian Freuding, Inspector General of the Army. Under the title “The New Landscape of War and the Consequences for the Bundeswehr,” Freuding discussed the most pressing challenges facing the Bundeswehr in light of the tense security situation in Europe with Dr. Hans-Peter Bartels, the former Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces and current President of the Society for Security Policy.
Professor Sönke Neitzel introduced the topic and moderated the event, which was jointly organized by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and the Chair of Military History/Cultural History of Violence. Around 280 guests witnessed an exciting and insightful evening that spanned the spectrum from the challenges of the Bundeswehr’s founding to its shift in profile after 1990, subsequent foreign deployments, and the changing security landscape resulting from Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
The discussion focused in particular on the pressing challenge of expanding the Bundeswehr and the related debate over a new form of military service, as well as on the role of hybrid warfare and the use of drones. Both Freuding and Bartels expressed cautious optimism that recent developments within civil society, politics, and the Bundeswehr are pointing toward a positive trend: While time is needed, the most important projects are being tackled with determination. For the University of Potsdam and the Chair of Military History/Cultural History of Violence, the event was a resounding success, demonstrating once again how essential the exchange between politics, civil academia, and the military is for the security policy debates of our time.
