Germany Authorizes Military Domestic Operations In Crisis Situations

By Maya Shwayder | August 17 2012 12:40 PM

The German Federal Constitutional Court announced on Friday that the Germany military can use guns and deadly force on German soil, but only in extreme situations as "a last resort." Moreover, such decision to deploy forces domestucally must be approved by the federal government, according to the BBC.

Reuters

German Defense Minister Thomas de Maiziere (R) and Chief of Staff of the German Military General Volker Wieker inspect the guard of honor during a ceremony for new recruits in Berlin July 20, 2012.

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"Ensuring the security of our citizens, particularly in extreme cases, is one of the most important duties of our state," said Defense Minister Thomas de Maiziere and Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich in a joint statement, according to English-language German outlet TheLocal.de.

This measure would change the role the military has served in Germany since the end of WWII, when it was relegated to a defensive role after Adolf Hitler used the military to suppress dissidents, among all his other atrocities.