Bundeswehr's Post-Cold War Evolution: Integrating East German NVA Troops
The integration of the former East German National People's Army (NVA) into the West German Bundeswehr after reunification was a complex task, marked by contrasting cultures and ideologies. Initially, around 47,000 former NVA soldiers were deemed suitable for continued service in the reduced military force.
The Cold War ended without eliminating violence, which persisted in new forms. The military had to shrink from 495,000 to 325,000 troops post-reunification. On October 3, 1990, the official handover of the NVA to the Bundeswehr took place, led by Rainer Eppelmann and Gerhard Stoltenberg.
Dr. Philip Martin Rink, in a lecture, traced the history of the Bundeswehr and the Cold War. He highlighted the key strategies of nuclear deterrence and conventional defense during this period. The legacy of the Cold War continues, with current threats including asymmetric and hybrid forms of violence.
The Bundeswehr, founded on November 12, 1955, with just 101 personnel, grew and evolved through the Cold War and post-reunification challenges. Despite the end of the Cold War, the military continues to adapt to new threats and forms of violence.
