Antimilitarism | "War on War" in Cologne

"Sabotage preparations for war," "Fight German militarism" – these and other slogans on large banners adorned the large assembly hall of the Stollwerck community center in Cologne on Saturday: In the socio-cultural center, which emerged from an occupation in the early 1980s, a nationwide anti-militarism conference was meeting under the motto "War on War."

The discussion focused on how to take action against the rearmament in Germany and the EU, as well as the growing threat of war. It was noted that many people are already active against rearmament and the threat of war at various points. However, the movement is often still too fragmented and receives too little attention. The congress organizers from the nationwide initiative Perspective Communism want to change this.

The initiative has been active in the nationwide anti-war movement for years and is also involved in organizing the anti-militarist camps of the Disarm Rheinmetall alliance. The conference in Cologne, which also served as theoretical preparation for this year's action camp , was well attended, with over 140 participants coming from all over Germany. The same is expected for the camp at the end of August. "The anti-military camp organized by Disarm Rheinmetall took place in Kiel last year. We will be participating in this year's camp in Cologne because activities against rearmament are urgently needed," said Paul from Kiel.

Young anti-militarists also came to Cologne from Villingen-Schwenningen in Baden-Württemberg. "We don't want to accept the Bundeswehr establishing itself in society," explained Monika, for example. Therefore, she had been present at Bundeswehr events with her own banners, the anti-armament activist reported in a working group addressing the question of how to counter the normalization of the Bundeswehr in everyday life. Positive reference was also made to the satirical alienation of Bundeswehr posters in public spaces. Such adbusting actions have increased in recent times.

Another key point of discussion was the question of how protests against social cuts and austerity measures can be reconciled with the fight against rearmament and militarism. "Every cent spent on weapons and the Bundeswehr is missing from the funding of schools, daycare centers, and hospitals," a spokesperson for the Open Meeting Against War and Militarism in Stuttgart explained. For the participants of the Cologne conference, it is clear that the fight against rearmament and the fight against social cuts belong together. Another key question at the conference: How can one reach out to workers who fear job loss in the resistance against the conversion of civilian to arms production?

Many of the questions raised at the conference will be further discussed at the anti-militarist camp from August 26 to 31. The Disarm Rheinmetall alliance announced in a press release that the location has now been finalized. The camp will be set up in a green belt near Carola Williams Park in Cologne's city center. Anarchist and communist groups have already mobilized for the camp. A large number of participants are expected.

The anti-war activists also want to engage in discussion with the Cologne population, which has also launched initiatives against further militarization. For example, a few weeks ago, the Cologne Academy of Media Arts added a civil clause to its statutes, committing to conducting research and teaching exclusively for non-military purposes. Any involvement of art, science, and research that serves or aims at waging war is rejected. This is one of the examples of everyday anti-militarist practice discussed in Cologne.