Restructuring of the Bundeswehr: Pistorius replaces Army Inspector

Berlin. On Tuesday at 4:51 p.m., the Federal Ministry of Defense sent out a press release whose obvious aim was to cause as little stir as possible. The time suggests this. Around 5 p.m., the editorial deadline for many newspapers is approaching or has already passed. The headline was also rather boring. "Changes in top military appointments," it read. And: "General Surgeon Dr. Nicole Schilling becomes Deputy Inspector General. Major General Dr. (Christian) Freuding becomes the new Inspector of the Army." Motto: Nothing to see here. Please move on! There are actually some interesting stories hidden behind the email.

First, there is the downfall of the previous Army Inspector General, Alfons Mais, which made Freuding's rise possible in the first place. Immediately after the Russian attack on Ukraine in February 2022, the 63-year-old Mais posted on LinkedIn: "The Bundeswehr, the army I am privileged to lead, is more or less empty-handed." This seemed (too) bold to some. They expected him to be immediately replaced by the then Defense Minister, Christine Lambrecht (SPD). But Mais stayed, even after January 2023, when the new Defense Minister, Boris Pistorius (also SPD), took office. And he remained uncomfortable.

In November 2023, Mais warned of an intensification of the Army's material problems – specifically due to the permanent brigade in Lithuania proposed by Pistorius. The Army is already underfunded and will be further weakened by the additional brigade, the lieutenant general wrote. Similar objections can still be heard today, including from the CDU/CSU parliamentary group. Critics there argue that Pistorius has to piece together the material from other sources, thereby creating corresponding gaps. The brigade is too ambitious.

Whether Mais's insubordination is the reason for his replacement or whether it is primarily his advanced age is unclear. What is clear, however, is that Pistorius values ​​loyalty enormously. It is also clear that his designated successor, Christian Freuding, enjoys an outstanding reputation. He is – to use a football analogy – the Nick Woltemade of the Bundeswehr and, like the VfB Stuttgart player, highly sought after. The 53-year-old has headed the Ukraine Situation Center at the Ministry of Defense for around two years and was promoted to head of the newly established Planning and Command Staff in May 2023.

The incoming Inspector General of the Army, Christian Freuding. In the foreground: Boris Pistorius.

Source: Kay Nietfeld/dpa

The ministry's aforementioned statement states that Freuding will "bring additional momentum and change to the Army's projects with his military, administrative, and political expertise." Praise also comes from the opposition. The deputy chairwoman of the Green Party's parliamentary group, Agnieszka Brugger, told the RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland (RND) that Freuding is "one of the most impressive people I have had the pleasure of meeting during my many years of work on the Defense Committee. With his commitment, his attitude, and his clear vision, the Army is in very good hands."

Nicole Schilling's appointment as Deputy Inspector General is in turn due to the fact that the outgoing holder of this position, Andreas Hoppe, reportedly had multiple love affairs simultaneously, some with multiple women in the ministry. According to "Business Insider," he arranged hotel visits, planned trips together, and sent sometimes identical messages or photos to several women – only a few hours apart. Furthermore, he allegedly attempted to plant one of his affairs within the ministry. Finally, Hoppe is accused of having passed on confidential information from the ministry. All in all, this was apparently too much for the ministry's management. Hoppe was considered vulnerable to blackmail.

The case has one advantage for the Defense Minister. With Nicole Schilling, who, significantly, comes from the medical service, which is blessed with numerous women, he can counteract the glaring shortage of women at the top. After all, a Defense Ministry spokeswoman had to admit in May of last year that the quota of women in military leadership positions within the ministry was "approximately 2 percent" – compared to 16 percent outside. This is a matter that needs to be addressed.

In addition to Pistorius herself, Green Party deputy parliamentary group leader Brugger also agrees. "As much as many are rightly pleased that a female soldier is finally holding such a high position, it doesn't disguise the lack of representation of women in leadership positions," she told the RND. "Boris Pistorius makes many fine words about equality. But it's the actions that count." Apparently referring to the new State Secretary for Defense, Jens Plötner, Brugger added: "When push comes to shove, some men's SPD membership obviously counts more than experience, expertise, and representation."