Military chaplain in Munich: Faith and the Bundeswehr in harmony!

Military chaplain in Munich: Faith and the Bundeswehr in harmony!

Katarina Freisleder has been working as a Protestant military chaplain in Munich since October 2023 and deals with an exciting and often challenging topic every day: the connection between the Christian faith and the Bundeswehr. Freisleder sees no contradiction between her faith and serving in the army. In an emergency, she would even exchange her gown for her uniform, which impressively underlines her determination and commitment to the soldiers. This attitude is supported by Protestant military chaplaincy, which focuses on accompanying soldiers in their faith life, especially during stressful operations. Loud the EKD Pastoral care offers are a valuable part of the support for the Bundeswehr.

Every Wednesday, Freisleder leads a prayer in the barracks, in front of the medical academy's traditional birch cross. Uniformed soldiers gather around her, folding their hands and listening intently as she reads verses from the book of Ephesians. These spiritual meetings provide soldiers with an opportunity to share their thoughts and feelings while maintaining contact with their faith in the midst of everyday military life.

The role of military chaplaincy

The role of military chaplaincy has become increasingly important in recent years as the tasks of the Bundeswehr have changed from a conscript army to a professional army. This brings with it new challenges, such as balancing work and family life and the stress of military operations. In particular, the ethical questions about the justification for the use of weapons and the search for peace are becoming increasingly important the EKD emphasized.

Currently, around 90 locations in Germany are looked after by military chaplains, led by the Evangelical Military Bishop Bernhard Felmberg. These soldiers receive support from military chaplains who are not bound by instructions and respond to the soldiers' specific needs. The offers are aimed at all soldiers, regardless of their religious affiliation, and most welcome the presence of military chaplaincy. A survey showed that 91 percent of soldiers consider the offers valuable, which shows the trust in the pastoral support. Even 88 percent of non-religious soldiers use military chaplaincy services, which shows how important this support is for the entire force.

Unique model

Military chaplaincy in Germany has a unique model that is characterized by the independence of the military chaplains. Although they wear uniforms during operations, they are not part of the classic command structure. Their task is to offer spiritual and moral support, as shown by the example of military chaplain Andreas-Christian Tübler, who recently celebrated a field service in Mali reported on evangelisch.de.

Military chaplaincy of this type ensures that soldiers are supported in their faith issues and that there is a point of contact to deal with the emotional and ethical challenges associated with service in the Bundeswehr. As part of this work, military chaplains not only offer church services, but also life and ethics advice, which helps with the internal processing of missions and creates space for reflection.