Wilhelmshaven celebrates its first Veterans Day: Strengthen community!

Wilhelmshaven celebrates its first Veterans Day: Strengthen community!

On June 15th, the newly introduced National Veterans Day brings together the Bundeswehr and society. This day, which was launched by the Bundestag on April 25, 2024, is intended to show appreciation for active and former soldiers of the Bundeswehr. In Berlin, but also in many cities and municipalities, celebratory events will take place to strengthen the bond between veterans and the civilian population. In Wilhelmshaven, there was already a celebration in the council chamber with around 70 people present, including navy members and former soldiers, who received a special honor on this special day. Council chairman Stefan Becker, himself a veteran, emphasized how close the connection is between the population and the soldiers in Wilhelmshaven and that many families in the city know veterans in their ranks.

Veterans Day is scheduled to be celebrated annually on June 15 and is not only symbolic in nature but also aims to increase the visibility of service in society. “The day of remembrance is held particularly high in Wilhelmshaven,” explains Becker, “because not only members of the Navy, but also soldiers from the Air Force and the Army are stationed here.” This special focus is also reflected in the fact that veterans play a role in many households and the connection to active soldiers is therefore very close. This is an important point that Dr. Thomas Eisentraut, head of the Naval Museum in Wilhelmshaven, says: The exchange between active and former members of the Bundeswehr is essential for a common understanding.

The first National Veterans Day

The premiere of National Veterans Day took place on June 15, 2025 in Augustdorf. This included various activities such as a field service, networking opportunities, music and a barbecue party. In addition to the central celebration in Berlin, the day is accompanied by numerous events in cities such as Duisburg, Euskirchen and Lippstadt, where veterans are worthy of honor.

The Bundestag established Veterans Day not only to highlight the achievements of over ten million former soldiers, but also to improve aftercare for veterans who took part in missions abroad. This is particularly important because society often takes a critical attitude towards the military, influenced by the historical assessment of the two world wars. The proposal to introduce Veterans Day also met with resistance, for example from the Die Linke party, which found it problematic. Nevertheless, hope and the need for appreciation for veterans are at the forefront.

Experiences and challenges

At the celebration in Wilhelmshaven, frigate captain Volker Kübsch reported on his first combat mission on the frigate “Hessen” in the Red Sea. He explained that the operation was not only physically but also psychologically stressful and that one often had to contend with uncertainty about the enemy's operational procedures and tactics. These open conversations help address and understand the challenges veterans face.

Veterans Day should therefore not only be a celebration of the past, but also a step towards the future and a call for solidarity and understanding within society as a whole. In keeping with the veterans' vision for this day, it is hoped that the celebrations will transform into a family-friendly festival and thus find widespread support.

Lectures, panel discussions and, last but not least, musical events are also planned during the events in the coming weeks. For example, there will be a “March of Appreciation” in Duisburg on June 15th and various concerts to honor veterans. In Lippstadt there will be an exhibition with Bundeswehr vehicles and in Euskirchen there will also be a photo exhibition that focuses on the faces of the veterans.

Overall, National Veterans Day shows that the bridge between soldiers and society is important in creating a common understanding of the many challenges associated with service in the armed forces. And so we can only hope that society's appreciation for the soldiers will continue to increase, because our respect for them is more than just a duty - it is a sign of gratitude.

Further information about the events can be found at Veterans Day, and read more about the background information on Deutschlandfunk and [NWZ Online].