There Germany prepares for an emergency. There Bundeswehr drafted a first version of a 1,000-page document, “Operationsplan Deutschland” (Operations Plan for Germany). According to the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” (“FAZ”) the document describes how the country should behave if it were hit more directly by a war that could spread to Ukraine and include Germany. The Bundeswehr warns: «Russia may be willing and able to advance further west in four or five years» Explained the lieutenant colonel Jörn Plischke during an event at the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce, which “FAZ” also reported on. Russia is rearming massively: while it currently produces 25 main battle tanks per month, Germany builds only three per year. The German military has already been observing an increase in drone overflights, cyber attacks and acts of sabotage on industries for some time. In general, critical infrastructure such as bridges, ports and electricity grids must be protected. It is also clear that, in case of defense situations or deterrent response to a Russian maneuver on the eastern flank of the BORNGermany will become a distribution center for soldiers, weapons, war material and medicines.
Possible state intervention on businesses
The State has the right to intervene decisively in crisis situations. The recent crisis in gas approvals has shown how quickly politics can act: the German federal government, for example, has taken measures such as the mandatory filling of gas storage facilities, the nationalization of the gas importer Uniper and the takeover of the terminal. According to a report cited by FAZ, one could even switch to a planned economy model in an emergency. Bertram Brossardt, director general of the Bavarian Economic Union, said the state could introduce food stamps and even force citizens to work in crucial sectors, such as water supply or transport. These measures would also extend to businesses. Companies that today rely on employees who voluntarily engage in tasks such as emergency management or firefighting may have advantages in the future.
Hamburg as a central hub
Hamburg, where the event took place with Lt. Col Jörn Plischke, it is a central hub for the transport of goods and troops. The mayor of the Hanseatic city, Peter Tschentschertells FAZ: “If our infrastructure is used for military purposes, the risk of cyber attacks and sabotage increases significantly.” The Hamburg Senate has therefore created forty additional jobs for the civil protection and crisis unit. A third national security company made up of volunteers who do not fight in the armed forces, but rather work for protection and security, has been put into service. Exercises are taking place in the Hanseatic city Bundeswehr and civil forces. According to the report, one of these, called “Red Storm Alpha,” would involve training on the protection of port facilities. The next exercise, “Red Storm Bravo,” is expected to follow soon and will be much larger. The experiences of these exercises are then incorporated into the “German Organizational Plan”. It should be a “living document” that is continually evolving and adapting to new information and ongoing threats from Russia.
