Unifier of Germany and its first Chancellor, Otto von Bismarck once famously said: “The great questions of our time will not be settled by resolutions and by majority votes […] but by blood and iron.”
Ever since the days of the ‘Iron Chancellor’, and especially after World War 2, German militarism has become a scary thought to many across Europe.
Now, eighty years after the end of the Nazi nightmare, the Teutonic leaders are ready for their first international military adventure.
Today (1), Germany officially launched a permanent foreign troop deployment – a 5,000-strong armored brigade in Lithuania.
Berlin’s move is seen as a maneuver ‘to bolster NATO’s eastern flank’ in response to the Old Continent’s new bogeyman: Putin’s Russia.
The deployment of a German brigade assigned to Lithuania will take place in stages. This year we are receiving the first troops, and the main transfer of units will occur between 2025-2026.
By 2027, the German brigade with 5000 troops will reach full operational capability. pic.twitter.com/dT9s4b2AaA
— Lithuanian MOD (@Lithuanian_MoD) April 8, 2024
Politico reported:
“According to the German military’s lobbying group, the newly created 45th Armored Brigade was formally activated during a ceremony outside Vilnius. A temporary headquarters was established, with the brigade’s crest unveiled and the unit now officially under the command of Brigadier General Christoph Huber.
‘We have a clear mission: to ensure the protection, freedom and security of our Lithuanian allies on NATO’s eastern flank’, Huber told dpa, the German press agency. ‘In doing so, we also protect NATO territory — and Germany itself’.”
This long-term deployment was promised in 2023, and is set to be fully operational by 2027.
“The plan includes not just frontline forces but also support units — such as a medical center, signal company and command support teams — across multiple locations.”
Currently, 150 German troops are stationed in Lithuania. That number is expected to reach 500 by year’s end.
“For NATO, the deployment represents a critical part of the alliance’s shift to deterrence by forward defense. For Germany, it’s a major step in shedding its reputation as a reluctant military power.”
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