Facing its armament goals and a country still marked by its pacifist past, the Bundeswehr is multiplying its seduction operations, even at fitness fairs, to attract young people without going through conscription.
Wearing a gas mask, he performs push-ups, jumps, and quick squats at the Bundeswehr stand at the world’s largest fitness fair in Cologne, a major recruitment ground for the German army. Franz, a 31-year-old kinesiotherapist, who completed the exercise series by setting a record at the stand in 46 seconds, does not rule out becoming a soldier one day. “Being there to defend your country is an option,” he says. The sturdy young man with broad shoulders presents the ideal profile for the Bundeswehr, intended to become Europe’s first conventional army as desired by Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
By 2035, Berlin has committed to NATO to increase its troops to 260,000 soldiers, up from the current 185,000, with an additional 200,000 reservists. To achieve this, the German government has started a census of 18-year-olds since early 2026 to identify potential recruits. Men must respond to a questionnaire under penalty of fine, while women can do so voluntarily.
However, Berlin has not reinstated conscription, abolished in 2011, a sensitive issue in a predominantly pacifist country haunted by the Nazi horrors. Therefore, the Bundeswehr must rely on its powers of persuasion to attract young people, and the Fibo, a major fair in Cologne frequented by fitness enthusiasts, is one of its preferred locations.
“We are looking for young, sporty, dynamic, and motivated people. And we have them right here,” says Peter, a 30-year-old lieutenant and stand manager, amid young men in shorts, jogging pants, and women in tight leggings and sports bras. The Bundeswehr stand stands out, with a reconnaissance Fennek vehicle and a small troop transport vehicle.
“We have expanded thanks to the recruitment success at Fibo,” Peter reveals. The stand has almost doubled in size compared to last year, to 400 m², and employs 92 people, nearly 20 more than in 2025.
Sporting routes, combat demonstrations, daily lotteries with prizes like water bottles, mugs, t-shirts, backpacks all in khaki and brown tones, and a small barbecue – the Bundeswehr employs every marketing trick to attract new soldiers.
In September, it will host “Olympix” at the fair, where 16 to 19-year-olds will compete in team sports at the Bundeswehr Sports School in Warendorf, featuring football, beach volleyball, and combat sports.
“We have become more professional and appealing,” says Peter, acknowledging the challenge in quantifying recruitment linked to the fair. “People need three or four contacts before committing to a profession or changing careers,” he explains, likening the process to a significant purchase.
According to Linda Reinhard, a 33-year-old kinesiotherapist, the perception of the Bundeswehr has evolved in recent years. “With all that’s happening in the world, the guys and girls here really contribute to making us feel safe,” she assesses, although she currently does not consider leaving her “great job.”
As for her friend Alina, a 29-year-old fitness trainer, after carrying a 60-kilo mannequin simulating an injured person, she feels “not sporty enough” to join the ranks of the German army.
