First women allowed into combat forces

New recruit Silvia Siebenhar arrives at Duelmen Army Camp

BERLIN, Germany -- Women have joined Germany's military combat forces for the first time, ending a long resistance finally overturned by the European Court last year.

A total of 244 female volunteers reported to barracks to begin their training on Tuesday. Most are going into the army, some into the air force and a handful into the navy.

Germany has long opposed allowing women into its front-line combat forces. Even in the last days of World War II, as it called up elderly men and boys in a desperate effort to stave off defeat, the German leadership refused to draft women.

It changed its policy after one woman, Tanja Kreil, sued and won a European Court decision last January for the right to serve in combat forces.

Previously, women were allowed to serve only in musical band and medical formations.

"One of the last gender-specific professional bans has been lifted," said Rainer Bruederle of the liberal opposition Free Democrats, which supports having women in the army.

"I'm only hoping Defence Minister (Rudolf) Scharping won't think about putting women into pink tanks," he added, insisting they must face exactly the same conditions as men.

The European Court in Luxembourg said the ban on women bearing arms in the German army went against the principle of sexual equality striven for in the European Union.

However it did say exceptions were possible "where sex constitutes a determining factor to access to certain special combat units."

Reuters contributed to this report.

EU pledges 'rapid' force troops
November 21, 2000

Judgement in the Tanja Kreil case
German Ministry of Defence

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