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Soldiers with torches at the big tattoo in Berlin
Photo: Christophe Gateau / dpa
The Federal Ministry of Defense defended itself on Twitter against criticism of the big tattoo with torches in front of the Reichstag building.
“Debate is necessary and important.
Comparisons with the darkest chapter of Germany disappoint us, «wrote the ministry on Twitter.
The Bundeswehr is a parliamentary army.
"As this she has her place in the middle of society - on special occasions also in front of the Reichstag building."
The Bundestag and the federal government thanked the roughly 90,000 men and women of the Bundeswehr deployed in Afghanistan for their difficult mission on Wednesday.
A closing roll call in front of the Ministry of Defense was followed by a grand tattoo in front of the Reichstag building, the highest military ceremony of the German armed forces.
Representatives of the five constitutional organs, including Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU), were present on Wednesday.
The memorial act in front of the Ministry of Defense also commemorated the 59 soldiers who lost their lives in Afghanistan over the past 20 years, 35 of them in combat or attacks.
Green politician Ströbele ceremonially criticized
“You paid the highest price a soldier can pay on behalf of his country.
We are deeply indebted to them, «said Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who, like Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (CDU), spoke to the soldiers and guests who had entered.
The pictures of soldiers with torches in front of the Reichstag building have caused some alienation and criticism on the Internet.
A number of Twitter users felt reminded of dark chapters in German history by the scenes.
Other users disagreed, and several defense politicians reacted irritably to the criticism.
The catchphrase #Zapfenstreich was temporarily in second place on Thursday among the Twitter trends in Germany.
Green politician Christian Ströbele was among the critics.
He called the great tattoo a "militaristic ritual from Prussia and the Nazi era".
Other Green politicians defended the ceremony in front of the Reichstag.
anr / dpa