Deep Within the Silence of Europe: A Dialogue on German Rearmament and a Record of Eyes Seeking Peace

Introduction: Questions Breathing at the Bottom of Silence

Right now, there is a slightly unsettling silence in Europe.
The news is overflowing with loud words like armament, alliance, and deterrence.
Yet, deep beneath those sounds, the warmth of people and the small breaths of daily life feel as though they have drifted away somewhere.

The dialogue "German Militarism Is Back" by German author Fabian Scheidler has a resonance that seems to pick up the "unspoken questions" sinking to the bottom of that silence.
His words have a temperature closer to silence than to anger.
And perhaps that silence is what most vividly confronts the noise of war.

The Atmosphere of Europe: Even So, Spring Comes Quietly

Scheidler says,
"In Europe, the language of war is beginning to blend into daily life once again."

The word "defense" reaches the corners of posters passed on street corners, the background of news programs, and even schools.
It is not loud, but rather quiet, yet it is certainly seeping into society.

The German government has announced a policy to increase defense spending from 42 billion euros to 142 billion euros annually.
Looking only at the numbers, it might sound like an economic decision.
Yet, behind it, two shadows are stretching: "fear" and "conformity."

His words have no thorns; they are closer to a "sigh."
Perhaps we have adapted too readily to the framework of the "enemy."

The "Gray" Between Good and Evil

Scheidler says, "Modern European society wants to talk in terms of black and white."
Good or evil, perpetrator or victim.
But originally, human reality should be more ambiguous, breathing within a soft gray.

The stronger the narrative of war becomes, the more that ambiguity is washed away.
"Voices trying to understand Russia" are immediately seen as the "enemy" and labeled as "Putin supporters."
And so, the time for dialogue is taken away, one piece at a time.

Thinking of that landscape, I feel that before the battlefield, the fires of words are spreading.

The Transformation of the Left and the Language of "Gentle War"

Left-wing parties that once continued to call for peace—the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the Green Party.
Now, words of rearmament and weapons support resonate from their mouths.

In the 1970s, they upheld the philosophy of "common security" and tried to build "bridges" between enemies and allies.
"Your security is my security, and my security is your security."
That way of thinking was a philosophy of hope that gradually melted the long Cold War.

But before we knew it, "common security" turned into "common hostility."
When a country rearms, the name given to it is "peace of mind" or "solidarity."
The words meant to reject war have been dressed up as words to justify it.

Silent Rearmament and the Fading Memory of Peace

Now, in Germany, soldiers in uniform visit schools.
Videos are shown of them telling children about the "significance of defending the country."
The words that come out are gentle, smooth, and perhaps too neatly polished.

Post-war Germany vowed, "Never again shall the sound of military boots echo."
Even if that memory lives on in museums and memorial services, it feels as though it is quietly fading away in daily life.

When people begin to think that "war is no longer a reality," they may be at their most defenseless.

The Apparatus for Creating an “Enemy”—A Society That Manages Fear

Among Mr. Scheidler’s points, the phrase “management of fear” left a particularly deep impression on me.
He states that modern society maintains order by utilizing a “constant state of crisis.”

The war on terror, the war on infectious diseases, and now, a war against a new “enemy.”
Every time fear is updated, society gradually permits more control, and capital reaps the profits.
This chain is no longer just about politics or ideology; it is closer to an economic model.

There was a quiet observation in those words, rather than sadness.

The “Lost Art” Known as Negotiation

In 2022, peace negotiations were held in Istanbul immediately after the invasion.
It is said that a proposal for Ukrainian neutrality was put forward there, and both sides were close to an agreement.
However, at that time, the negotiations were interrupted by external pressure.

The choice to “refuse diplomacy” is more serious than military force.
This is because the abandonment of diplomacy is nothing less than the abandonment of human imagination.

I believe that the imperfect endeavor of negotiation was the only bridge to prevent war from becoming a “future event.”

The Political Language That Loses Its Sense of Reality

The figure of five percent.
Spending five percent of GDP on the military—that is equivalent to nearly half of the national budget.
Yet, the expression of the politician speaking about it carries a certain lightness, rather than the weight of supporting people’s lives.

Numbers seem like reality, but in fact, they replace it.
Behind the numbers, there should be pensions, healthcare, education, and the lives of the people who bake bread.
That weight is always omitted in the language used.

The Unconsciousness Revealed by the “Chihuahua Metaphor”

There is an analogy from his talk that was impressive.
“Europe is like a Chihuahua barking at a bear from behind glass.”he said.

This metaphor is tinged with sadness, not cynicism.
The Chihuahua barks precisely because it is protected.
As long as the “invisible glass” of America exists, Europe can speak of fear while remaining in comfort.

But what if that glass were removed?
Who is listening quietly to that question now?

The Crisis of Declining Imagination

“Modern politics has lost the ability to imagine the consequences.”
This statement by Mr. Scheidler is not mere irony.

A generation that does not know war has begun to speak about war.
To them, it is images on a screen or lines on a strategic map,
not a memory of pain.

In the era when Willy Brandt and others built peace policies,
the leaders had actually experienced war.
That memory kept their “imagination” grounded in reality.

There is nothing more dangerous than politics that one cannot imagine.

Quiet Resistance: The Voices of the Youth

In Germany, the revival of mandatory military service is being debated.
However, the youth are quietly trying to shake their heads in refusal.

Raising one's voice to say "I will not take up a gun" is not an ideal, but a choice to protect daily life.
Students are preparing for anti-militarism strikes, carrying on the momentum of the climate movement.
Small demonstrations and petition drives.
These are surely the "breath of hope" that has yet to take shape but certainly exists.

Intellectuals Who Do Not Lose Their Voices

Philosopher Richard David Precht.
He stated in a television debate that "Russia also has security concerns."
Even though he was immediately criticized as a "traitor,"
his voice carried a resonance of calmness and responsibility.

Voicing dissent is not hostility.
I feel that the presence of him and Mr. Scheidler teaches us that protecting the space for dissent is, in fact, the first form of peace.

The "Loss of Self" Reflected in the Mirror of Europe

Bombings continue in Gaza, and weapons are being sent to Ukraine.
Even though the same tears should be flowing for both tragedies,
European politics and language seem to choose silence depending on the location.

When "justice" changes color depending on the place, peace spills out through the gaps.
Silence may also be a form of speaking.
However, when silence becomes biased, it becomes a part of domination.

A Reinterpretation of "Never Again"

The vow of "Never Again" made 80 years ago.
That phrase is now being used again in the form of "fighting to protect."

What does "Never Again" refer to?
Is it to never let the past catastrophe itself happen again?
Or is it to never reenact the pain of the past ourselves?

Mr. Scheidler's narrative, while blurring that boundary,
is filled with the certain warmth that "continuing to question" is what peace is.

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