Documentation - "65 Years Bundeswehr", Part 1

Ten years after the end of the Second World War, Germany is still in ruins, poverty and misery prevail. But the victorious powers face a new confrontation – the Cold War begins. The German population is very skeptical about rearmament. Nevertheless, under the government of Chancellor Adenauer, the Bundeswehr was founded on November 12, 1955, and the first volunteers moved into the barracks. The founding fathers of the Bundeswehr want an army in democracy, with soldiers who think for themselves. In 1962, a devastating storm surge hit the North Sea coast. More than 40,000 soldiers are continuously deployed in disaster situations to save lives. A first test for the armed forces. The still young Bundeswehr experienced its first major crisis with the Starfighter combat aircraft. The Luftwaffe lost 292 aircraft in crashes, and 116 pilots lost their lives.

Source: Bundeswehr (Video in German)