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Germany's Easter peace marches planned in shadow of war
Germany's traditional Easter peace marches, held from April 2–6, 2026, drew thousands despite rainy weather, focusing on the return of conscription, military buildup, and ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, and Iran. Organizers express cautious optimism about turnout, while analysts note a decline in mobilization and the divisive impact of recent wars on the peace movement.
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Lead
Thousands of people are taking part in Germany's traditional Easter peace marches this weekend, with more than 120 events organized across dozens of towns and cities between April 2 and 6, according to the Network of the German Peace Movement. The demonstrations come at a time of heightened global tensions, with the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as Germany's partial reintroduction of military service, shaping the agenda.
Coverage Comparison
The story has been covered extensively by Deutsche Welle, the German public broadcaster, which provided both pre-event previews and live coverage of the marches. Reports emphasized the decentralized nature of the protests and the diversity of issues being addressed, from the war in Iran and Gaza to human rights and climate justice. While no other major international outlets were included in the materials reviewed, DW's coverage consistently highlighted the role of the peace movement in opposing Germany's military buildup and the new conscription questionnaire.
Key Claims
Turnout and Scope: Thousands participated in the marches on Saturday, April 4, with police counting approximately 3,000 in Stuttgart, 1,600 in Berlin, and 300 in Duisburg. The Network of the German Peace Movement reported rallies in some 70 towns and cities.
Conscription Controversy: This year's marches focused heavily on the return of conscription. As of early 2026, all 18-year-olds in Germany began receiving a questionnaire from the military to assess their "motivation and suitability" for service. Young men are obliged to fill it out, while women may do so voluntarily. The new law triggered nationwide school strikes, and about 20 demonstrations included speakers addressing conscription, according to Kristian Golla, spokesperson for the Network of the German Peace Movement.
Global Conflicts: Organizers cited the wars in Ukraine, Gaza, and Iran, as well as conflicts in northern Syria, as central themes. Golla told DW, "Whether it's Ukraine and Russia, the Gulf region, Israel and Palestine, or the bombing of Iran — those will be the essential issues for the Easter marches, and of course the strengthening of international law." The movement also called on the German government to launch diplomatic initiatives to end wars and to strengthen international law.
Organizational Structure: The marches are decentralized, with no top-down directive from any single organization. They are traditionally organized by churches, trade unions, left-wing parties, and pacifist groups like the German Peace Society (DFG-VK).
Historical Context: The Easter marches originated in the early 1960s, inspired by the UK's Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. They grew from a few thousand participants to hundreds of thousands by 1968.
Mobilization Challenges: Hendrik Hegemann, senior researcher at the Hamburg-based Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy (IFSH), said the marches have struggled to mobilize people in recent years. He noted that some Germans have been discouraged by the co-option of the cause by far-right elements and figures like Sahra Wagenknecht. He also said he did not expect a massive increase in crowds this year, as many in the peace movement feel more ambivalent about current conflicts compared to the Iraq war in 2003.
Public Sentiment: A February report by the Allensbach polling institute found that only 55% of Germans feel safe, down from 60% in 2025 and over 70% in 2019. Some two-thirds of Germans now fear the country could be directly involved in a war. Only 42% believe NATO would successfully repel a Russian attack, down 14 percentage points from the previous year.
Outlook: Despite the challenges, Golla expressed cautious optimism, expecting more participants than last year. The Peace Cooperative Network said it was "cautiously optimistic" that turnout could exceed last year's 40,000 people.
Perspectives
The coverage presents a nuanced picture of the peace movement's role in contemporary Germany. Organizers frame the marches as a vital counterweight to militarization, emphasizing diplomatic solutions and international law. However, analysts like Hegemann point to the movement's declining mobilization and internal divisions over conflicts like Ukraine. The broader public sentiment, as reflected in polls, shows growing anxiety about security and war, yet also a degree of ambivalence that may limit the marches' appeal. The articles also note the influence of far-right elements, which some see as tarnishing the movement's message. Overall, the coverage suggests that while the Easter marches remain a tradition, their impact and reach are being tested in a changed geopolitical landscape.
(Note: The original articles also touched on unrelated topics such as fuel prices, tourism, and polling figures for the AfD, which were not central to the Easter marches story but were part of the same DW coverage.)
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Claim
Confidence
Status
ClaimThousands of people are expected to take part in the German peace movement's traditional Easter peace marches, with over a hundred events organized in dozens of towns across the country between April 2 and 6.
ClaimThe demonstrations, listed on the Network of the German Peace Movement's website, include 'Bikes for Peace' tours, concerts, and afternoon-long gatherings with speeches addressing the wars in Iran, Gaza and Ukraine, the Rojava conflict in northern Syria, human rights, and climate justice.
ClaimAs of the beginning of 2026, all 18-year-olds in Germany began receiving a questionnaire from the German military to assess their 'motivation and suitability' for service.
ClaimYoung men in Germany are obliged to fill out the military questionnaire, while women, exempted from obligatory military service by the constitution, may do so voluntarily.
ClaimKristian Golla, spokesperson for the Network of the German Peace Movement, said about 20 of the demonstrations will include speakers who intend to address the issue of conscription.
ClaimKristian Golla said that the essential issues for the Easter marches would be Ukraine and Russia, the Gulf region, Israel and Palestine, and the bombing of Iran, as well as the strengthening of international law.
ClaimThe peace marches are de-centrally organized, meaning there is no top-down directive from any particular organization that determines the specific issues or speakers.
ClaimThis year, the German Peace Movement's website says the movement is calling on the German government to launch 'diplomatic initiatives for the ending of the wars,' contribute to strengthening international law, and provide more support for those suffering from the war.
ClaimThe Network of the German Peace Movement is highly critical of what it calls the government's 'selective interpretation of international law,' arguing that Germany should condemn the US and Israeli attack on Iran just as much as it does Russia's attack on Ukraine.
ClaimHendrik Hegemann, senior researcher at the Hamburg-based Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy (IFSH), said he did not see the Easter marches attracting a massive increase in crowds this year.
ClaimHendrik Hegemann said that many people in the peace movement feel more ambivalent about current conflicts, such as Ukraine, compared to the Iraq war in 2003.
ClaimThe Easter peace marches are traditionally organized by churches, trade unions, left-wing political parties, and pacifist groups like the German Peace Society (DFG-VK).
ClaimGroups like the German Peace Society (DFG-VK), originally inspired by conscientious objectors, have recently found themselves providing more advice and support for young people who want to refuse military service.
ClaimHegemann said that some Germans have been discouraged from joining the Easter marches because some elements of the far-right and divisive political figures like Sahra Wagenknecht have co-opted the cause.
ClaimAccording to a February report by the Allensbach polling institute, only 55% of Germans feel safe, down from 60% in 2025 and from over 70% in 2019.
ClaimAllensbach's annual Security Report found that only 42% of Germans believe NATO would successfully repel a Russian attack, down some 14 percentage points from the year before.
ClaimOn Saturday, some 3,000 people were counted at the Easter peace march in Stuttgart, 1,600 in Berlin, and 300 in Duisburg, according to the police.
ClaimKristian Golla said, 'In almost 40 years of Easter peace marches, I have never experienced an Easter that was so full of crises around the world.'
ClaimGermany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is now the strongest political force in the country, according to a Sunday trend poll by INSA for Bild am Sonntag.
ClaimThe AfD has been capitalizing on growing public discontent and concerns over economic stagnation, increasing job losses in the industrial sector, and high energy prices.
ClaimDiesel prices in Germany reached a new record high on Friday, April 3, 2026, with the daily average price for a liter at €2.391, according to ADAC.
ClaimThe ADAC stated that price hikes show that the Austrian model of daily fuel price changes 'does not deserve the name price brake' and has a counterproductive effect.
ClaimRussia's threat has pushed Germany to carry out its biggest war drill of its kind in decades, testing readiness for mass evacuations of wounded allied soldiers from NATO's eastern border in Lithuania.
ClaimThe business wing of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) has called for scrapping the VAT on items such as fruits, vegetables, dairy products, meat, bread, pasta, rice and eggs.
ClaimEsra-Leon Limbacher, SPD MP and head of the business wing, said, 'Whether a child eats a healthy diet should not depend on the parents' bank balance.'
ClaimYasmin Fahimi, head of the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB), said scrapping the VAT would particularly help low-income households more than a cut in income tax.
ClaimFahimi suggested Germany could introduce a much higher VAT on luxury goods, such as extremely expensive watches, yachts, jewelry, or luxury cars, to finance the measure.
ClaimJens Spahn, parliamentary leader of Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Christian Democrats (CDU), has spoken in favor of scrapping VAT on food, saying it would 'allow us to do something' to control soaring prices.
ClaimGerman Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil, along with counterparts from Austria, Italy, Portugal and Spain, has called for a tax on windfall profits of energy companies in response to surging fuel prices due to the Middle East conflict.
ClaimThe ministers wrote in a letter to the European Commission that such a measure would 'send a clear message that those who profit from the consequences of the war must do their part to ease the burden on the general public.'
ClaimA survey by the German Institute for Tourism Research found that 16% of 1,124 people polled between March 25 and 30 had changed their holiday plans for the next three months due to geopolitical crises.
ClaimA change to Germany's conscription law took effect at the beginning of 2026, requiring men between the ages of 18 and 46 to obtain approval from the relevant Bundeswehr Career Center if they wish to leave Germany for more than three months.
ClaimThe rule requiring German men to obtain a permit to leave Germany for more than three months applies regardless of whether they plan a semester abroad, working in a foreign country, or a backpacking trip.
ClaimThe Peace Cooperative Network said it was 'cautiously optimistic' that participation in this year's Easter marches could exceed last year's turnout of 40,000 people.
ClaimIn the western German city of Gronau, around 150 demonstrators gathered outside the uranium enrichment plant on Good Friday, according to organizers.
ClaimThe peace movement is urging the German government to push for diplomatic solutions to end ongoing conflicts and boost support for people affected by war.