Across the country, this year’s second National Veterans Day again serves as a day of appreciation and recognition for the roughly ten million veterans of the Bundeswehr. At the same time, the commemoration reinforces the bond between the armed forces and society.
Just over two years after the German Bundestag, with a large majority, decided to introduce Veterans Day and tasked the federal government with its implementation, federal, state, city, and municipal governments, veterans associations, and other organizations are organizing various events on this occasion. Since this year’s National Veterans Day falls on a weekday, the nationwide celebrations will continue through the weekend.
Central Veterans Day Ceremony in Berlin
The culmination is the central ceremony at the Reichstag building, which will be opened by the President of the Bundestag and patroness Julia Klöckner on June 21, 2026, and observed at the highest political level. Visitors to Berlin can look forward to an attractive stage program with the participation of Vice President Omid Nouripour, members of the Defence Committee, the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces, Henning Otte, as well as the Federal Minister of Defence, Boris Pistorius.
Performances by The BossHoss, Heavysaurus, Heinz Rudolph Kunze, and the Bundeswehr Big Band round out the program. A highlight is the new photo exhibition “Wounded” by Bryan Adams, which will be opened by Bundestag President Klöckner. The Veterans Day press office will also present veterans with their personal stories on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook as well as WhatsApp this year. A powerful sign: Germany’s veterans belong at the center of our society.
