Thousands are expected to take part in Germany’s annual Easter peace marches, with more than 100 events planned across dozens of towns between April 2 and 6. Several newspapers have run ads urging people to join.
The Network of the German Peace Movement’s program includes ‘Bikes for Peace’ tours, concerts and afternoon rallies with speeches addressing conflicts in Iran, Gaza and Ukraine, the Rojava fighting in northern Syria, as well as human rights and climate justice.
This year’s demonstrations are unfolding as a new military service law has been rolled out. Since the start of the year all 18‑year‑olds have been sent a questionnaire from the German military assessing ‘motivation and suitability’ for service. Young men are obliged to complete the form; women, constitutionally exempt from compulsory service, may respond voluntarily. The reform sparked nationwide school strikes, and organizers expect larger numbers of young people at the marches: Kristian Golla, spokesperson for the Network, said roughly 20 demonstrations will include speakers focusing on conscription.
Golla said the marches still matter because conflicts persist around the world. ‘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,’ he told DW.
The peace movement is decentralized, with local groups choosing specific themes and speakers. The Network’s statement urges the German government to pursue diplomatic solutions to end wars, strengthen international law and increase support for victims of conflict. It also criticizes what it calls a ‘selective interpretation of international law’ and urges Germany to condemn the US and Israeli attack on Iran as firmly as it condemns Russia’s attack on Ukraine.
Hendrik Hegemann, a senior researcher at the Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy (IFSH) in Hamburg, said he did not expect a massive surge in turnout. Many people, including some within the peace movement, feel ambivalent about current conflicts, he argued. Unlike in 2003, when the Iraq war provoked broad public agreement that the attack was wrong, the situation around Ukraine is more complex and it is harder to mobilize opposition to support for Ukraine.
The Easter marches date back to the early 1960s, inspired by Britain’s Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, and swelled to hundreds of thousands by 1968. Participants traditionally include church groups, trade unions, left‑wing parties and pacifist organizations such as the German Peace Society (DFG‑VK). In recent years pacifist groups have also offered advice and support to young people seeking to refuse military service.
Hegemann noted that traditional organizations no longer have the mobilizing power they once did, and some have shifted their positions on peace policy. Parts of the far right and polarizing figures like Sahra Wagenknecht have at times sought to co‑opt the cause, which can discourage prospective participants. Still, he said, pacifism remains an important voice in Germany’s public debate, challenging re‑militarization and questioning prevailing assumptions.
Public concern about security in Germany has risen. An Allensbach report in February found only 55% of Germans now say they feel safe, down from 60% in 2025 and from over 70% in 2019. About two‑thirds fear Germany could become directly involved in a war. Confidence in NATO has also declined: only 42% believe the alliance would successfully repel a Russian attack, a drop of roughly 14 percentage points from the previous year.
Golla said the tense global context could boost turnout compared with last year, though he warned weather could limit attendance. ‘Still, I’m carefully optimistic that there will be more people than last year,’ he said.
Edited by Rina Goldenberg