Camilla Jessen
Troops practice tunnel combat and crisis response across the German capital.
For several days this week, Berlin has been reshaped into a controlled training landscape as the German military rehearses how it would respond to a national emergency.
The operation is one of the most expansive urban defence drills Germany has carried out in its capital.
The Bundeswehr’s Guard Battalion launched the “Bollwerk Bärlin III” exercise on Sunday, conducting manoeuvres at locations including the Jungfernheide U-Bahn station, the police training complex in Ruhleben and a former chemical plant in Rüdersdorf.
Urban combat drills
Germany’s armed forces say the full-scale war in Ukraine has pushed the need to prepare for scenarios involving sabotage, infrastructure attacks and large-scale evacuations.
Over the five-day training period, troops practiced urban warfare, securing key facilities and rescuing wounded personnel under simulated threat.
Before dawn on Tuesday, soldiers navigated the tunnels of Jungfernheide station in a rehearsal of underground combat. Snipers and security teams took up positions around the site. To ensure safety, only blank ammunition was used.
“The Guard Battalion fulfils its primary mission in Berlin in the event of defence,” the Bundeswehr said. “All activities are carried out under strict security conditions and in coordination with the Berlin authorities.”
Disruptions in the capital
Military vehicles moving through the city were expected to cause short traffic delays, while transport operator BVG warned of minor interruptions to public transit.
No full closures were required, and services continued throughout the operation.
The Bundeswehr stressed that public safety remained central to the planning, with coordination carried out in advance with local agencies.
Separate incident in Bavaria
Away from Berlin, a second major exercise, dubbed the “Marshal Power 2025”, led to an unexpected injury in Bavaria when police officers fired live ammunition after responding to an emergency call.
According to Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann, the officers believed the exercise had not yet begun and discharged warning shots, prompting soldiers to fire back with blanks. Police then returned fire with live rounds, wounding one soldier.
Prosecutors and state criminal police have opened an investigation.
Sources: Euronews; German authorities
This article is made and published by Camilla Jessen, who may have used AI in the preparation
