Study title

Since 1996, the Center for Military History and Social Sciences of the Bundeswehr (ZMSBw) has conducted a representative survey of the German population on defense and security policy issues on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Defense. In 2016, this study was continued. For this purpose, N = 2.295 persons were interviewed on various issues from May 17, 2016 until May 19, 2016. The present survey focused in particular on population´s threat perception and sense of security, personal attitudes toward the Federal Armed Forces, the perception of the Federal Armed Forces as an attractive employer, and the population´s knowledge of the tasks of the Federal Armed Forces, their number of personnel, and the level of defense expenditures.1. Security and threat perception: assessment of the current security situation worldwide and in the Federal Republic of Germany and personal sense of security (split); sense of threat from: Job loss or difficulty in finding a job, insufficient financial security in old age, worldwide climate change due to global warming, major natural disasters, war in Europe, terrorist attacks in Germany, worldwide spread of a dangerous disease or epidemic, xenophobia in Germany, religious fundamentalism in Germany, immigration to Germany, rising prices, crime in the personal environment, malfunction in a nuclear power plant, tensions between the West and Russia, conflict in Iraq and Syria, Internet attack on infrastructure in Germany). 2. Security policy attitudes: increase vs. decrease in Germany´s responsibility at the international level; preference for an active vs. passive German international policy; agreement with various instruments of German foreign and security policy (development aid, acceptance of refugees, diplomatic negotiations, economic sanctions, military cooperation, arms deliveries to allied states, combat missions of the Federal Armed Forces, stabilization missions of the Federal Armed Forces, training missions of the Federal Armed...