Germans Reassess Pacifistic Views Following Russian Invasion of Ukraine, Survey Finds

Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has forced the German population to reconsider their pacifist views, according to DW, citing a survey conducted by the Verivox portal.

According to DW, until recently, it was deemed improper and even immoral in Germany to work in weapons manufacturing or to hold shares in such companies. However, there has been a recent increase in investments from small private investors in the German defense sector.

The respondents aged 18 to 79 were asked the following question: "Do you think it is wrong or acceptable, from a moral point of view, if small investors invest their money in enterprises that produce products for military purposes?". The majority of 58% answered that they do not consider such deposits to be bad, and 42% deemed it unacceptable from a moral point of view.

The share of those who justify investment in the production of weapons increased by 11 percentage points in just two years.

In 2022, the results were the opposite, the Verivox portal reminded. In a similar survey conducted at the time, a majority of 53% said they thought investments in the defense industry were bad, while 47% saw nothing wrong with them. 

"As a result of the Russian war in Ukraine, the acceptability of investments in enterprises operating in the field of security and defense has increased significantly in the eyes of the general population. Previously, the population's attitude was much more critical than today," said Oliver Maier, the manager of Verivox division, which compares offers in the financial sphere and acts as an intermediary in the signing of relevant contracts.

The shift in German society's previously strong pacifist stance, influenced by Russian aggression, is evident from survey responses. More than half of those surveyed, 56%, acknowledged that their views changed specifically due to the war in Ukraine.