Berlin Supports 100 Arms Manufacturing Companies

The arms manufacturing sector in Berlin and Brandenburg is expanding, encompassing the production of various military equipment, including drones, bullets, cameras, and security technology. According to a report by rbb, the number of companies supported by Berlin Partner Business Development and producing military equipment in the capital has risen from 50 to 100 in the past four months.

Berlin Partner Business Development, a government-funded service, “supports companies and scientific institutions […] in the region in their expansion plans”. These companies are considered “dual-use,” meaning they produce goods for both civil and military applications.

One prominent exmaple is pierberg, a former car supplier owned by Rheinmetall, which is set to begin producing munitions in the Wedding district of Berlin in September.

“We have 70 companies, where around 10.000 employees are manufacturing small satellites,”

Berlin Partner boss Stefan Franzke told rbb that these satellites can help identify storm damage but can also monitor troop movements.

Since 2017,the german army (bundeswehr) has stationed 50 employees at its “Cyber Innovationhub” in the capital,with the goal of identifying more companies willing to become “dual-use”. The demand for military equipment has increased significantly since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The Potsdam Ministry of Economics confirmed to rbb that dual-use companies are also on the rise in surrounding Brandenburg, but declined to provide specific numbers for security reasons. In Lübben, Diehl Defence resumed munitions production in June after a 35-year hiatus.

Protests Against Arms Manufacturing

The expansion of arms manufacturing has faced opposition from local residents. In Wedding and Lübben, demonstrations have taken place to protest the shift towards dual-use production. In Lübben, a citizens’ initiative against arms manufacturing collected 1,600 signatures. However, some residents welcome the jobs created by the industry.

On May 10, a demonstration in Wedding protested the Pierberg plant, organized by 16 organizations. The demonstration called for an end to “funding the wars of the rich” and for Germany’s 500 billion euro special fund to be redirected to healthcare, education, and social security.