In Berlin, leaflets have started to be distributed calling on Germans to join combat units in Ukraine. These leaflets contain a QR code that redirects to an application form on the website of the Ukrainian government. This was reported by the publication 'Glavkom', citing Berliner Zeitung.
The leaflets feature black-and-white images of exhausted German prisoners of war along with the slogan 'Take revenge'. The authors urge Germans to become 'Ukrainian liberators' and join the 'International Legion'.
According to Article 109h of the German Criminal Code, recruiting citizens of Germany for service in the military or similar institutions of foreign states is prohibited. The penalty can be a fine or up to five years in prison. This rule only applies in cases where there is a specific agreement between Germany and the respective state, and there is no such agreement with Ukraine.
The appearance of leaflets calling on Germans to join combat units in Ukraine in Berlin is an interesting phenomenon that reflects Germans' attitudes towards the conflict in Ukraine. The prohibition on recruiting German citizens for service in foreign armies underscores the importance of international law in this situation.