How to put millions of people in bunkers

The German nation, with a current population of around 84 million people, currently has about 5,780 bunkers. Makes sense: these vestiges of war of the past were mostly built During World War II And, to a lesser extent, during the Cold War. These spaces, most underground, had a very simple function: host and protect thousands of people from the case.

Germany believes that the time has come to prepare them again.

Prepared for war. It The Guardian told The weekend. After decades of generalized belief that a direct military conflict on European soil was unthinkable, Germany has initiated a deep transformation in its civil protection policy against the growing fear of a possible Russian attack in the next four years.

Ralph Timesler, director of the Federal Office of Civil Protection and assistance to catastrophes (BBK), has warned that the country It is not prepared for a large -scale war of aggression and has called an urgent national mobilization for adapt infrastructure existing (from tunnels, subway stations to basements and parking lots) as shelters capable of protecting a million people. The message is clear: Germany needs to move from pacifist rhetoric to the Preventive action If you want to face the strategic challenges posed by an increasingly unpredictable Russia.

The outdated bunker. Of course, there is a problem: these shelters need a wide reform. The current civil protection panorama in Germany leaves no doubts: of the 2,000 bunkers inherited from the cold war, just 580 They are operational and could only house 0.5% of the population. In contrast, Finland It has 50,000 spaces protection that cover 85% of its citizens.

Plus: BBK’s proposal is not limited to building new shelters (an expensive and slow task), but prioritizes the immediate adaptation of existing urban structures. In parallel, it is planned to modernize alert systems, improve the cybersecurity of emergency applications and develop clear signals indicating Where to protect yourself In case of attack. The initiative arises in a context in which mass bombings on Ukrainian cities Like Járkovwhere Russia launched one attacks of the most intense since the beginning of the invasion, reaffirm the need to prepare for war scenarios in Europe.

Strategy and other urgencies. CNN counted That the financing of the ambitious plan is not yet guaranteed, although it is expected to come from Temporary survey of the debt brake approved by Parliament in March, which allows exceptional expenses in defense, infrastructure and security. So much, the funds They must be distributed Also between intelligence services, military modernization, cyber -defense and improvement of key infrastructure such as bridges and roads suitable for the transit of military vehicles.

Tiesler estimates that at least they will be needed 10,000 million euros Until 2028 to meet the basic civil protection needs and 30,000 million in the next ten years. In this budget distribution, civil protection competes with equally vital strategic sectors, which makes the debate a first -order political issue for the nation.

Citizen Resilience. Beyond the structural works, Tunta has directly appealed to the Individual responsibility of the population. The man proposes the establishment of a civil protection service, mandatory or voluntaryand recommend that each home store sufficient supplies for at least ten days without water or electricity, in the same line as That ad that launched Europe to the entire continent.

Politics, if you also want “preventive resilience”, adopted in Other European countries as We have been countingseeks to prepare German society not only for natural catastrophes or cyber attacks, but for that scenario once distant, now less unlikely, of an armed conflict in continental territory. Thus, Germany seems to start shaking the lethargy of his postwar period and redefine his priorities before a geopolitical environment that no longer allows indifference.

If France seems be “reorganizing” To Renault, Germany seeks to do the same with its bunkers.

Image | Miguel Alcântara

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