Demilitarization
In an overarching context, demilitarization or demilitarization is understood to mean the dismantling of the army and the removal of the weapons depot in an area with the aim of preventing a military attack from emanating from there.
Demilitarization of areas
The Treaty of Versailles certain, for example, in 1919 the demilitarization of the Rhineland . However, the Allies occupied the Rhineland until 1929/30. The subsequent demilitarization period was canceled in 1936 by the invasion of the German Wehrmacht ( occupation of the Rhineland ).
Demilitarization of Germany was also provided for in the Morgenthau Plan and the Potsdam Agreement . Because of the Cold War , however, the Federal Republic of Germany and the GDR were rearmamented .
Demilitarization of equipment
Demilitarization here means that military equipment (vehicles, tanks , fighter planes , warships, weapons, etc.) are changed (or partially destroyed) in such a way that the restoration of the military properties is not possible or only possible with great effort. This is mostly done in order to be able to use military equipment for civil purposes, or to create exhibits. Examples of such changes are, in addition to the dismantling of the weapon and control systems, the removal of the armor at the prescribed points on an armored vehicle (normal steel plates can be used in their place) and the destruction of the breeches of cannons, combined with precisely defined cuts on the barrel.
