Hairnet Decree

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The hairnet decree was a decree of the Federal Ministry of Defense of February 8, 1971, which liberalized the hairstyle regulations in the Bundeswehr . In addition to its actual cause, a broad socio-political discussion in the Federal Republic of Germany ensued.

During the 1960s, long hair styles had become common among young men. In 1967, a hair decree had expressly forbidden soldiers to “wear shoulder-length or otherwise feminine hairstyles”. This requirement met with rejection, especially among those doing basic military service . With the hairnet decree, the then Defense Minister Helmut Schmidt made it possible for soldiers to wear long hair. In detail, the decree stipulated that hair and beard had to be well-groomed and that a hairnet had to be worn on duty if the long hair hindered the soldier in his duties. The Bundeswehr equipped itself with 740,000 hairnets.

The decree can be understood as an expression of general liberalization during the time of the social-liberal coalition under Federal Chancellor Willy Brandt . Beyond its actual meaning, the decree sparked a broad, if not always completely serious, debate. The Bundeswehr was mocked, especially in western countries. The term German Hair Force was used in reporting. A brigadier general of the Bundeswehr said: “A neglect in the suit and in the behavior of the soldier is for everyone the evidence of bad discipline. With it stands and falls the deterrent value and thus the peace contribution of the troops. ”The defense commissioner of the Bundestag called the appearance of long-haired soldiers“ sloppy and filthy ”. The Bayernkurier scoffed that Helmut Schmidt had made “invaluable contributions to the spread of head lice” with his decree.

In May 1972 the hairnet decree was finally repealed. From this point on, the hair had to be cut so that it did not touch the uniform collar, and eyes and ears had to be free. The reason for the cancellation was that there was an increased loss of time in the troops due to colds from wet hair.

Helmut Schmidt received the Order Against Animal Seriousness for the hairnet decree in 1972 .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ See Kai .: Posmik: Bundeswehr 1971. German Hair Force . In: Spiegel Online , February 4, 2011 ( http://einestages.spiegel.de/static/topicalbumbackground/20442/german_hair_force.html , accessed on September 25, 2012).
  2. ↑ Quoted from: Georg Gruber: Longer hair dared. The hairpin decree for the Bundeswehr was issued 35 years ago . In: Deutschlandfunk, February 8, 2006 ( http://www.dradio.de/dlf/sendung/kalenderblatt/465395/ , accessed on January 15, 2016).
  3. ↑ Quoted from: Kai Posmik: Bundeswehr 1971. German Hair Force . Spiegel Online , February 4, 2011 ( http://einestages.spiegel.de/static/topicalbumbackground/20442/german_hair_force.html , accessed on January 15, 2016).
  4. ^ Karl Wilhelm Berkhan [among others] (Ed.): Hart am Wind. Helmut Schmidt's political career. Introduction Marion Countess Dönhoff . Hamburg 1978, p. 73. Quoted from: Harald Steffahn: Helmut Schmidt with self-testimonies and image documents (= rowohlts monographien. Vol. 444). Rowohlt, Reinbek near Hamburg 1990 [4. Edition 2004], ISBN 3-499-50444-8 , p. 95.
  5. ↑ Cf.: Georg Gruber: Daring to have longer hair. The hairpin decree for the Bundeswehr was issued 35 years ago . In: Deutschlandfunk , February 8, 2006 ( http://www.dradio.de/dlf/sendung/kalenderblatt/465395/ , accessed on January 15, 2016). Further reasons are given in: Kai Posmik: Bundeswehr 1971. German Hair Force . Spiegel Online , February 4, 2011 ( http://einestages.spiegel.de/static/topicalbumbackground/20442/german_hair_force.html , accessed on January 15, 2016).
  6. ^ Ulrich Blank, Jupp Darchinger: Helmut Schmidt - Federal Chancellor. 2nd expanded edition. Hamburg 1977 [1. Edition 1974], p. 17. Quoted from: Harald Steffahn: Helmut Schmidt with self-testimonies and image documents (= rowohlts monographien. Vol. 444). Rowohlt, Reinbek near Hamburg 1990 [4. Edition 2004], ISBN 3-499-50444-8 , p. 95.

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