Volkswagen management visits the Osnabrück plant to announce the start of armaments

The small car factory in Osnabrück is currently getting more attention than it has in a long time. On Monday, the grandees of the Volkswagen Group made a big appearance there: CEO Oliver Blume was there, as was Lower Saxony's Prime Minister Olaf Lies (SPD) and works council leader Daniela Cavallo. Even IG Metall chairwoman Christiane Benner came over. Last week, everyone on the VW supervisory board was on the verge of a huge escalation. Now they appeared side by side again in Osnabrück - after all, the aim was to announce that many jobs had been saved.

In fact, the entry of the former Karmann factory into arms production is a significant step. The conversion is symbolic because there has long been discussion about how Germany can become more capable of defending itself and what role the automotive industry can play in this. Manufacturers and suppliers are preparing for a time of fiercer competition and lower production figures, and tens of thousands of employees will have to look for new jobs. The defense industry can be part of the solution because it needs a lot of qualified personnel.

Despite all the optimism, it should also be clear: the military business will not cover all the jobs lost in the auto industry, and it does not offer the same framework conditions. Long-term planned vehicle projects in the auto industry are hardly comparable to the cycles in the security and defense industry. There are also still reservations about militarization - especially in Osnabrück, where the Peace of Westphalia was concluded in 1648. In view of the danger situation in Europe, pragmatism prevails: starting armaments strengthens security and provides perspectives at a time when the economy needs new impulses.