Germany is building a big scary army
Its allies are ready. But are the Germans?
THIS TIME they were invited. On May 22nd locals cheered as German tanks rolled through the streets of Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital once occupied by the Nazis. City buses flashed tributes to the fraternal bonds linking the nato allies. Even so, when the Bundeswehr’s brass band struck up a rendition of “Prussia’s Glory”, some of the German dignitaries assembled for the inauguration of their army’s 45th Panzer brigade felt a twinge of unease. It wasn’t until they saw the beaming faces of their Lithuanian counterparts that they were able to enjoy the show.
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This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “They’re back”
From the June 7th 2025 edition
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