The once-unthinkable step is seen as an attempt to boost public acceptance of the armed forces while making service in the volunteer army more attractive as Europe's top economy dramatically ramps up its defence capabilities.
The defence minister, Boris Pistorius, who leads his boss, Olaf Scholz, the chancellor, by some distance in popularity rankings, told MPs that the day would serve to counteract the presumption that our lives in freedom and peace are a given.
Only the far-left Linke raised objections to the initiative, which foresees measures to address the needs of active soldiers as well as veterans and their families, including improved therapy options to address post-traumatic stress.
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