The reasoning carries more weight in the procedure than any particular wording. The Conscientious Objection Act (Kriegsdienstverweigerungsgesetz) sets out which documents must accompany the application. What the reasoning says is determined by your own conscience. A model text can show you the structure, but it cannot replace the content.
Short answer: Under section 2 of the Conscientious Objection Act (KDVG), the application for conscientious objection must be made in writing or orally on the record at the Federal Office for Personnel Management of the Bundeswehr. A tabular curriculum vitae and a detailed personal account of your motives must be enclosed. The Federal Office for Family Affairs and Civil Society decides on the entitlement. Status of this guide: November 2026, statutory text as published on gesetze-im-internet.de.
The key points at a glance
- The application must be made in writing or orally on the record at the Federal Office for Personnel Management of the Bundeswehr.
- It must rely on the fundamental right under Article 4(3) first sentence of the Basic Law (Grundgesetz).
- A tabular curriculum vitae and a detailed account of your motives must be enclosed.
- You can enclose statements from third parties and name persons who can provide information.
- The application does not exempt you from completing the Wehrdienst questionnaire.
What section 2 KDVG requires
The provision governs the application itself, not the procedure that follows. It can be broken down into five components: the deciding authority, the form, the constitutional basis and the mandatory and voluntary enclosures. The table below arranges them.
| Component | What the law says |
|---|---|
| Decision | The Federal Office for Family Affairs and Civil Society decides on application |
| Form | In writing or orally on the record at the Federal Office for Personnel Management of the Bundeswehr |
| Basis | Reliance on the fundamental right under Article 4(3) first sentence of the Basic Law |
| Mandatory enclosures | Tabular curriculum vitae and detailed personal account of your motives |
| Voluntary enclosures | Statements from third parties on character and conduct, naming of persons who can provide information |
The details come from the statutory text on gesetze-im-internet.de. The page gives no date of version, so the status of this guide sits above the text.
The structure of a reasoning as a framework
The following outline shows the building blocks from which a reasoning usually consists. It is a framework and not a text to adopt. Each section needs your own experiences and considerations, otherwise the core of the application is missing.
- Personal opening: who you are and since when you have been dealing with the question.
- Conscientious decision: which conviction leads you to reject service with a weapon and how it developed.
- Link to everyday life: where the conviction shows in your behaviour, for example in study, work or volunteering.
- Delimitation: why your decision concerns service with a weapon and not every kind of service.
- Conclusion: what you hope to achieve with the decision, without demands that do not belong in the application.
This order helps with writing, but it does not replace a legal review. Whether your reasoning holds up in your individual case is for the responsible authority to assess.
Why model wording rarely fits
General sentences that apply to anyone rarely persuade. Anyone who adopts text modules from the internet risks a text that does not match their own life story. That fit is what makes a reasoning comprehensible.
In addition, the curriculum vitae and the reasoning belong together. Contradictions between the two can stand out, so review both parts together before you submit.
The curriculum vitae as a mandatory enclosure
A tabular curriculum vitae is required. It presents your stations in a concise, clear form, for example school, training, study and employment. The table format distinguishes it from the longer prose that the reasoning provides.
Statements and persons who can provide information
Statements from third parties on your character and conduct may be enclosed with the application. You can also name persons who would be able to provide information. Choose people who know you from their own experience, and speak with them beforehand about their role.
What the application does not achieve
The application does not exempt you from completing the Wehrdienst questionnaire. The Bundeswehr states this explicitly, including for people who file an application. The deadline for the questionnaire therefore continues to run regardless of the procedure.
A reasoning also does not replace the medical examination (Musterung), should you be invited to one. Our guide on the procedure after the examination (in German) describes what follows.
Why the form matters
The law allows two routes: the written application and oral submission on the record at the Federal Office for Personnel Management. Oral submission is the alternative for people who do not want to write the reasoning themselves. Anyone choosing this route should first clarify how the recording works and which documents to bring.
The reasoning in the later procedure
The reasoning is not the only step. After the application, further procedures follow, which our separate guides describe. Anyone writing the reasoning should remember that it may later serve as the basis for further examination. A careful version that you can still stand behind months later is therefore worthwhile.
Concrete rather than long for its own sake
The law asks for a detailed personal account. Detailed, however, does not mean long at any cost, but concrete and comprehensible. Describe situations in which your conviction showed, and explain why you weight it as you do. A stranger without prior knowledge should be able to follow your path afterwards.
Avoiding typical weaknesses
Three problems frequently appear in reasonings. First, the personal link is missing, and the text stays with general principles. Second, terms are used without explanation, such as abbreviations or events that only the author knows. Third, dates in the curriculum vitae contradict statements in the reasoning. A proofreading by a trusted person helps to catch all three.
Frequently asked questions
May I adopt a template from the internet?
You can follow the structure, but a foreign text does not describe your conscientious decision. A borrowed formulation rarely fits your life story, and that fit is what carries the reasoning.
Does the application have to be handwritten?
The law allows written form or oral submission on the record at the Federal Office for Personnel Management. Ask the responsible office which form suits your case before you submit.
Who decides on the application?
The Federal Office for Family Affairs and Civil Society decides on the entitlement to refuse service with a weapon. The application is submitted to the Federal Office for Personnel Management of the Bundeswehr.
Can I add to the reasoning later?
The law regulates the mandatory enclosures. Whether and how a later addition is possible should be clarified with the responsible office before you submit, so that you do not miss a deadline.
What to do now
- Write down your conscientious decision in bullet points before you start formulating.
- Prepare the tabular curriculum vitae that matches your reasoning.
- Check whether statements from third parties make sense, and speak to those people beforehand.
- Read the guide on the procedure before you send the application.
- Seek a legal review if needed, because this guide does not replace legal advice.
Related guides
- Military Service and Studies 2026: The Overview for Men and Women
- Applying for conscientious objection: step by step
- Conscientious objection after the medical examination
- Conscientious decision in military service: what students should know
- Conscientious objection rejected: objection and next steps
Sources: Conscientious Objection Act, section 2 (gesetze-im-internet.de, German text, no version date); Neuer Wehrdienst: questionnaire, bundeswehr.de (page status: 19 December 2025).
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
