The Operational Command of the Bundeswehr (Einsatzführungskommando der Bundeswehr) (EinsFüKdoBw) in Schwielowsee (district Geltow) near Potsdam is a Bundeswehr headquarters responsible for operational missions. It is directly subordinate to the Federal Ministry of Defence, and has been directly subordinate to the Inspector General of the Bundeswehr (armed forces chief) since April 1, 2012. It was established in 2001.[1]
The EinsFüKdoBw basically plans and leads all foreign missions of the German armed forces - whether in a national or multinational context. During planning, the military mission and the forces and resources required for it are coordinated. Management includes uniform responsibility for personnel and material in the respective area of operation.
The EinsFüKdoBw is the operational command of the Bundeswehr and is the only department that issues national instructions to the contingent leaders in the operational areas. These usually receive their orders from multinational headquarters. The operational command ensures that the deployment of German forces is carried out in accordance with the mandate and that the legal norms of the Federal Republic of Germany are not violated. The commander of EinsFüKdoBw is responsible to the Inspector General of the Bundeswehr for the leadership of the operational forces subordinate to him.
The command was established on July 1, 2001. The staff of the disbanded IV Corps under the leadership of Brigadier General Bernd Hogrefe was used to build it up. A few weeks after its formation, it had its first major challenge due to the terrorist attacks of September 11. The command was given the leadership of the German contingents of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). Elements of the Kommando Spezialkräfte were sent to Afghanistan working under command of Task Force K-Bar.
The special forces operations command (Kommando Führung Operationen von Spezialkräften), which was already based on site, was integrated into a new special operations department in April 2012 and assigned to the EinsFüKdoBw commander.
On May 11, 2017, the staff and telecommunications battalion was disbanded. Its tasks and personnel were partly taken over by the newly established headquarters.
The Bundeswehr's Territorial Command has been leading domestic operations since September 2022.
NATO missions and operations:
Missions and operations of the European Union:
Missions and operations of the United Nations:
Former missions
| Name | from | until | Remark | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Lieutenant General Bernd Schütt | 2021-12-16 | – | ||
| 6 | Lieutenant General Erich Pfeffer | 2015-11-04 | 2021-12-16 | ||
| 5 | Lieutenant General Hans-Werner Fritz | 2013-04-23 | 2015-11-04 | ||
| 4 | Rainer Glatz, Leutnant General | 2009-04-22 | 2013-04-23 | ||
| 3 | Karlheinz Viereck, Leutnant General | 2006-03-16 | 2009-04-22 | ||
| 2 | Holger Kammerhoff, Leutnant General | 2004-09-01 | 2006-03-16 | ||
| 1 | Friedrich Riechmann, General | 2001-07-01 | 2004-09-01 |