Action Group Zeitenwende

Helping Germany Develop Both Its Willingness and Capacity to Act Effectively

Germany’s readiness to adapt to a new and more hostile world – expressed in Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s speech announcing the so-called Zeitenwende on February 27, 2022 – opened a window of opportunity for the kind of holistic and lasting transformation that will benefit both the country and its partners. The speech also marked a frank recognition that Germany’s lack of political will has been an obstacle to reform for decades and, too often, an excuse for inaction.

This ambitious project, which concluded in the summer of 2024, brought together leading figures and rising stars of German and international politics and policy to support a generational and perspectival shift in thinking and action. It provided this group of change-makers with a network and access to the analytical and practical tools necessary to better imagine, articulate, and implement the transformation that Germany so urgently needs.

While defense is the aspect of the Zeitenwende with the highest profile, the need for reform is far greater. It extends across the spectrum of Germany’s economy, trade, technology, energy, climate, society, and foreign policy. Thus, this DGAP project provided a forum for integrated policy thinking to drive effective action on capacities, institutions, partnerships, attitudes, and posture.

The Zeitenwende also needs to be internationalized if it is to be successful. Although Germany cannot act effectively on its own, it can no longer submerge its interests in European or international institutions or hide behind its partners. Therefore, this project took full account of Germany’s international alliances and partnerships and drew in perspectives from across Europe and around the world.

The Action Group Zeitenwende – as the earlier project “Ideenwerkstatt Deutsche Außenpolitik” – cultivated the comprehensive yet coherent approach that Germany needs to better define, express, and pursue its own interests as well as the goals and values it shares with its partners. It helped build a Germany that is ready, willing, and able to act.

The project "Action Group Zeitenwende" was funded by Stiftung Mercator.

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Members of the Action Group Zeitenwende

This list includes all individuals who were involved over the course of the project. Please note that some participants did not take part for the full duration, and not all members necessarily share or endorse all the conclusions.

Co-Chairs

1. Nanni, Sara - MdB B90/die Grünen, Defence Spokesperson for Green Parliamentary Group
2. Wolff, Guntram - Senior Fellow, Bruegel & former Director, DGAP
3. Tallis, Benjamin - Former Project Manager, AGZ and Senior Research Fellow, DGAP

Participants

1. Abraham, Knut - MdB CDU, Chair of Bundestag Human Rights and Humanitarian Assistance Committee
2. Alberque, William - Non-Resident Fellow, The Stimson Center, Converging Technologies and Global Security Program, former Director Security, Strategy & Technology, IISS Berlin
3. Arlt, Johannes - MdB SPD, Bundestag Economics and Defence Committees
4. Bolten-Drutschmann, Annika - Deputy Head of Policy Planning, Federal Foreign Office, Berlin
5. Bentele, Hildegard - MEP, CDU-EPP, Rapporteur EU Strategy Critical Raw Materials
6. Barkin, Noah - Senior Advisor, Chinese Practice, Rhodium Group, Berlin
7. Campbell, Loyle - Research Fellow, Centre for Climate and Foreign Policy, DGAP Berlin
8. Dahns, Friederike - Head of Sub-Division, "Steuerung OZG und Digitalisierungsvorhaben", Federal Ministry of Interior and Community; Chair NATO Civil Protection Group, Berlin
9. Davies, Franziska - Researcher, Institute for East & Southeast European History, Ludwig-Maximilian University, Munich
10. Erndl, Thomas - MdB CDU/CSU, Deputy Chair of Bundestag Foreign Affairs Committee
11. Faber, Marcus - MdB FDP, Chair of Bundestag Defence Committee
12. Freist-Held, Jonas - Chief of Staff to SPD Party Leader Lars Klingbeil, MdB
13. Ganter, Julia - Programme Director, International Affairs, Körber Stiftung
14. Gasch Burnett, Aaron - Security Policy Fellow, European Resilience Initiative Center, Berlin
15. Glogowski-Merten, Anikó - MdB FDP, Bundestag Foreign Affairs and Climate & Energy Committees
16. Gressel, Gustav - Senior Policy Fellow, Defence & Wider Europe Programme, ECFR Berlin
17. Hagebölling, David - Associate Fellow, Centre for Geopolitics, Geoeconomics & Technology, DGAP, Berlin
18. Huotari, Mikko - Executive Director, MERICS, Berlin
19. Hofreiter, Anton - MdB B90/die Grünen, Chair of Bundestag European Affairs Committee
20. Kiesewetter, Roderich - MdB CDU, Crisis Prevention Spokesperson for CDU Parliamentary Group, Bundestag Intelligence Oversight and Foreign Affairs Committees
21. Kleinhans, Jan-Peter - Project Director "Technology and Geopolitics", Stiftung Neue Verantwortung, Berlin
22. Lange, Nico - Senior Fellow, Zeitenwende Initiative, Munich Security Conference, Berlin [tbc]
23. Matlé, Aylin - Research Fellow, Center for Security and Defense, DGAP, Berlin
24. Minier, Jiro - Lead, Threat Intelligence Research & Analysis, Deutsche Cyber Sicherheitsorganisation, Berlin
25. Olsen, Kim - Sanctions Advisor to Federal Foreign Office, GIZ Stabilization Platform, and Associate Fellow, DGAP Berlin
26. Parkes, Roderick - Researcher, NATO Defence College, Rome. Former Deputy Director, DGAP
27. Ringhof, Julian - Policy Fellow, ECFR, Berlin
28. Roepert, Jan Willem - Lieutenant Colonel, Federal Ministry of Defence (BMVg), Berlin
29. Rühlig, Tim - Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Geopolitics, Geoeconomics & Technology, DGAP, Berlin
30. Rüland, Anchalee - Policy Advisor for International Affairs to Norbert Röttgen MdB, CDU, Berlin
31. Rusyn, Stepan - Coordinator, German-Ukrainian Partnership Program, Transatlantic Dialogue Center, Berlin
32. Schäfer, Sebastian - MdB, B90/die Grünen, Deputy Chair of Bundestag Bundeswehr Special Fund Committee
33. Schäfer, Jamila - MdB B90/die Grünen, Bundestag Foreign Affairs & Budget Committees
34. Schimmel, Florence - Research Fellow, Center for Security and Defence, DGAP, Berlin
35. Speck, Ulrich - Geopolitical Columnist, Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ), Heidelberg
36. Stamm, Leonie - Research Fellow, AOZ Center for the Future of Europe, DGAP, Berlin
37. Vaut, Simon - Director, Economic Stability and Energy Security, Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, Berlin
38. Von Cramon, Viola - MEP B90/Die Grünen, Greens/EFA, Brussels
39. Winter, Wiebke - Member of the Board, CDU Bremen and Founder, Klima Union (CDU)
40. Woll, Cornelia - President, Hertie School, Berlin

International Sounding Board

1. Ålander, Minna - Research Fellow, FIIA, Helsinki
2. Berti Alberti, Bendetta - Head of Policy Planning, NATO, Brussels
3. Eichhorn, Jan - Associate Professor of Sociology, University of Edinburgh and Director, d|part, Berlin
4. Fägersten, Björn - Senior Research Fellow, Swedish Institute of International Affairs
5. Galeotti, Mark - Director, Mayak Consulting, Honorary Fellow RUSI, Honorary Professor UCL, London
6. Garcia-Herrero, Alicia - Senior Fellow, Bruegel, Brussels
7. Gotkowska, Justyna - Deputy Director, OSW, Warsaw
8. Hodges, Ben - Lieutenant General (ret.), Former Commanding General, United States Army Europe, Frankfurt
9. Klimkin, Pavlo - Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Kyiv
10. Melvin, Neil - Director International Security Studies, RUSI, London
11. Michta, Andrew - Director, Scowcroft Strategy Initiative and Senior Fellow, Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, Atlantic Council, Washington D.C.
12. Moll, Ben - Professor of Economics, London School of Economics, London
13. Quencez, Martin - Managing Director, Geostrategy & Risk, and Director, Paris Office, GMF, Paris
14. Raik, Kristi - Director, Estonian Foreign Policy Institute and Deputy Director, ICDS, Tallinn
15. Ritschl, Albrecht - Professor of Economic History, London School of Economics, London
16. Šedivy, Jiři - Chief Executive, European Defence Agency, Brussels
17. Spöri, Tobias - Research Fellow, d|part, Vienna
18. Stringer, Edward - Air Marshal (ret.), Former Deputy Chief of the UK Defence Staff, London
19. Van de Perre, Liesbet - Professor, Faculty of Engineering Technology, KU Leuven
20. Vedral, Bobby - Partner, Toscafund Asset Management LLP, London
21. Von Hippel, Karin - Director General, RUSI, London
22. Wieslander, Anna - Director for Northern Europe, Atlantic Council, Lund

Business Sounding Board

1. Bösenberg, Frank - Managing Director, Silicon Saxony
2. Hoffmann, Christian - Head of Geopolitics & International Relations, Siemens AG, Berlin
3. Jacob, Britta - Senior Manager, Global Governmental Affairs, Bayer, Berlin
4. Leibing, Martin - Associate Director Germany, Corporate Affairs, Merck, Berlin
5. Marx, Stefan - Head of Public Affairs & Regulatory Strategy, DWS Group
6. Rietig, Lukas Andreas - Assistant Vice President, Deutsche Bank AG, Berlin
7. Schnaubelt, Jean-Pierre - Senior Expert Public Affairs, Group Regulatory and Public Affairs, Allianz
8. Vogelbach, Melanie - Head of International Economic Policy & Law, DIHK, Berlin [tbc]
9. Wachter, Matthias - Managing Director, NewSpace Initiative; Head of International Cooperation, Security Policy, Raw Materials, BDI Berlin

Project Team

1. Tallis, Benjamin - Project Manager, AGZ and Senior Research Fellow, DGAP
2. Stöckle, Julian - Project Assistant, DGAP
3. Hartmann, Jannik - Project Assistant, DGAP
4. Parkes, Roderick - Researcher, Former Deputy Director, DGAP

Funding Foundation – Stiftung Mercator

1. Hecht, Jennifer - Project Manager, Europe in the World Programme, Stiftung Mercator
2. Kirchner, Magdalena - Director, Europe in the World Programme, Stiftung Mercator
3. Wieland Karimi, Almut - Board Member, Stiftung Mercator
4. Grotewold, Lars - Interim Director, Europe in the World Programme, Stiftung Mercator