With Russia’s war against Ukraine and the changing role of the United States, Germany finds itself facing a new geopolitical security landscape that is leading to a realignment of political priorities and, in particular, a significant increase in defense spending. This comes at a time when parts of the manufacturing sector are facing massive downsizing. Against this backdrop, the question arises as to how the expansion of arms production is being addressed amid the tension between political and economic considerations.
The lecture argues that the dynamics unfolding against this backdrop cannot simply be viewed as (purely) economic-geographical processes, but rather that the expansion of the arms industry is shaped by a multitude of dynamics that require political-geographical analytical perspectives to be understood. This is illustrated by three key empirical examples: First, the shift in public discourse surrounding the defense industry in Germany since 2022, away from a “tarnished image” toward an industry viewed as essential; second, by examining the role of lobbying and the political-economic dynamics of site selection in the defense industry, using Baden-Württemberg and Saxony as examples; and third, by analyzing the impact of the shift to defense production on workers’ sense of identity, using the takeover of the railcar manufacturer Alstom in Görlitz by the tank manufacturer KNDS as an example.