Conscientious Objection Act
Kriegsdienstverweigerungsgesetz (KDVG)

Act on the Objection to Render Armed Military Service for Reasons of Conscience (Conscientious Objection Act, KDVG) of 9 August 2003

The Conscientious Objection Act (Kriegsdienstverweigerungsgesetz, KDVG) contains procedural rules in cases of persons refusing to render any armed military service for reasons of conscience, invoking Art. 4 Para. 3 sentence 1 of the Basic Law. Pursuant to Art. 12 a Para. 2 of the Basic Law, recognized conscientious objectors have to serve a period of community service outside the Federal Armed Forces in lieu of military service.

The law governing conscientious objection was reformed and greatly simplified in 2003. All applications – by civilians, conscripts, male and female soldiers, reservists – are decided by the Federal Office for Alternative Civilian Service (Bundesamt für den Zivildienst) in Cologne. The decisive factor is the justification given for the moral decision, which provides the basis for the applicant’s conscientious objection.