[Info] Civil Clause (Zivilklausel)
Civil Clause – The University Between Peace and Military Research
If you walk across the campus right now or follow the social media channels of student groups, you will often see the term “Civil Clause” (Zivilklausel). But what exactly does it mean? And how does it affect our everyday life and work at the University of Paderborn? Below, we explain the most important points, look at the current situation on our campus, and provide links to more information.
What exactly is a Civil Clause?
A Civil Clause is an official and binding promise made by an academic institution (like a university). By making this promise, the university agrees that its research, teaching, and studies will only be used for peaceful and civilian purposes. In short, a university with a Civil Clause does not do any military or weapons research. It also means the university does not cooperate or sign funding contracts with the military or defense companies. [1] [2]
Where does the idea come from?
The idea of the Civil Clause is closely connected to the anti-fascist history after World War II and the core belief: “Never again war, never again fascism.” The very first Civil Clause was created after 1945 at the TU Charlottenburg (now TU Berlin) because the Allied forces ordered it. This happened because the university’s “Military Technology Department” had been deeply involved in the war machinery of the Nazi regime.
From the 1970s until the 2010s, student movements and trade unions pushed this idea forward. In 2009, only 12 universities had a Civil Clause. Today, that number has grown to more than 70 German universities. [1] [3]
Why do we talk so much about the Civil Clause?
Even though everyone wants peace, Civil Clauses are highly debated in politics and law. The discussion involves a conflict between two important principles:
Social Responsibility & Keeping Peace
Supporters of the Civil Clause—including trade unions, student movements, and left-wing or liberal political parties—argue that science has a responsibility to society. They believe universities should be open spaces for education and learning. Instead of being used for global power politics and the conflicts that follow, universities should study the causes of war and find peaceful ways to solve conflicts. [4]
Freedom of Science & the Changing Times (Zeitenwende)
Critics—including many scientific associations and conservative or right-wing political parties—see the Civil Clause as an unfair restriction on the freedom of science (which is protected by Article 5, Paragraph 3 of the German Constitution). Their main argument is that a Civil Clause stops scientists from choosing what they want to research. They also argue that national defense helps to keep the peace.
The “Dual-Use” Problem
With most modern scientific discoveries and technologies, it is impossible to guarantee they won’t be used for military purposes, even if that wasn’t the original plan. For example, an advanced navigation system or a robotic arm can save lives in everyday life, but they can also be used by the military. Critics worry that Civil Clauses put whole areas of research under general suspicion and make German technology less competitive globally. [4]
Current Developments
Because of the political debate around the “Zeitenwende” (the turning point in security policy), the pressure on Civil Clauses has increased heavily. Several German states are trying to make military research at universities easier again or to ban Civil Clauses by law.
The courts have recently made some groundbreaking decisions on this: In March 2026, the Bavarian Constitutional Court ruled that states are allowed to ban universities from having Civil Clauses. The court explained that banning Civil Clauses protects the individual research freedom of scientists, who might otherwise be blocked by their university’s rules. At the same time, the court made it clear that the government cannot force universities to cooperate with the German military (Bundeswehr). [5] [6]
The Situation at the University of Paderborn
At our own University of Paderborn, a major shift regarding the Civil Clause is currently taking place. This was triggered by new debates on security policy, recommendations from the German Science and Humanities Council, and planned changes to the Higher Education Act in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), which emphasize Germany’s defense capabilities and legitimate military research.
Because of this, the university Senate will vote on a major change to the Civil Clause in the university’s constitution on Wednesday, July 8, 2026. The strict, binding promise will be removed and replaced with a more open statement:
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Current Version:
“Research, teaching, study, and knowledge transfer at the University of Paderborn are exclusively committed to civilian and peaceful purposes.” [7]
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New Version:
“The University of Paderborn contributes to a peaceful and democratic society.”
With this change, the university is stepping away from its total ban on non-civilian research. It is adapting its official rules to the changing legal and global political situation.
Outlook
If the Senate rejects the proposed change on July 8, 2026, and keeps the current Civil Clause, the University of Paderborn would officially remain committed to purely civilian research. However, this could lead to legal and financial conflicts in the future. On one hand, the clause contradicts the goals of the new NRW university law, which focuses on strengthening defense capabilities [8]. On the other hand, the university risks being excluded from future, government-funded “dual-use” research projects that have both civilian and military relevance.
However, if the new version is accepted during the second vote as currently planned, the clause will lose its legally binding power to ban military and defense research. This will open the door for the university to cooperate with the German military or defense companies. It will also secure access to new funding resources created by the “Zeitenwende.” Still, the topic is highly likely to remain controversial and cause political debates among students and university staff.
Current Publications & Recommended Reading
On the Situation at UPB (University of Paderborn)
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SDS demands keeping the Civil Clause (SDS is a socialist student group)
On the State-Wide Context (North Rhine-Westphalia)
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Report on the Higher Education Strengthening Act (The new university law)
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Statement by ver.di on the Higher Education Strengthening Act (ver.di is a major German trade union)
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Draft & Agenda of the Science Committee on the Higher Education Strengthening Act
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Discussion in the Science Committee on the Higher Education Strengthening Act
More Information
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Should universities work for the military? – Article/Video by ZDFheute (ZDFheute is a major German public news outlet)
