Germans eye first postwar bravery honor

[KG_Panzerschreck]

Germany appears set to introduce a military decoration for bravery for the first time since World War II.

President Horst Koehler has "approved in principle" a request from the defense minister to introduce the new honor, presidential spokesman Martin Kothe said Thursday.

Discussion of the new honor comes as the German military's role has expanded in recent years, putting more soldiers in the line of fire in global hot spots.

Germany emerged slowly from its post-World War II military shell after reunification in 1990. Then Chancellor Helmut Kohl broke a taboo against German troops serving abroad by sending military medics to support the U.N. mission in Cambodia in 1992.

Today, Germany has about 6,800 soldiers abroad — including more than 3,000 in Afghanistan and nearly 2,200 in Kosovo.

There was no immediate word on what the new decoration would be called, but the Defense Ministry rejected speculation that it might be named the Iron Cross — a decoration awarded from 1813 until 1945.

During World War II alone, it was awarded some 2.3 million times.

The Bundeswehr now gives four decorations for individual acts in rescue and recovery missions but there is no specific award for bravery.