A factory on Hussitenstraße in Wedding has become central to Germany’s political debate around remilitarisation and rearmament. It’s owned by Rheinmetall AG, a major German weapons manufacturer and one of Europe’s largest. Over the last month, the former automotive factory, now converted into a factory producing components for large-calibre ammunition, became the focus of many anti-militarisation demonstrations. Protestors, including Greta Thunberg, have been blocking entrances and making their voices heard.
One of the main arguments against the factory, apart from general anti-war sentiment, is that it is right in the middle of a residential neighbourhood. Wedding is one of Berlin’s most densely populated neighbourhoods. Should a large-scale military conflict break out that involves Germany, there is a high chance ammunitions factories would be targeted. For many activists, it has become a stark symbol of Germany’s rapid military expansion following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
IMAGO / Anadolu Agency
The Factory
The site was previously associated with Pierburg, a Rheinmetall subsidiary traditionally focused on automotive components. As Germany’s defence industry has expanded, the factory has been repurposed for military production.
War industry and defence production are not the solution.
Around 350 employees at the Berlin facility are expected to work on the production of large-calibre ammunition components, although Rheinmetall has emphasised that explosives will not be produced or stored at the site. In a statement to Deutsche Welle, Rheinmetall said the change was driven by “economic developments characterised by declining sales in the automotive sector and a simultaneous enormous increase in demand in the military sector”. The company added that the conversion would allow it to continue providing “secure jobs to the workforce at the Berlin plant”.
The Wedding factory is part of a wider European effort to increase weapons production. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, governments across Europe have sought to rebuild weapons stockpiles and expand defence manufacturing. Germany announced a historic shift in policy, with former Chancellor Olaf Scholz describing the invasion as a “Zeitenwende” (turning point) for German security policy. Germany aims to have the largest military in Europe by 2039. In 2022, Berlin created a €100 billion special fund for the Bundeswehr and committed to increasing defence spending after decades of military underinvestment. Rheinmetall has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of this transformation. The company’s value has risen dramatically since the invasion, matching an industry-wide trend.
‘Wedding Without Weapons’
The protests against the factory have been organised by groups like the Berlin Alliance Against Weapons Production, a coalition of anti-war organisations opposed to what they describe as the militarisation of German industry. Activists have attempted to engage with factory workers and argue that employees should not be forced to choose between secure jobs and weapons production. “We stand on your side,” read flyers distributed by campaigners outside the factory. The activists claimed in the flyer that “war industry and defence production are not the solution” and invited workers to discuss alternatives to military manufacturing. The protestors have aimed to start conversations with employees rather than simply protest against them.
Some demonstrations have linked Rheinmetall’s production to Germany’s military support for Israel, while activists have accused the company of benefiting from wars abroad. Climate activist Greta Thunberg joining a protest outside a Rheinmetall facility drew further attention to the campaign.
To open weapons factories in the middle of densely populated residential areas sets a potentially dangerous precedent for all Berliners.
In June 2026, protestors set up a camp in Humboldthain, just a few minutes away from the factory. They erected a large tent, which hosted daily demos and talks with information given on the various conflicts that Rheinmetall has provided arms for. This includes supplying the Israeli Defence Forces in their war on Gaza, of which they stand accused by multiple international bodies of carrying out genocide.
In July 2026, days of action against Rheinmetall were called. On one occasion, about 50 activists took part in blockades with the aim of disrupting supplies entering the factory. The forms of action were diverse. At the main gate of the factory, a group of activists played a concert and sang protest songs in the middle of a road blockade, with those involved sitting down to deny access to the site. There were clashes with police on these occasions.
The debate has created tension among the workers themselves. Germany’s traditional manufacturing sector is under pressure and this factory represents job security for many of its workers. Klaus Murawski, a member of the Berlin branch of the IG Metall trade union, said he understood the concerns of protesters but believed they often overlooked the position of employees. “It’s not a matter of conscience; it’s an existential question for those workers,” he told DW.
Constantin Borchelt, head of IG Metall Berlin, described the issue as a difficult one for the union, which supports both peace and workers’ rights. “For us at IG Metall, it’s not an easy subject,” he said. “Our charter says that we’re for peace, for demilitarisation, but at the same time, it also says we want to defend the free democratic social order. And first and foremost, we represent the employees.” As traditional industries such as automotive manufacturing face economic challenges, defence companies have increasingly presented themselves as sources of stable employment.
The Return of the Military-Industrial Debate
Rheinmetall’s rise has forced Germany to confront uncomfortable questions about its identity. After 1945, military restraint became a central part of the country’s political culture. Germany’s historical responsibility for two world wars led to the country adopting a cautious approach towards military power. That approach has been flipped on its head since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Supporters of increased defence spending argue that Germany can no longer rely on others for security and must rebuild its military capabilities. They point to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as evidence that European countries need stronger defence industries. The Wedding protesters have argued that expanding weapons production risks normalising militarisation and creating economic dependence on conflict, as well as potentially putting the residents of Wedding in danger.
The area around the factory has undergone a change in recent weeks. There is now a constant police presence and a feeling of tension in the air as groups of officers roam the neighbourhood looking for activists who might be there to cause trouble. The factory has been fortified with a new fence and a layer of barbed wire. The protestors have been a mix of anti-war campaigners who are looking at the bigger picture, as well as many locals who don’t want their kids, friends or family to be growing up and hanging out down the road from a weapons factory.
Germany’s rapid drive towards building up its military has many people feeling understandably anxious about why this is deemed necessary. If Germany’s defence is so important, and if a military conflict is possible in the future, whether you are pro-rearmament or against rearmament, to open weapons factories in the middle of densely populated residential areas sets a potentially dangerous precedent for all Berliners.
