Germany Launches US-Style Military Recruiting Center in Berlin

BERLIN — Located between a Vietnamese restaurant and a shoe store and just around the corner from a lingerie shop, a mannequin dressed in camouflage stands in the German military’s first showroom.

The plastic guard wears a fashionable scarf and sunglasses beneath its combat helmet. After decades of relying on a conscription system that was axed in 2011, the country’s armed forces has to find at least 20,000 recruits each year. As part of the drive to present itself as a modern and exciting employer, Germany is now following in the footsteps of the U.S. Army’s recruiting stations in malls and on Main Streets.

Carlo Angerer / NBC News

“We’re trying to get more people to the German forces,” said Captain Juergen Klau, who runs the showroom. “In the past we had many problems because many of the military bases are not in the big cities.”

The recruiting center does not offer much more than a couple of video screens, fancy blue furniture and a couple of leaflet stands. It has the “coolness of a waiting room,” Germany’s Sueddeutsche newspaper noted.

It is located near a busy train station and is staffed by soldiers in uniform, an unusual sight in Germany’s big cities. According to Klau, several dozen people visited daily during its opening week.

Many Germans are still wary of the military due to its troubled history under the Nazi regime. Recent unpopular combat missions in Afghanistan after decades of staying out of conflict also haven’t helped.

“We had no good image in the past,” Klau said. “Our problem is the history of Germany with the forces and therefore we try to get a better image.”

Andy Eckardt / NBC News

When the recruiting center opened, a throng of protesters greeted German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen with posters declaring: “No advertising for dying.”

Interrupted by their shouts, von der Leyen took to the offensive and declared sternly that she “would be delighted if the protesters not only screamed but came here for a discussion.”

She added: “We came to the center of the city on purpose. It is important that the Bundeswehr [German army] can show all of its advantages but also face the criticism it receives.”

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Alessandra Ambrosio and Adriana Lima Hypnotize with $2 Million Fantasy Bra at …

Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show 2014 was a star-studded and jewel-encrusted event. Alessandra Ambrosio and Adriana Lima modeled $2 million Dream Angels Fantasy Bras. The event was staged in London this year.

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Lily Aldridge, Candice Swanepoel, Behati Prinsloo, Alessandra Ambrosio, Adriana Lima, Doutzen Kroes, Karlie Kloss and other models performed ballet after being trained by dance coach Mary Helen Bowers, who trained Natalie Portman for her Oscar-winning role in “Black Swan.”

Taylor Swift popped and country rocked the Victoria’s secret show.

Brazilian models Alessandra Ambrosio and Adriana Lima modeled a $2 million Dream Angels Fantasy bras designed by Lebanese jewelers Mouawad. The combos are more than bras, they are lingerie sets that feature handcrafted arm bands, shoulder coverings and a glittering, makeshift garter belt.

The bra was adorned with 16,000 perfect gems including rubies, diamonds and sapphires weaved together with 18 karat gold. According to the Daily Mail, it took more than 1,380 hours to finish.

But two million is a pittance for the jewelers. Mouawad made history with a $12.5 million Victoria’s Secret bra that the Guinness Book of World Records entered as the world’s most expensive bra in 2001.

“The diet has been very healthy,” Alessandra Ambrosio told E! News backstage at the 2014 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. “We’ve been having chicken breast, vegetables and salad-not much sweets.”

The Brazilian supermodel decided to resist munching on any desserts until after the show, choosing to hit the gym instead. “We’ve been working out a lot,” she said. “I woke up this morning, went to the gym and there were already ten girls in there.”

“Even these Angels need passports to fly!” said Karlie Kloss on Instagram before she left for London. 

 

 

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