Dear editors, As an Orthodox Christian, I find myself in the army now, and I feel somewhat uncomfortable with the fact that the current military press publishes very few materials intended for us, believers. I have heard that in other armies, in particular in the German Bundeswehr, there are even special magazines for such servicemen. What are these magazines, what do they write about?

Private V. SMOLNIKOV, Ural Military District

We asked Elena Panyukova, a Bachelor of Theology, to answer this question:

In a number of printed periodicals for military personnel of the Bundeswehr, there are indeed special magazines designed for religious soldiers and officers.

German priests have identified the military as a special group with which it makes sense for them to work hard. This is especially true for young soldiers. Young men called up for military service are cut off from their usual surroundings. For many, this becomes a shock experience. It is in such an extreme situation that people become more receptive.

The German Christian Press for the military is published for two target groups - directly for soldiers and officers and for those who are engaged in their spiritual care.

Among Catholics, the most famous publication for the military is Kompass. Soldat in Welt uhd Kirche ("Compass. A soldier in the world and in the Church"). It is an appendix to the magazine "Weltbildmagazin" - "Weltbild-magatsin" ("Image of the world") and it's more like an informational publication that tells about the life of soldiers, events and events that military personnel participated in together with church clergy (for example, divine services for soldiers, evenings on religious topics, and pilgrimages to holy places).

Compass has a lot of materials for military priests. One of the issues contains a list of the duties of a military confessor. I must say that the materials themselves about the life of soldiers and officers, their concerns and problems can also be considered as a theoretical help in the work of a military priest. Thus, this publication performs a communicative function between all military priests, unites faithful military personnel and their spiritual mentors, and contributes to supporting the prestige of the latter's profession.

Catholics in Germany have another magazine for military priests and psychologists. This is "Auftrag" - " Assignment (Task)". It is published by the society of Catholic soldiers "Gemeinschaft katholischer Soldaten". It publishes theoretical materials for the work of military priests, as well as news from the life of military personnel from different countries of the world.

The Evangelical Church publishes a small magazine for sailors, " Lass fallen Anker-Blaetter der Deutschen Seemannsmission "("Let go of the anchor - A Mission Magazine for German sailors"). In its essence and content, it is very similar to the Catholic "Compass". This is a magazine about the life of sailors, the fate of their families and the activities of the evangelical Church in the German navy.

A rather interesting publication for the military is the evangelical magazine "JS-Junge Soldaten"("Young Soldiers"). It is interesting to note that the editor - in-chief of this magazine is a woman. It is distributed free of charge through military pastors. The main goal of the magazine is to talk about specific problems of military personnel.

However, it seems that this publication is rather entertaining. Indeed, in most cases, texts that have nothing to do with the church or religion are published here, although the publication itself is ecclesiastical. Thus, the church seems to say to its readers: we are not alien to anything human, we understand you, we are waiting for you. So, in No. 7 of 1999, the Junge Zoldaten magazine published an entire article about American fast food and the consequences of eating hamburgers and cheeseburgers. In the same issue - a photo essay about the artist who draws tigers all his life. Here is a photo report about German football players.

Every issue of the Junge Zoldaten publishes job advertisements. Interestingly, the title of this column in the magazine for soldiers is "Professional Prospects". It should make readers feel optimistic about their future.

A special place in the church journalism of Germany is occupied by the press for those who perform an alternative service.

It is very important for young people to find a suitable place of service "in civilian life" for them, so that this time and the acquired experience will help later in their future professional life.

It is precisely for such informational and moral support that church groups have been created, which are engaged in helping those who perform alternative services.

Catholics publish a special magazine "Zivi Zeit" ("Civil Time"). In addition to reporting on possible alternative service locations, this publication provides a lot of legal and other information that can be useful for these young men.

The Evangelical Church of Germany also publishes a similar magazine, Zivil Zeitschrift fuer Frieden und Gewaltfreiheit.

Each issue is dedicated to a separate central theme.

Thus, the magazines published by the churches of Germany provide real assistance to young people undergoing military or alternative service, helping them to get used to a new environment for them, thereby leaving a good impression of army life. These publications serve more of an image function , which is why there are so few materials that are actually theological. They are designed to show the young person that their problems will be understood by the church, so they can come there. And theology will meet him outside the church door.

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