The unification of Germany has transformed the political-military landscape of central Europe. Not the least of the issues raised by the union of the Federal Republic and the German Democratic Republic is the fate of the professional soldier in a united Germany. The present study analyzes the concept of military professionalism in the setting of the two former German states, placing emphasis on the political-ethical foundations of the West German armed forces and the political mechanisms of the integration of the soldier into society. The political problems of German soldiers in the past combined with the role of the East German armed forces as an instrument of the Socialist Unity Party in the GDR pose a major major challenge to the future military of a united Germany.