The aim of this article is to present the changes that have taken place in the structure and functioning of the German armed forces in the period after the reunification of the two German states in October 1990. The German armed forces have undergone a number of changes and reforms under the banner of successive defense ministers. The Bundeswehr turned from a defense army into an expeditionary army, actively participating in missions sponsored by the UN, NATO and the EU. These changes were forced by the changing international situation and the increasing role of Germany in post-Cold War Europe and the world. The expansion of NATO and the EU meant that Germany was no longer a border state, but a country surrounded by allies, or neutral countries. This had to change the principles of the functioning of the armed forces, both internally and internationally. The united Germany did not need an army of nearly half a million, it had to face the progressive pacifism of part of society and political circles. On the other hand, the need to defend Germany's interests and support its allies made the German armed forces operate out of the area. The changes that have taken place in the last 25 years are the subject of this article.