Germany’s highest court issued a ruling on August 18 allowing the military to be used against threat within the country. This ruling breaks a 67-year-old taboo against using the Bundeswehr within Germany’s borders.

Just before and during World War ii, Adolf Hitler used the SS paramilitary units against the German population to keep his hold on power. In an attempt to stop a repeat of such power abuse, the post-war German government restricted the role of the military to warding off foreign assaults. Troops were explicitly forbidden to be deployed within the country.

The rising threat of terrorist is what prompted the Federal Constitutional Court to reverse this ruling. Bundeswehr troops can now be deployed inside of Germany to counter “states of emergency of catastrophic proportions.” The military is still prohibited from being used “in reaction to the threat posed by demonstrating crowds.”

While the breaking of this taboo does not exactly give the German government dictatorial powers as some are claiming, it does show that the German government officials are becoming more comfortable with the use of military power.

As the eurocrisis intensifies and domestic unrest increases across Europe, expect Germany to rise up as the dominant economic and military power in Europe.