In Berlin, whispers about how Chancellor Olaf Scholz handles sensitive paper flow have resurfaced, centering on a 19th-century pneumatic mail system used to transport classified documents to the chancellery. The setup, once a practical relic of bureaucratic logistics, is now framed as a precautionary measure amid heightened concerns about Russian cyber intrusions and espionage. The apparatus, named GuardIt in some discussions, has emerged as a focal point in conversations about safeguarding confidential material at the highest level of government, where the stakes are measured in national security more than in speed or convenience.
Historically, the administrative machinery in Berlin depended on a surprisingly simple yet effective device that relies on compressed air to shuttle paper documents between different government departments. The system operates through a network of tubes and pistons that deliver physical mail with remarkable reliability, shielding certain communications from electronic interception. It is the kind of solution that sounds almost quaint in the age of instant digital transmission, yet its tangible nature is precisely what some officials view as an advantage when confidentiality is nonnegotiable and the risk of cyber breaches looms large.
Maintaining this legacy technology requires ongoing investment, with annual costs reaching about fifteen thousand euros and the capability to dispatch up to a thousand letters each month. Those numbers reflect not merely the logistics of sending documents but the careful budgeting that Germany dedicates to preserving a method perceived as more resistant to modern surveillance techniques. In conversations within ministries and offices, the pneumatic system is described as a deliberate choice to reduce exposure to online channels that could be exploited by malicious actors, even as digital tools offer speed and convenience in other contexts.
A government spokesperson emphasized that the documents moved through this channel are usually urgent and cannot be efficiently transmitted electronically or by courier without risking confidentiality. In practice, that means certain types of sensitive files, blueprints, or decision-ready memos that demand immediate attention while avoiding potential interception must still find their way through the pneumatic route. The statement underscored a balancing act between operational exigency and the safeguarding of sensitive information, a tension that has grown as digital systems attract more sophisticated threats.
Despite expectations that the old-fashioned mail method would be phased out by 2025, the Scholz administration has argued that the risks associated with electronic and digital document handling justify retaining the pneumatic option for now. The rationale centers on interception risks, data integrity concerns, and the belief that physical transmission in a controlled environment can provide a layer of protection that cannot be guaranteed by current digital security measures alone. The decision is presented as part of a broader risk management strategy aimed at ensuring that critical governance processes remain resilient in the face of evolving espionage techniques.
According to reports from Süddeutsche Zeitung, Scholz personally blocked plans to eliminate the pneumatic system in response to Russia’s ongoing military actions and the perceived increase in espionage activity linked to Moscow. The veto is described as a measured choice to preserve a channel that, in the eyes of the office, offers a tangible safeguard against data compromise in high-stakes communications. The discussion around this issue reflects a wider debate about how governments should adapt traditional workflows to contemporary security challenges without compromising the speed and reliability needed for effective leadership during tense geopolitical moments.
Previously, Scholz had called on Vladimir Putin to withdraw troops from Ukraine, a stance that has contributed to a broader narrative about safeguarding national interests in a contested region. The pneumatic mail topic sits within this larger frame, illustrating how leaders weigh historical methods against modern threats in real time. The overall picture is one of cautious prudence: a careful mix of time-tested practices and selective adoption of new technologies that together aim to uphold governance integrity while navigating a rapidly changing security landscape.