Lesson On Conscrption.

[S.ChrisKelly]

This student was conscripted, and found unfit, three times, between 1942 and 1944.  This is his last conscrption notice/report. 

 

During the Third Reich, unlike the U.S.A., being rejected once didn't necessarily mean one was, say, "off the hook".

[Preppy Picker]

I wonder what made him unfit? He looks pretty good in that picture.

[S.ChrisKelly]

There is a small note attached to the top, degraded and hard to read, but this is what I make of it:

 

"der Inhaber unterliegt der Wehrbeweg und ist verflichtet Ausorderung Wehrmeldbeamter Nachunterubung j folge zu leisten."

 

A rough translation:

"The owner/holder is subject to military mobilization and is obliged to follow the instructions of the military registration officer."

 

The phrase, which is not struck through, is:

"ist völlig untauglich zum Dienst in der Wehrmacht"

Its translation is:

"(He) is completely unfit for service in the Armed Forces"

 

The phrase struck through is:

"Er scheidet aus dem wehrpflicht verhältnis aus"

which means 

"He is excused from military service."

 

The form is called an "Ausmusterungsschein", which translates to, "rejection certificate".

 

Reading the form, no reason is given for his "4 - F" status.

 

Understand that during the Third Reich, rejection from military service for whatever reason, at least generally meant a loss of "privileges", including being banned from school and/or certain types of employment, restricted movement and close police surveillance.

 

Those found unfit for sociopolitical or ethnic/racial reasons subsequently faced arrest and imprisonment.  The general attitude was if one was unfit to do duty for the fatherland, considered an honor, one had no place in the fatherland.

 

This was Josef Baluus Hermann's final rejection, and I do not know what his ultimate fate was.  His birthdate is listed as 19 November 1924.