European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)

There we got an army exclusion certificate; we were unworthy for the army.

Convicts and political prisoners were all unworthy for the army.

In 1941/42 we were mustered again,

due to the massive losses at the eastern front.

They needed human material now.

There may have been a decree of the ‘Fuehrer’– so we were called up.

Erwin, a collegue also working in my company,

built climbing irons. He was a toolmaker and able to do things like that.

I organized a rope, and we made this trip.

It was a great experience; many had again and again said:

Erwin, go ahead, do that when the war has ended. I said: What one has, one has.

I wouldn't have had another possibility to make such a mountain trip on the Großglockner mountain.

But I don't want to go on talking of this mountain trip...

But the conscription ...

We had to report, somewhere here in Kreuzberg.

Another man and I were deferred.

We got the order to take the train to Heuberg the next day or the day after.

We just were two overdue ones, spare ones, who went there on that day.

I got to know Otto Linke’s wife then, as well.

Before he had been in the SAP (socialistic labour party), and so we quickly got in contact with each other.