The people's voice., 1951-06-22
AFormer German Junker Recalls How Compulsory Military
Service Destroyed Democracy In Germany

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With these and other friends | en-.
joyed the gay and carefree life of the
Officers Casinos. In Berlin in
Frankfort a/Oder, in Koenigsberg
we gambled, went to the races and
danced with the daughters of the ar
istocracy. Throughout my school
days | had been taught to regard mil
itary men, from Julius Caesar to
Frederick the Great, as the most glor-
ious of mortals. My childhood in
doctrination and the brilliant surface
of society whose privileges I en-
joyed blinded me to the cruelty and
injustice that lay at the heart of the
Prussian military system.
Then happened to form a friend
ship with the son of peasant neigh
Dor who served his three years of
military duty as private in cuiras-
sier regiment at Koenigsberg. We
were drawn together by our mutual
interest in hunting. On our trips
through the countryside he began to
tell me of his humiliating experiences
as a conscript. Until then | had look
ed upon the military system as one
might look at a plank lying in the
sun, never bothering to turn it over
to see the rotten side. But Max Leg
len, with fervid, sincere words, turn
ed over the plank for me and | began
to see the yellow roots that were des-
tined to produce such noxious fruit
under the Nazi regime.
1t was a rude shock to me to give
up my romantic notions of the mill
tary system and come face to face
with its reality. But | began to make
inquiry into all phases of
the military life. Through my broth
er | had frequent access to the drill
grounds of the Pioneer Battalion at
and often visited my
friend Legien in the cuirassier bar
racks. There | learned the true sig
nificance of Frederick the Greats
dictum that Prussian soldier should
fear his officer more than his enemy.
The tortures performed upon the
helpless conscripts reminded me of
the breaking in of animals. A priv
ate was completely at the mercy of
MS superiors and if he complained of
he brutal treatment he could be sure
If still greater punishment.
Conscript Taught Proper
oubservience For Rest of His Life"
1t was not the frequent instances
If physical brutality, however, which
me most wildly. l came |
o realize that such methods were
imply the gross manifestations of
more subtle cruelty-the deliberate i
Use of of the conscription system to
and extend the domina-
ion of the Junker class over the Ger
nan people. A peasant boy was
to the drill ground, not only |
o learn the manual of arms, but to
ave it thoroughly knocked through
lis head and his bruised muscles that
,e was an inferior creature in the
light of the nations rulers. He was
aught to show the proper subser-
ience, not only while in military
ervice, but throughout the rest of
is life. If he ever forgot that les
on one of the Kaiser's officers could
i've him a bloody refresher course
,ithout being accountable to the civ
courts for his actions.
The inculcation of the spirit of
bedience which was vitally neces-
ary to preserve the master-servant
that existed between the
unkers and the commoners was one
f the PRIMARY PURPOSES of the
training system. Colon
F. N. Maude, in his article on con-
,ription in the Encyclopedia Britain
lea, describes the effects of this
ystem in Germany:
eff the proportion of men es- s
Gaping service rose materially {
above one-half of the total yearly {
contingent of men becoming avail {
able for service, the danger lay i
very near that the socialist vote
might soon exceed all other inter-
ests put together. To meet this t
danger it was determined in 1898 {
to increase the annual contingent ]
whilst diminishing the duration of !
colour service, so that approxi- S
r,ateIv txvo-thirds of the men avail | I