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In 1983, of the 230,000 soldiers in the NVA, 0.6 percent—about 1,400—were allowed to serve in the construction units. According to one report, however, the number of conscripts electing such service was so high that draft officials claimed the plan was over fulfilled, and in 1983 young East
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lived in barracks and were subject to military discipline, but did not bear arms or participate in combat training. Their grey uniforms resembled those of the regular infantry with the symbol of a spade on their shoulder boards which had pale green edges. Normally, construction units were isolated
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Service in the construction troops did, however, have certain consequences. In the 1970s, East German leaders acknowledged that former construction soldiers were at a disadvantage when they rejoined the civilian sphere. They were not allowed to enter certain professions or to pursue a university
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and military equipment, as well as some tasks in the industrial and social-service sectors, were subject to military law and disciplinary regulations, were commanded by NVA officers and non-commissioned officers (NCOs), and received engineer training and political education.
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were obliged to make a promise of loyalty in which they stated that they would "fight against all enemies and obey their superiors unconditionally", though this was replaced by an oath to "increase defence readiness" in the 1980s.
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This invasion appalled people all over the world, but especially East
Germans, many of whom felt guilty for letting their government support it. Following the Prague Spring, many young East German men refused to serve even in
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asserted that construction soldiers no longer suffered such discrimination; like others who had completed their military service, they were given preference in the university admission process.
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Between 1984 and 1985, 71,000 East
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to provide an alternative for conscripts who could not bear arms because of a personal objection to military service. The
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and the motorised rifles regiment of the
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By the late 1980s, the vast majority of conscientious objectors was composed of people who wished to emigrate.
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On 16 September 1964 the GDR government announced the formation of non-combat construction units, or
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Kriegsdienstverweigerung in der DDR - ein
Friedensdienst? Genesis, Befragung, Analyse, Dokumentation
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Translation of "The
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unwilling to bear arms had to join the regular troops. In
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states, with the tacit support but not direct involvement of East
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They performed military construction and rear-guard services, repaired
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or worse, 231 draftees refused to serve. Most were members of the
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from soldiers in regular units to prevent the spread of
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