Trenckmann, Stephan Gefreiter Trenckmann meldet sich zum Dienst!

Militärsoziologische und historische Inspektionsreise durch vier Soldatenbiografien und 100 Jahre Wehrpflicht

His grandfather, Johannes Trenckmann, fought as a guard rifleman on the Western Front during World War I, was wounded in the Battle of the Somme, and later took part in the German Michael Offensive. His father, Heinz Trenckmann, served in the Wehrmacht from 1941 onwards. He was a machine gunner in Africa, fought as an infantryman on the Eastern Front, and finally found himself in the final battle for East Prussia, where he was taken prisoner by the Soviets. His son, Stephan Trenckmann, did his military service in the Bundeswehr at the height of the Cold War and was trained as a tank destroyer on a self-propelled gun. The grandson, Sebastian Trenckmann, was one of the last conscripts ever before compulsory military service was suspended in October 2010. In his book, the author highlights the differences and similarities in the experiences of these four men, who served at very different times in very different armed forces. He evaluates numerous primary sources such as preserved field post and diary entries. In the theoretical part, he also deals with the essential aspects that characterize the military and the military service of enlisted soldiers to this day. Special attention is paid to the motivational factors: Why did all generations do their duty?