"The Wehrlager was the high point and culmination of our 'pre-military training', and, ideally, it was supposed to be followed by three years’ military service. The camp took place in the last year of high school. It was all supervised by officer cadets of the National People's Army. The camp for our school year was held in the summer holidays of 1989 in barracks at Storkow, near Berlin. It lasted two weeks and participation was obligatory. We were trained in overcoming barriers on an obstacle course, marching in place and on rough terrain with or without enemy action, cross-country running and shooting with a small-calibre rifle. We also had classes in politics and defence. The rules were strict: anyone caught getting up too late received a reprimand before roll call; anyone caught returning late, on the one or two occasions when we were allowed to leave camp, ran the risk of being thrown out of school a year before completing their exams. 'Comrade' was the standard form of address. The most prominent participant in our course was Carsten Krenz, the son of Egon Krenz, who briefly succeeded Erich Honecker in the office of SED Secretary General and Chairman of the State Council.
In August 1989, the military came to our school to recruit us for three-year service. We were called in individually to interviews with an officer. In the presence of the school principal and our class teachers, we were urged to sign the papers. Most of my classmates were unable to withstand the pressure and signed up. It was only at the last minute that I thought of an excuse, saying my mother had forbidden me to join the army for three years. The events in late autumn relieved us of any such obligation."
Christer Markgraf (Ost-Berlin)
