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Hermann van Pels and military service

Hermann van Pels lived in Germany but was a Dutch citizen. He therefore did not join the German army. He was subject to Dutch conscription rules, but did not join the Dutch army either.

Subject

In May 1918, with World War I still in full swing and the Dutch army mobilised, Van Pels was assigned to the 18th Regiment Infantry stationed in Naarden. He requested and was granted a postponement of his first exercise. He was also granted leave to remain in Germany during that postponement.[1]

His first exercise was due to start on 16 September 1919, but another year's leave was added. On the new attendance date, 1 October 1920, he did not appear. Thereupon, on 29 October 1920, the army command gave him the status of deserter.[2] This did not bother him much, but the issue continued when he wanted to emigrate to the Netherlands during the 1930s. Van Pels was formally given rehabilitated status in 1937, but he was still granted permanent exemption as a special case. Official 'service termination' followed on 10 October 1938.[1]

While Van Pels was at the Immigration Office on 6 January 1939 - presumably in the context of relatives of his wife, who were all German - it turned out that his alert as a deserter had appeared in the General Police Gazette. Headquarters investigators informed the Police Troop Commander. The matter blew over when this commander informed them that the alert was to be considered expired.[3]

Footnotes

  1. a, b Stadsarchief Amsterdam (SAA), Archief van de secretarie, Afdeling Militaire Zaken en rechtsvoorganger, toegang 5182, inv. nr. 4422: lotingsregister 1918, volgnr. 4695.
  2. ^ Nationaal Archief, Den Haag, Ministerie van Oorlog, stamboeken van onderofficieren en minderen van de Landmacht, 1813-1924, toegang 2.13.09, inv. nr. 2394: stamboek 18RI, 1918-1919, volgnr. 9539.
  3. ^ SAA, Gemeentepolitie Amsterdam, toegang 5225, inv. nr. 3215: rapporten van de recherche aan het Hoofdbureau, 6 januari 1939, mut. 11.00 en 11.45 v.m.