Translator's note: The original typescript contains several handwritten insertions and corrections. These have now been incorporated directly into the translation below, based on the reading confirmed with the diary's owner. 

1940 

On May 8, 1940, the time had come. Mr. Wagner, an employee of my firm, had already received his call-up order [Stellungsbefehl] a few days earlier, and I received mine on that same day. I was to report on May 22, 1940, at 9 o'clock at the Liederhalle in Stuttgart. As was only to be expected, I was assigned to the infantry – specifically to Infantry Replacement Battalion 35 [Infanterie-Ersatz-Bataillon 35] at Tabor, in Bohemia-Moravia. 

The time of waiting was now over, and I faced the future pale, but composed. A UK [unabkömmlich – "indispensable," i.e. exempt from service] posting was out of the question for me, since I was, after all, only a textile wholesaler, and not a Party member. 

The hour of farewell soon arrived. I picked up my suitcase with my few belongings and, hatless, went – after a hard parting from my wife and child – to the Liederhalle, where I met a great number of fellow sufferers. Luckily, I ran into a former business colleague from the firm Bleyle there, Friedrich Baur, and the two of us stuck together from then on. 

Then came the calling of our names, the handing-in of our call-up orders, the issuing of march rations, and a cursory medical examination. 

At 1 p.m. we marched to the Moltke barracks, where we had our first army meal [Kommissmahlzeit]. There was goulash with noodles. We also found the well-known comedian Hofele there. He was serving with the Landesschützen [a territorial home-guard unit] and had taken up the role of beer-seller and spoon-lender. 

We old recruits went back to the Liederhalle, and toward evening we then marched on to the station, where our transport train stood ready. Journey to Tabor – the call-up order came for Tabor. 

The train soon got underway, and we made do as best we could through the first night. In Pilsen we had a longer stop, where we were given a hot meal. Then the journey continued. 

In Písek we were supposed to spend the night in a barracks. But nothing came of it. The train was shunted onto a siding and we slept on board. It was quite cold. 

We arrived in Tabor, a pretty little Czech town, where we then had to march for about half an hour to reach the barracks. 

By the course of the morning it had turned fairly warm, and on the barracks square we had to roast in the sun for a good while. Then came the address of the sergeant-major [Spiess], whose words were to be enjoyed with caution – we noticed that right away – and then the assignment into squads [Korporalschaften]. 

In our room [Stube] we were housed, about 12 men, in bunk beds stacked one above another. 

Our squad leader [Korporalschaftsführer] was Corporal [Unteroffizier] Pfefferle, and Lance-Corporal Recruit [Rekrutengefreiter] Dendel, a little young fellow, who over time now taught us everything a soldier is supposed to be able to do. In the view of our superiors, we were, after all, only now in the process of becoming human beings and men! It was best to keep one's private opinion of this theory to oneself. 

As for equipment, things were at first more than sparsely arranged. With much trouble and difficulty we managed to get hold of a drill uniform (tunic and trousers) that was barely still fit to wear. The footwear was miserably poor. Underwear and socks were available. Fatigue/denim gear [Drillichzeug] was missing at first and was only delivered weeks later. We were issued Czech belts. It was much the same story with the rifles. At times we had no rifles at all; then again, alternately, Polish, Czech, and German Model 98 rifles, and then once more carbines.