In a message dated 11/5/2005 10:17:52 PM Mountain Standard Time, CRFTYCHRIS@aol.com writes: If what I've learned from this site is that he would have had to service 7 years and his military obligation would have been complete. Where would I have to write to get his military records? The rules in 1881 were 1) Draft exam after 19th birthday, induction after 20th birhtday. 2) 3 years on active duty 3) 9 years following in the reserve. There are exceptions to the general active duty rule but use it as a good guideline to get started. If the ancestor was well-educated (at least to 6th class) he could have volunteered and served only one year and was not liable for any reserve time. He also had to have funds to buy / furnish his own uniform and kit if he volunteerd. Men on active duty could not marry or emigrate. Men in the reserves could not emigrate until discharged at the end of 5 years or whenever that happened. Military records of men who served after 1880 may be in the LDS film: Grundbuchblatter Diverse as long as they were from Bohemia or Moravia or Austrian Silesia. I would search that film first. It may also include earlier ancestors -- select all the documents with your surname(s) and sort them out as possibile ancestors or relatives when you can print them out and lay them side by side. LDS also has regimental records (Grundbuchblatter) up to about 1870. You need the place of birth to know the right regiment to search. Otherwise, if they exist they would be in the military archive in Prague. Prague archivists do not process individual requests by mail. It is best to ask a Czech researcher to go there and find out what they have. You must pay a fee even if there is nothing -- researchers have to cover their time and travel, parkuing and archive fees. Many of these old records disappeared after WW II when the then military archive building was used as barracks for Russian troops. Karen

Hello Karen, I believe you have a good understanding about German Bohemian era military records. I need help believing a statement I just found in a relative's family tree relating to my gg grandfather from Amplatz, Bohemia. The statement referred to Johann Wiltscheck, before emigrating to U.S. in 1871, having to spend two years in prison for "sending his son to America in order to avoid the draft." Could that be true? If so, any idea how one could prove that? I would appreciate any advice. Thanks, Gary Wiltscheck

Karen-do you know what regiment my ancestor would have served his military obligation in during the early 1860's, if he was from Meistersdorf, outside Steinschonau? Thank You, Chris Jensen