Feldgrau.net

...in U.S. military and German military during WWII? Had a discussion with an American WWII vet recently that stated American men up to age 34 or 36 were drafted. I disagreed saying that American men in their 30s were not drafted, that something like 28 was the oldest that were drafted.

What was the case with the German military in regard to the oldest taken by conscription?

In december 1938 the OKW (Army High Command) decided to accept only conscripts from 17-25 years
for the Luftwaffe and Heer. For the Kriegsmarine they accepted conscripts from 17-23 only.

Of course in the later years of the war, especially after october 1944, every man from 16-60 years of age
who was not needed in a "war relevant" factory, could be drafted to Volkssturm.

I am thinking it was 28. I never heard of a draftee in the American military during WWII that was 30 or older. Maybe doctors were drafted in their 30s.

My grandfather was drafted in the spring of 1940, around april or may. He was born in august 1908, so he was 31 when he went to the army. He was a German btw and served in the Heer.

I am assuming that a good many Germans stepped forward to volunteer. The US armed forces during World War Two reportedly were about 60% or more draftees.

My wife's father was conscripted into the German Army in 1940 at age 36/37 and served the rest of the war until taken prisoner in early 1945. He died in Soviet captivity in 1947.
Her uncle (adoptive father) was conscripted into the German Army in 1940 at age 39. He served the rest of the war with Krankenkraftwagenzug 616 until surrendering to British forces in Norway in 1945. He was back home in Hamburg by the end of August 1945.