On March 6, 1944 the general mobilization of all healthy men born between 1908 and 1924 into the BKA started. Some 40,000 individuals reported to recruitment bureaus set up in seven cities; although 30% of them were sent back home on German orders for overcrowding.[2] From each region (Uezd) about 500 to 600 men were recruited,[2] for the total of 28,000 soldiers ready for training.[2]