in world war ii, he served in the wehrmacht on the western and eastern fronts. while on furlough, he passed the german state exams to become a teacher. after suffering from severe frostbite on the eastern front in early 1943, he served as an "offizier für wehrgeistige führung", responsible for the education of the troops, at the antiaircraft artillery school in altenstadt air base, near schongau. during jassy–kishinev offensive, he served with the panzer regiment of the 13th panzer division. he held the rank of "oberleutnant" at the end of the war.