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In accordance with the 1871 constitution, military service was mandatory for all male citizens aged between 17 and 45. The conscription process was stratified; men aged 17-20 were classified as volunteers, tasked with defending the homeland and potentially participating in combat. Registration was required even for those not immediately drafted, and the process was highly selective, often involving deferments or extensions.
At the outbreak of the war in 1914, Germany had an estimated 49 million men of military age from a total population of 67 million. Many volunteered initially, but by 1915, only about 5% of eligible men actively sought service — a reflection of the war's toll and the challenging conditions faced by the soldiers.