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At the age of 16, Christian Reichl graduated from secondary school after completing tenth grade. He then attended a technical college, but after a short time he realized that this was not the right path for him.
Even with a school diploma, there were hardly any career prospects in the region at that time, and apprenticeships were practically unavailable. Many of his former classmates went to the west to look for training positions and build a secure professional future. His close relationship with his grandfather, who volunteered for the navy during World War II, ultimately gave him the idea to join the German Armed Forces. There, he also had the opportunity to complete professional training. The thought that guided him was: “You'll be out for four years, and maybe the job situation will be better by then.”
Christian Reichl ultimately stayed with the German Army for eight years. He obtained his technical college entrance qualification there, studied social pedagogy afterwards, and now lives in Baden-Wuerttemberg. Today, he sees the upheavals of his youth and the experiences he gained during that time as a benefit:
"In retrospect, it also makes you stronger in some ways. You say: Okay, you had a difficult time, but you got through it [...] You somehow mastered it, and that strengthens you for life."