Please help me read my Arbeitsbuch

[ObKrieger]

Hi guys,

I got this at a flea market in Berlin a couple of years ago. It is named to Paul Zähler. I can read some of it, like his birthday and name, but I can't read most of the script. Between pages 24 and 25 were three stubs of some sort from 1948 and 1949. I also do not know what these are. Could someone help me read it please?

Thanks,
Mo

[HPL2008]

I'll summarize it for you:

Paul Zehler, a German citizien of Prostestant faith born on 24 September 1874 at Berlin-Spandau, later resident at Hedwigstraße 14 in Berlin-Friedenau was a watchmaker by trade.

From 1 April 1888 to 1 April 1892, he underwent his apprenticeship as a watchmaker and salesman at a watchmaker's workshop at Berlin-Spandau.

From 1900 on, he did accessory work as a watchmaker in the familiy business.

From 28 June 1945, he was self-employed as a watchmaker, his business being located at the aforementioned address in Friedenau.

The stubs are proof of payment for dues to his pension insurance.

Oh, and have a look at this:
Berlin - Friedenau: Uhren-Geschäft Paul Zehler, um 1910 | eBay
(It's a different address at Friedenau, but surely the same family business.)

[ObKrieger]

Wow! Again, Andreas, thank you so much. When I find out that I can tie an item that I have to another somewhere else, it makes my day.

It's interesting that he became self-employed right after the war. His building must have been the one building that went undamaged in Berlin. Do you suppose he might have served during WWII, and perhaps WWI?

[HPL2008]

It's interesting that he became self-employed right after the war. His building must have been the one building that went undamaged in Berlin. Do you suppose he might have served during WWII, and perhaps WWI?

He was born in 1874, so he was 40 years of age in 1914 and 65 in 1939.

Thus, he may well have served as a reservist in WW1, but surely not in WW2. He was even too old for the Volkssturm raised in 1944, which encompassed the age groups from 16 to 60 years of age.

Interesting that he apparently took over the familiy business at that time and at that age, indeed.

As for the building: It may well have sustained severe damage; many damaged buildings in Berlin were used as places of residence or business for simple lack of alternatives. Note that the shop's address has changed from the 1910 photo card to the 1945 entry (from Rheinstr. 49 to Hedwigstr. 14); maybe the building where the shop originally was had even been destroyed?
(Then again, the shop may have moved at any given time between 1910 and 1945; we just don't know...)

[ObKrieger]

Incredible, thanks yet again. It would be interesting to track down his descendants and learn more about this man.

I also like how Herr Zehler used his arbeitsbuch until well after the war.