Broederdienst literally means “brother service.” It was a reason for exemption of military service.
If a family had an even number of sons, half of them had to serve. If they had an uneven number of sons, the lesser half had to serve. The brothers who did not have to serve got an exemption for broederdienst. You will often find these exemptions listed in the marriage supplements.
Conscripted men having fun, 1934
About Yvette HoitinkYvette Hoitink, CG®, QG™ is a professional genealogist in the Netherlands. She holds the Certified Genealogist credential from the Board for Certification of Genealogists and has a post-graduate diploma in Family and Local History from the University of Dundee. She has been doing genealogy for over 30 years and helps people from across the world find their ancestors in the Netherlands. Read about Yvette's professional genealogy services.
Yvette Hoitink, CG®, QG™ is a professional genealogist in the Netherlands who helps people find their Dutch ancestors. She is certified by the Board for Certification of Genealogists and has a post-graduate diploma in Family and Local History from the University of Dundee.
Do you need a genealogist in the Netherlands to help you with your research?
Please read what Yvette can do for you.
This Dutch Genealogy webinar gives you a great introduction to researching your Dutch ancestors. Requires a Legacy FamilyTreeWebinar subscription to watch. [Affiliate link]