Martin's great wish was to become a precision mechanic. He would even have had the opportunity to start as an apprentice both in Jungingen near Hechingen and at Bosch-Werke in Stuttgart. For this, however, he needed a permit from the NSDAP [National Socialist German Workers’ Party] in order to work at these companies as a Jew. His father hoped to help him with this, because he was recognized as a front-line fighter in the First World War. He wrote a letter to Adolf Hitler. But that was also unsuccessful, and Martin had to look for another job.

"Forced to do so, I decided to join the Jewish factory Levi & Co. in Hechingen as a commercial apprentice. I worked there from 1934 to 1937."

The company was sold in 1938 under duress from the Nazi authorities.