The applicants must belong or have belonged to the party or one of its formations. In the selection the personal aptitude and character are decisive. Honorably discharged workers and soldiers (cf. par. 16 (1) and par. 17 of the decree on the care for soldiers and workers in the form of 29 Dec 1937-RGBl I, p. 1417) and children of child-rich families have preference. For pension applicants the special decrees apply.