 This made Berlin a safe haven for many young people who chose to move to the city to prevent criminal court repercussions for "Totalverweigerung".As "Totalverweigerer" were often part of the far-left political spectrum, this was one factor which spawned a politically active left-wing and left-wing radical scene in the city.Wehrersatzdienst was for a long time considerably longer than military service, by up to a third, even when the duration of service was gradually reduced following reunification and the end of the Cold War.