 Due to his father 's relocation , Nowotny transferred to the secondary school ( Oberschule ) in Laa an der Thaya , where he received his diploma ( Abitur ) in May 1938 . In his teens , Nowotny was interested in all kinds of sports . In 1935 , he played football for the school team in Waidhofen , and in 1937 , took first place in the javelin throw and third place in the lower Austrian 1 @,@ 000 metres ( 0 @.@ 62 mi ) track and field championships . Nowotny also visited the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin . For his then mandatory Labour Service ( Reichsarbeitsdienst ) , he joined the Luftwaffe on 1 October 1939 . Nowotny had joined the Nazi Party ( NSDAP — National Socialist German Workers ' Party ) in 1938 with a membership number 6 @,@ 382 @,@ 781 . 
