Family Name:
Mitzkewitsch
Given Names:
Jim
Gender:
Male
Birth-Date:
1950
Death-Date:
Unknown
Marital Status:
Unknown, probably single
Age/ Age Range:
20 years old
Location:
VIC, Elwood
Occupation:
Gardner
Primary Motivation:
Conscientious Objector
Reason for Court/ Tribunal Appearance:
Application for full exemption from military service
Court/ Tribunal Name and Location:
Court of Petty sessions, Melbourne
Court/ Tribunal Hearing Date:
26 March 1970
Court/Tribunal Outcome:
Granted full exemption as a conscientious objector
Military Event:
National Service and Vietnam War 1964-1972
Further Information:
Jim Mitzkewitsch was a 20-year-old from Elwood a suburb of Melbourne. He was a gardener by trade, He applied for and was granted full exemption from military service as a conscientious objector. His hearing was on 26 March 1970 at the Melbourne Court of Petty Sessions before Magistrate AJ Foley. Jim informed the court that, “I want to see the fall of the capitalist system. This system leads to competition and ambition, and this creates violence. I am against violence in any form and refuse to take part in any form of National Service”. He went on to say that there was no justification for the Vietnam war. He commented that, “Australia has no right to enter another country and murder its people”. He was asked during the hearing about him paying taxes of which part was used for military purposes. He responded by saying, that is something over which I have no control”.
Confirmatory Sources:
Peacemaker, March/ April 1970, p.3.
THE AUSTRALIAN PEACE HONOUR ROLL 