Show me your DDR

HerrScheisse

That is some nice DDR! The helmet looks great!

May I ask if you bought them online or if you located them yourself in Germany?

Little Alex

HerrScheisse wrote: »

That is some nice DDR! The helmet looks great!

May I ask if you bought them online or if you located them yourself in Germany?

I got them on eBay. You can get the camoflauge stuff for next to nothing. Each part (tunic, trousers, shoulder boards, belt, braces, water bottle, grenade pouch) can be gotten for €5 or less. The steel helmet - which weighs a tonne! - cost about €15.

arnhem44

East German stuff always makes me think of this photo


Conrad Schumann
On 15 August 1961 he found himself, aged 19, guarding the Berlin Wall, then in its third day of construction, at the corner of Ruppinerstraße and Bernauerstraße. At that stage of construction, the Berlin Wall was only a low barbed wire fence. As the people on the Western side shouted Komm rüber! (“come over”), Schumann jumped the barbed wire and was driven away at high speeds by a waiting West Berlin police car. Photographer Peter Leibing captured a photograph of his escape on film and it became a well-known image of the Cold War.
Schumann was later permitted to travel from West Berlin to the main territory of West Germany, where he settled in Bavaria. He met his wife Kunigunde in the town of Günzburg.
After the fall of the Berlin Wall he said, “Only since 9 November 1989 [the date of the fall] have I felt truly free”. Even so, he continued to feel more at home in Bavaria than in his birthplace, citing old frictions with his former colleagues, and he even hesitated about visiting his parents and brothers and sisters in Saxony. On 20 June 1998, suffering from depression, he hanged himself in his orchard near the town of Kipfenberg in Oberbayern.

http://thepirata.com/photographs-that-changed-the-world-part-4/

HerrScheisse

That is quite a moment in time captured!

I also read that the "sale" of troublesome people by the DDR authorities to West Germany was an important source of income.

Fuinseog

Little Alex wrote: »

Both the uniform and hat fit me. The hat was no problem, as it is uses the standard metric sizing system. Tunics and trousers are trickier as the DDR had its own unique military sizes.

when the Wall fell a lot of NVA stuff was shipped abroad especially the bigger sizes. when I was there it was hard to get a hat in size 59, but there were plenty in size 57 and 56. if you are looking for your size then sometimes it may be easier to find outside of Germany.

Little Alex

I have a couple of nice bits and pieces in the offing!

Here is something that arrived today...



It's a pristine, unissued dark collar officer's service tunic from 1968.

I'm going to do it up as a pioneer/engineer officer with black shoulder and collar tabs and a matching qualification badge and cloth ribbon bar to go with it. Pics to follow when I have it finished.

Little Alex

This is my latest one:



It's a Transportpolizei uniform and came with all the decorations along with the breeches, shirt and necktie (not in photo). Not sure if the badges on the breast pockets are correctly positioned.

HerrScheisse

Very nice uniform Alex! Would you mind telling me the seller of these items - you can pm if you like.

Have any of you ever used EGun? There are some interesing items but also a lot of fakes and shysters.

But look at this set

http://www.egun.de/market/item.php?id=3292505&PHPSESSID=6b087cbf17dfd509723103dcac0a04b9

Little Alex

HerrScheisse wrote: »

Very nice uniform Alex! Would you mind telling me the seller of these items - you can pm if you like.

Have any of you ever used EGun? There are some interesing items but also a lot of fakes and shysters.

But look at this set

http://www.egun.de/market/item.php?id=3292505&PHPSESSID=6b087cbf17dfd509723103dcac0a04b9

Thank you, HerrScheisse.

I got that uniform off someone who had some stuff to get rid of once-off, but I've PMed you with an eBay link to an identical uniform that's going at the moment.

Just had a look at that EGun auction now. It's already ended and the highest bid was €241, which seems to be a bargain. The dagger alone is worth that and it seems to be an original. The only thing that isn't correct is the helmet: the steel helmet was for field use only and there was a plastic one for parades. That, and maybe the shirt is the wrong colour: white for parade, grey for everyday use, but the photos are poor and I cannot make out if it is white or grey. Other than that it is a correct parade uniform - the boots are proper officer's high gloss parade boots and the medals with 15 years service seem right for the rank of captain.

MedalFuhrer

I've been very busy the last few months and haven't had time to post up stuff, but over those few months I came across these DDR gems that I bought for very little.







And also a Ruhla watch, made in the GDR

Little Alex

Here are a few DDR badges. They are worn over the right breast pocket.







The first two are the pre and post-1986 versions of the same badge. The newer one is above and is made of thin, stamped metal.





These three are from bottom to top Rear Services, Flight Engineer and Dog Handler.

The Rear Services badge is post-1986. These badges have a plastic coat which is prone to falling off and this one is missing its green colour.



This is a pilot's badge with the hanger for 4000 flight hours.



Paratrooper's badge with the hanger for 50 jumps.

The miniature one is for wear with civilian clothing.

MedalFuhrer

Nice collection Little Alex, and cool detailed photos. Very arty!

Fuinseog

just seen on

http://www.butschek-antiques.com

East German customs Generals dagger
Item No.: 220511015
Available at 375,00
might be of interest to DDR collectors.
they have gone up price since I lived there

MedalFuhrer

Not military, so off topic, but since it's DDR I'll post it anyway. Just received this in the post today.

Ruhla "Pepsi" divers style watch. Made in the DDR.

Little Alex

Orange is the colour of the Fallschirmjäger.

Now, I think this is an example of a pimped-up tunic...

The tunic is real, as are the shoulder boards and collar tabs, but I do not think they actually belong together. The tunic is stamped as being manufactured in 1974, but the paratroopers already stopped wearing this style of tunic in 1969/1970. From then on they wore the open-collar style with stylised parachutes on the collar tabs. The collar tabs on my tunic are genuine. I had a little prod around to see if they had been coloured orange with a marker, and they had not been.

Still, I don't mind at all if it was put-together as the dark collar tunic itself is a desireable and uncommon item.

The decorations...

The medal ribbon bar is a 1960s/70s-era model and is made up of cloth ribbons with a plastic film applied. From the mid-1970s, the newer style was introduced which were paper ribbons with a rigid plastic strip of plastic placed over the ribbons.

The jump badge is genuine and has a hanger shwing 50 jumps. These items are commonly faked, but usually come with hangers for huge, improbable numbers of jumps: 500, 1000, etc.

The parachute qualification badge is the model issued from the mid-1960s onwards. I think it is a restrike. In the early 1990s the manufacturer of these decorations began reproducing some of the more collectible items, I guess as a source of income in a bid to survive, but using the original materials and die machinery. I do not have a problem with having such an item as it is not strictly a fake.

Anyway, I'm happy with this tunic. I'm looking out for a beret to go with it.

HerrScheisse

Mercy! I do not know whether to fight in it or go to the disco in it :pac:

Fuinseog

Little Alex wrote: »

Orange is the colour of the Fallschirmjäger.

Now, I think this is an example of a pimped-up tunic...

The tunic is real, as are the shoulder boards and collar tabs, but I do not think they actually belong together. The tunic is stamped as being manufactured in 1974, but the paratroopers already stopped wearing this style of tunic in 1969/1970. From then on they wore the open-collar style with stylised parachutes on the collar tabs. The collar tabs on my tunic are genuine. I had a little prod around to see if they had been coloured orange with a marker, and they had not been.

Still, I don't mind at all if it was put-together as the dark collar tunic itself is a desireable and uncommon item.

The decorations...

The medal ribbon bar is a 1960s/70s-era model and is made up of cloth ribbons with a plastic film applied. From the mid-1970s, the newer style was introduced which were paper ribbons with a rigid plastic strip of plastic placed over the ribbons.

The jump badge is genuine and has a hanger shwing 50 jumps. These items are commonly faked, but usually come with hangers for huge, improbable numbers of jumps: 500, 1000, etc.

The parachute qualification badge is the model issued from the mid-1960s onwards. I think it is a restrike. In the early 1990s the manufacturer of these decorations began reproducing some of the more collectible items, I guess as a source of income in a bid to survive, but using the original materials and die machinery. I do not have a problem with having such an item as it is not strictly a fake.

Anyway, I'm happy with this tunic. I'm looking out for a beret to go with it.

I picked up a book on DDR uniforms in German recently called 'Militärische Uniformen in der DDR 1949-90' by Keubke and Munz. (Mittler Verlag)
it seems in the sixties they had an open collar tunic for walking out and closed collar as a working tunic. though not sure about the paras the closed collar tunic was still being worn in the seventies.

There is a beret for sale on Ebay at 30 euro.
www.ebay.de
http://www.ebay.de/itm/NVA-Fallschirmjager-Barett-Offizier-Grosse-3-/180776845947?pt=DDR_Ostalgie&hash=item2a1723c27b#ht_500wt_1166

Little Alex

Fuinseog wrote: »

I picked up a book on DDR uniforms in German recently called 'Militärische Uniformen in der DDR 1949-90' by Keubke and Munz. (Mittler Verlag)
it seems in the sixties they had an open collar tunic for walking out and closed collar as a working tunic. though not sure about the paras the closed collar tunic was still being worn in the seventies.

There is a beret for sale on Ebay at 30 euro.
www.ebay.de
http://www.ebay.de/itm/NVA-Fallschirmjager-Barett-Offizier-Grosse-3-/180776845947?pt=DDR_Ostalgie&hash=item2a1723c27b#ht_500wt_1166

I have that book too!

With the "normal" NVA the introduction of the open collar uniform was made in 1974 (see picture on pg. 146) and the last allowable circumstances where the "dark collar" tunic could be worn was February 1976. The paratroopers was a small unit and an elite one to boot. For them it was introduced in 1969 (pg. 140) and I think the change happened pretty much overnight and did not stretch out over years.

I'm going to buy the beret in your link, but that one is a 1980s model. The one that goes with my tunic has a metal cockade and not an embroidered one. It'll do for the moment, though! :pac: I'll probably end up acquiring a 1980s paratrooper uniform anyway!

Little Alex

Little Alex wrote: »

The one that goes with my tunic has a metal cockade and not an embroidered one.

I just discovered that the orange beret was only ever worn with the new uniform.

Anyway, I got these two in the course of last year...

Transport police:



Prison warden:

HerrScheisse

Fuinseog wrote: »

I picked up a book on DDR uniforms in German recently called 'Militärische Uniformen in der DDR 1949-90' by Keubke and Munz. (Mittler Verlag)

I have just ordered that book - thanks for the tip

HerrScheisse

Great looking pieces Alex!

Little Alex

HerrScheisse wrote: »

Great looking pieces Alex!

Danke HerrScheisse!

---

The DDR also had cuff titles. Nowhere near as much as the Third Reich, but some at least. Here are four of them...



Wach-Rgt. F. Dzierzynski (Wachregiment Feliks Dzierzynski)

Named after the founder of the Soviet secret police, the Tscheka, this elite guards batallion belonged to the Ministerium für Staatssicherheit (Stasi) and served diverse purposes.

NVA-WACHREGIMENT

I believe this regiment was charged with the security of state and army installations outside of Berlin.

Within Berlin there was the "Wachregiment Friedrich Engels", who also had their own cuff title and were a highly visible unit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydeJt2dQxWg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVOuCJyh_CU

These clips were filmed at Die Neue Wache on Unter den Linden.

The Palace of the Republic, visible in the background, is gone now. Last time I was there it was an open green space and Berlin had been granted funding to reconstruct the Stadtschloss, which once stood there.

GRENZTRUPPEN DER DDR

The border guards.

ZIVILVERTEIDIGUNG

The Civil Defense.

HerrScheisse

Great stuff humble narrator, keep it coming! You are building up quite a collection! Enough gear to kit out your "droogs".

Today is a good day, I got my own very first...NVA Stahlhelm :pac:
The sheer weight and solidity of it - it would make a good soup pot!

MedalFuhrer

That is a class looking tin hat! Like a mushroom head!

Dr Strange

Interesting helmet. It's an M56 and was designed in 1942 as an improved version of the M40 model (the typical Wehrmacht helmet).

Fuinseog

MedalFuhrer wrote: »

That is a class looking tin hat! Like a mushroom head!

its a nice helmet, also available with a dark green net, camouflage and there is also the military police cover. German ebay is good for these www.ebay.de

HerrScheisse

I picked it up for 15 euro at a market. Someone in the crowd mentioned to me that the helmet was original Wehrmacht design. Does anyone have more info on that story?

Did the DDR adopt this helmet afterwards, and why did the Wehrmach not adopt it if it was an improved design?

Thanks

Dr Strange

HerrScheisse wrote: »

I picked it up for 15 euro at a market. Someone in the crowd mentioned to me that the helmet was original Wehrmacht design. Does anyone have more info on that story?

Did the DDR adopt this helmet afterwards, and why did the Wehrmach not adopt it if it was an improved design?

Thanks

The M56 helmet was designed in 1942 as an upgrade from the M40/M42 however it was never taken any further. During post-War years the GDR (DDR) required a new helmet. At that stage most of the old Wehrmacht helmets had been reused by other armies and/or police and fire fighters (you can probably still find the German M35 helmet being painted white and used by firefighters).

Due to the political nature of the GDR they could not and would not reuse Wehrmacht helmets for obvious reasons but the "new" design for the follow-up from 1942 was used to produce the M56 or NVA helmets.

Also have a look here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stahlhelm#M1956

From here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stahlhelm

HerrScheisse

Some of my new acquisitions.



Winter pelt hat.







General Service Level III Badge

HerrScheisse

Long service in bronze, silver and gold. Service medal in bronze and silver. Can anyone identify the medal on the top right of the bottom picture?