Show me your DDR

HerrScheisse

An award to a soldier from the NVA in 1964.

Little Alex

At some stage in the mid to late 1960s the East German armed forces introduced a new sizing system. Examples of the newer sizes are K48, M52-0 and G56-1.

Here is the chart that explains how the system works:



The first colum concerns itself with total body height:

SK = XS, K = S, M = M, G = L, SG = XL and ÜG = XXL

Taking SK in the first column as an axample, there are three numbers for KpH (Körperhöhe = body height): 160 and 158/163. This means that SK is meant for an average build person between 158 and 163cm, with 160cm being the "sweet spot".

The second column is for the chest size and operates to the same logic as the first column. So 44 is the BU measurement (Brustumfang = chest size) that will accommodate a chest of between 85 and 92cm, with 88cm being optimal.

The third column is for the waist size and is connected to the chest size column. Again the same system works for the TU (Taillenumfang = waist size).

However, whereas any combination of the first and second columns are theoretically possible (SK60 to ÜG44), the second column corresponds to the measurement on the same level in the third column. So, for example a K48 tunic has a chest size of 96cm and a belly size of 82cm.

Now, to compensate for thinner and not so thin people there is an additonal number which may or may not be present after the chest size. Possible variants would be, for example:

M52 (standard size)
M52-0 (thin build, 8cm smaller waist than the standard)
M52-1 (roomy build, 8cm more added to waist size)
M52-2 (very roomy build, 16cm more added to waist size).

The example given in the chart is K48-1: body height = 166cm, chest = 96cm and waist = 92cm.

Little Alex

At the same time they also introduced a new date system with a radom letter assigned to each year:

1968 - K
1969 - Z
1970 - M
1971 - X
1972 - B
1973 - L
1974 - O
1975 - S
1976 - R
1977 - A
1978 - U
1979 - F
1980 - E
1981 - G
1982 - I
1983 - C
1984 - H
1985 - T
1986 - P
1987 - L
1988 - Y
1989 - N
1990 - D

For some unknown reason L was used twice, although the entire alphabet had not yet been used up.

The date codes seem to have two different formats, either a letter followed by a number or a roman numeral followed by a letter. The number/Roman numeral represents the year quarter and the letter the year.

So:

G/2 = made in the second quarter of 1981
III/X = made in the third quarter of 1971

Maybe the format in the first example replaced that of the second axample at some stage... I haven't checked into it in enough detail to say for sure.

Other markings present on the production stamps are four-digit number such as 1850, 1856, etc. These represent the factory that produced the article.

Then there are the branch of service markings:

NVA (Nationale Volksarmee). For the army, navy, air force and border guards.

MdI (Ministerium des Innern). For the police, prison service and professional fire brigade (the voluntary fire brigade, although having similar looking uniforms, uses a civilian sizing system from what I can tell).

ZOLL. For Customs.

MfS (Ministerium für Staatssicherheit). For the Stasi. These markings are rare and seem to have been phased out at some stage. My Stasi tunic is marked NVA.

The DDR also had its own footwear sizing system. I haven't checked fully into that yet.

MedalFuhrer

Great information Little Alex. It came in handy to have a reference. Just back from a trip to East Berlin. And after meeting some locals and visiting local markets I picked up a few items............ :-)

NVA uniform cap




For those chilly days and nights. NVA winter hat.






For those days that it rains metal and shrapnel.




A nice leather belt to hold the holster for a Makorov hog leg.

MedalFuhrer

A nice parade belt to look daper with. (spun aluminium).


A "schlagstock" or whacking stick. A simple but effective tool of oppression and control used by The People's Police and prison guards. Also will be used if my dog takes my hat again! ;-)




Stasi jacket shoulder boards.

HerrScheisse

There are no words :eek:

HerrScheisse

A very early 1953 May badge - pressed cardboard and handpainted with a string holder, DDR badges could only get better from here on in. :pac:

HerrScheisse

My Stasi shoulderboards:

HerrScheisse

A monster FDJ flag in Baumwolle - at 2 x 1 metre. The logo is stitched on both sides, the reverse side have a mirror image applied.

This had been used as a tablecloth at the flea market :eek:

HerrScheisse

An early FDJ badge.

MedalFuhrer

HerrScheisse wrote: »

DDR badges could only get better from here on in. :pac:

Just about better!
Great piece of history to have. I would imagine them being so fragile or over the years being over looked and thrown out that they would be rare enough?

Fuinseog

HerrScheisse wrote: »

A monster FDJ flag in Baumwolle - at 2 x 1 metre. The logo is stitched on both sides, the reverse side have a mirror image applied.

This had been used as a tablecloth at the flea market :eek:

both my FDJ Flag and shirt are made of polyester.

HerrScheisse

By polyester, you mean that it has that glossy sheen and feels synthetic?

In that case I have a 1 x 0.5m SED flag in that material. The FDJ definitely is a cotton type material, soft and fibrous.



Also in the picture below are some darker DDR items:

A DDR Gummiknuppel used for crowd dispersion.

Handkette. I find this a sinister item because of the psychology applied. Firstly with standard cuffs, both officer and prisoner are chained together. But with the DDR equivalent, the prisoner is held by the chain.

Schlagstock. Same as already posted by MF.

HerrScheisse

MedalFuhrer wrote: »

Just about better!
Great piece of history to have. I would imagine them being so fragile or over the years being over looked and thrown out that they would be rare enough?

No idea! As you know it was free - a gift from the old man that had served in the Juri Gagarin regiment.

MedalFuhrer

That is a serious collection of oppressive control right there! :-0

What good is wearing a nice hat if your suit doesn't match? Here is a nice photo from East Berlin from a few days ago. Me on the left (the good looking one) and Herr Scheisse on the right.



I will post more detailed photos of my "suit" in the coming days. If only I had brought my drinking mug with me............

HerrScheisse

Seriously happy to get these - just 1st class left to find!

HerrScheisse

HerrScheisse

HerrScheisse

With profiles of Marx, Engels and Lenin.

HerrScheisse

For exemplary performance in honour of the DDR.

HerrScheisse

With the central image of the Treptow Soviet Memorial and the DDR and Soviet flags on either side.

HerrScheisse

HerrScheisse

HerrScheisse

Award for 25 years as helper of the People's Police. Note the Fernsehturm in the background of the image.

In recognition and gratitude for deeds as volunteer helper of the People's Police.

HerrScheisse

And while still on the topic of the Volkspolizei - the booklet of this came with two award papers. One for the award of the Volkspolizei (unsigned) and another for 30 years of service in the armed organs of the Ministery of the Interior - this one was indeed signed by the head of the Volkspolizei.

Fuinseog

HerrScheisse wrote: »

Award for 25 years as helper of the People's Police. Note the Fernsehturm in the background of the image.

In recognition and gratitude for deeds as volunteer helper of the People's Police.

these guys wore a nice red attractive armband.

Little Alex

MedalFuhrer wrote: »

That is a serious collection of oppressive control right there! :-0

What good is wearing a nice hat if your suit doesn't match? Here is a nice photo from East Berlin from a few days ago. Me on the left (the good looking one) and Herr Scheisse on the right.



I will post more detailed photos of my "suit" in the coming days. If only I had brought my drinking mug with me............

Did you stay in Ostel? I was thinking of staying there the last time I was in Berlin, but they were booked out.

You both bear a striking resemblence to the Genosse Generalsekretär, oddly enough. :pac:

So tell us, what else did you go to see: Normannenstraße, Hohenschönhausen?

Fuinseog

if you go over again there is plenty to see outside of Berlin. fewer tourists as well. Dresden has an army museum. Leipzig has a Stasi museum.

MedalFuhrer

-duplicate-

MedalFuhrer

Little Alex wrote: »

Did you stay in Ostel? I was thinking of staying there the last time I was in Berlin, but they were booked out.

You both bear a striking resemblence to the Genosse Generalsekretär, oddly enough. :pac:

So tell us, what else did you go to see: Normannenstraße, Hohenschönhausen?

Yes we stayed in Ostel. Actually our second stay there in so many years. Great place and cheap too. Great novelty to stay in the cheesy decor.
We visited both of the above as well as the Rusky memorials, flea markets. Walked and cycled for 10s of kms. Great city.

Helmets, holster belt and genuine DDR flag that I bought. (Polyester) (and yes I was too lazy to remove the parade lanyard for the photo! )