A 1974 Photo NVA Officer

[patches]

A 1974 Photo NVA Officer, with a whole lot of Fruit Salad

 

A Major I think, not seeing Pips, maybe a Musikmeister??? Nah he would have Schwalbennesten right, but anyway, so seeing that the NVA was only around 18 years old by 1974, am curious as what all these medals are, there appears to be no less than 11 or 12 medals there.

 

[Proud Kraut]

NVA Musikkorps Kapellmeister. Seems to be a couple of Verdienstmedaillen (distinguished service medals) on the top of his bar.

[patches]

NVA Musikkorps Kapellmeister. Seems to be a couple of Verdienstmedaillen (distinguished service medals) on the top of his bar.

He's this bands conductor then, that makes sense.

 

Kapellmeister, That immediately reminds me of Kapellmeister Bonno from Amadeus.

 

[Proud Kraut]

Yes, i´ll check if this was the official designation in the NVA. Pictures of there uniforms can be found with and without "Schwalbennest". Another point I have to check.

[SARGE]

Here is an example of a DDR Grenzer social uniform (often worn during concerts) with the gilt metal Bandsman lyre worn on the shoulder boards. This was regulation for Grenzschutz and Polizei Bandsmen.

 

 

[SARGE]

Here a couple of photos of Volkspolizei Bandsmen, and females, wearing the Ausgangsjacke as shown above. The photos come from a VP coffee table book published by the Volkspolizei.

 

Also shown is an example of the Volkspolizei Central Orchestra uniform. This uniform uses the same shoulder boards with a lyre but additionally incorporate a sleeve band above the left cuff to distinguish the ensemble.

 

 

[Proud Kraut]

Some excellent uniforms and pictures, Sarge!

[patches]

Oh about three years ago a few blocks from where I live, I was passing by this pile of garbage thrown willy nilly on the curb one afternoon, it was not a garbage day and thus improperly thrown there from the apartment building, a store front was there as well, but it came from the apartment above it for sure., it seemed a clean out, lots of bags of cloths etc etc What peeked my interest was a bunch of books, a lot in German, think I found two of interest,  now there was a photo album there, lots of family type photos, more or less of a  mundane nature from the 60s, BUT in it was several photo portraits of East German soldiers, from the 60s I gather, looking back now I wish I would of grabbed these, I would of posted them here, thinking back now I can only gather that this stuff belonged to an elderly person of German descent, one from East Germany who passed, the soldiers perhaps nephews still over there and sadly this stuff was just thrown away by the landlord.