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DDR Rank & Cloth Insignia


Proud Kraut
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This thread was triggered by the incredible DDR uniforms SARGE had posted during the last days. As many others I was bitten by the "DDR-collecting-bug" in 1990 after German unification. I was fascinated by the mass and the variety of East German uniforms and insignia. A couple of years later I lost interest and sold my entire DDR collection. What remained were the (paper) photographs of the boards I had pinned my insignia on. Scanning and resizing the pictures took some time but maybe the following pictures can help to ID one or another DDR insignia in the future. I'll start with NVA (National Peoples Army) rank insignia. The exact designation and translation of the ranks can be found here:

 

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dienstgrade_der_Nationalen_Volksarmee

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranks_of_the_National_People%27s_Army

 

The different branch colors of the NVA rank insignia are illustrated here:

 

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waffenfarben_(NVA)

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corps_colours_(NPA)

 

1st row: Motorisierte Schützen, Militärmusik (Motorized Infantry, Military Music)

2nd row: Fallschirmjäger (Airborne)

3rd row: Panzer (Armor)

4th row: Pioniere, Chemische Dienste (Engineers, Chemical Corps)

 

DDR A-1.jpg

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1st row: Artillerie

2nd row: Fernmelder (Signals)

3rd row: Rueckwaertige Dienste (Rear Service, Support)

4th row: Bausoldaten (construction soldiers, draftees who refused to serve with weapons), Offizierschüler (Officer candidates), Generale (smaller flat shoulder boards worn on shirts, larger ones worn on jackets, coats)

 

DDR A-2.jpg

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1st row: Luftstreitkräfte /Air Force)

2nd row: Luftverteidigung (Air Defense)

3rd & 4th row: Subdued rank insignia (all branches) for field uniforms

 

DDR A-3.jpg

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1st & 2nd row: Volksmarine

3rd row: Marineflieger (Naval Aviation)

4th row: Grenzbrigade Kueste (Naval Border Troops)

 

DDR C-1.jpg

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1st row: Ministerium fuer Staatssicherheit (Stasi)

2nd row: Zivilverteidigung (Civil Defense)

3rd row: Grenztruppen (Border Troops)

4th row Grenzbrigade Kueste (Naval Border Troops)

 

DDR B-2.jpg

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1st row left: Unteroffizier-Schueler (NCO-Candidates)

Below: Faehnrich-Schueler "F" (Warrant Officer-Candidates)

Right: Offizier-Schueler "S" (Officer Candidates)

 

DDR B-1.jpg

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1st row: Berufsfeuerwehr (Fire Service)

2nd row: Strafvollzug (Correction)

3rd & 4th row: Transportpolizei (Transportation Police, dress and field uniform)

 

Service chevrons (5, 10, 15, 20 years far left)

 

DDR C-2.jpg

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1st row: Deutsche Reichsbahn (Railway)

2nd row: Freiwillige Feuerwehr (Volunteer Fire Department)

3rd row: Left: Forstwirtschaft (Forestry). Right: Wasserwirtschaft (Water Management)

4th row: Zoll (Customs)

 

DDR-E-1.jpg

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In the 1980's trials were made to test a new uniform. As far as I know it was not introduced but rank insignia were made for all ranks. Larger ones to wear on the left sleeve, smaller oval ones for wear on the hat. Marksmanship lanyards (Army, Navy) on the right.

 

DDR D-1.jpg

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Last but not least "Lametta" / "The brass", a board of all branches General's insignia for comparison. Please feel free to add your DDR insignia here. Thanks for looking!

 

DDR F-2.jpg

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This makes an excellent DDR insignia reference. A lot of work on your part but I know it will be appreciated by collectors looking at it later to identify their insignia.

 

Thanks for the work to put this up!

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  • 2 years later...
  • 1 year later...

Great photo, obviously officially made. Looks like one Fallschirmjäger Leutnant is helping his comrade with the second (Leutnant) star while there´s still a (promotion?) ceremony going on. Would love to know the "official description" of the photo.

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