Gordon Craig

Alex, Very interesting video. Really adds to the thread. Thanks very much for posting it. Regards, Gordon

Humberto, Thanks. Fun things to do. Regards, Gordon

Richarddwh, Perhaps you were thinking of the Austrian Order of the Republic or the Order of Merit when you started this thread. Regards, Gordon

Humberto, My pleasure. Regards, Gordon

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE NVA AFTER 2 OCTOBER 1990? This is a question that I have often wondered about. Here we have a complete, well trained army and they can not just disappear upon Unification. Torsten has told us about the offer made to the officer cadets to take an early release from the officers school but what happened to the serving officers, NCOs and enlisted men? They couldn’t have been demobilized ON 2 October 1990. The economy could not have absorbed all those unemployed people at once. Well, quite by accident I discovered what happened to at least some of the serving NVA military after 2 Oct. I was researching a West German Army breast badge for Jäegerbataillon 581 when I came across the following; On the 7th of October 1990 Bundeswehr Jäger Battalion 581 was formed in Berlin. The Initial cadre of the battalion was formed from the staff of the dissolved Guards Regiment Friedrich Engels and Guards Regiment Hugo Eberlein of the National People's Army (NVA) and the Bundeswehr Training Support Staff (West) {Ausbildungsunterstützungspersonal (West)}. They came under operational control of the 42nd Tank Brigade “Brandenburg” (formerly Territorial Brigade 42) {Panzerbrigade 42 “Brandenburg” (ehemals Heimatschutzbrigade 42)}. Territorial Brigades are reserve units in the BW. On 14 November 1991 at the barracks at Treptow Park , (which had been occupied by Telegraph Battalion No. 1 during the imperial era of the Prussian army) Jäger Battalion 581 was called-up for the awarding of the troop flag and the first solemn vow . In the autumn 1992 the battalion with about 750 soldiers moved to Berlin Kladow in the former Montgomery Barracks of the British Berlin Infantry Brigade. It was the only armed BW organization in the federal capital at this time. No shooting exercises were performed in Berlin. This took place at Truppenübungsplatz Doberitz. On 14 September 1993, the barracks was renamed the Blücher Barracks But the story does not end here for; My research indicates that Panzerbrigade 42, the parent unit of JB 581, was formed by at least part of the1. Motorisierten Schützendivision (First Motorized Rifle Division), of the dissolved National People's Army of the GDR. So there you have at least part of the answer. Other research indicates that not all of the members of the NVA wished to stayed in the armed forces of the BRD and they were released to civilian life. Others were not allowed to stay in the BW. For example, all General Officers of the NVA were retired prior to 2 October 1990 with the exception of one General in the medical service. Here is the breast badge worn on the right breast pocket of the dress uniform of JB 581. Also shown is what is supposed to be the cloth arm badge of JB 581. I have no proof at this time that this cloth badge was ever worn on the uniforms of JB 581. If it was worn, it would have been on the left arm between the elbow and the shoulder. Regards, Gordon

Humberto, Yes there is. Try Gowen Militaria. He is in the U.S. Most of my stuff comes through friends in Germany. Regards, Gordon

Turtle, Thanks for the kind words. Regards, Gordon

THE EMBROIDERED BADGE IN SILVER. I DO NOT HAVE A PICTURE OF A GOLD EMBROIDERED BADGE TO SHOW AT THIS TIME.

THE RIBBON BARS. I DO NOT HAVE A PICTURE OF THE LEVEL III BAR AT THIS TIME.

THE GOLD AND RED BADGE SHOWING THE NEXT STYLE OF BADGE WITH A SOLID BACK AND THE FINAL DESIGN IN THE GOLD AND BLUE VERSION WITH THE HOLLOW BACK.

BAYERNISCHES - FEUERWEHR LEISTUNGSABZEICHEN BAVARIAN FIREMAN’S PERFORMANCE BADGE AUTHORIZED IN BRONZE, SILVER AND GOLD IN 1959. THE BADGES MEASURED 35MM X 45MM THE BADGES WERE AWARDED ON SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF A PERFORMANCE TEST. THE FIREMAN HAD TO WAIT 2 YEARS UNTIL HE COULD TAKE THE PERFORMANCE TEST AGAIN FOR A HIGHER LEVEL BBADGE.. THE BRONZE BADGE WAS FIRST ISSUED IN 1959, THE SILVER BADGE WAS FIRST ISSUED IN 1961 AND THE GOLD BADGE WAS FIRST ISSUED IN 1966. THE STAGES OF THE BADGE WERE; BRONZE - LEVEL I SILVER - LEVEL II GOLD - LEVEL III - SECOND COMPLETION OF LEVEL II THE FIRST BRONZE AND SILVER BADGES WERE STAMPED, HOLLOW AND PERFORATED. THEY MAY BE FOUND WITH TWO DIFFERENT PIN DEVICES. A SINGLE THIN PIN WITH A SEPARATE HINGE AND LATCH AND A ONE PIECE HINGE AND LATCH ON A FLAT PIECE OF METAL. THE ONE PIECE HINGE/LATCH ARRANGEMENT APPEARS TO BE OF A LATER PERIOD THAN THE SEPARATE HINGE AND LATCH. THE FIRST GOLD BADGES WERE SOLID WITH A SIMPLE OPEN DESIGN ON THE BACK AND HAD A TWO PIECE HINGE AND LATCH CONFIGURATION. BEGINNING IN THE LATE 1990s THE BADGES WERE HOLLOW BACKED WITH THE ONE PIECE HINGE AND LATCH. IN 1997 THREE NEW LEVELS OF THIS BADGE WERE AUTHORIZED. STAGE III - 3 GOLD AND BLUE - THIRD COMPLETION OF LEVEL II STAGE III - 4 GOLD AND GREEN - FOURTH COMPLETION OF LEVEL II STAGE III - 5 GOLD AND RED - FIFTH COMPLETION OF LEVEL II THE SAME TWO YEAR PERIOD BETWEEN PERFORMANCE TEST WAS REQUIRED FOR THE AWARDING OF THESE BADGES. THE GOLD AN D RED BADGE WAS EARNED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 2003. ALL BADGES EARNED CAME WITH A RIBBON BAR AND A STICK PIN FOR WEAR WITH CIVILIAN CLOTHES. THE RIBBON BARS WERE THE COLOUR OF THE AWARD FOR THE FIRST THREE LEVELS WITH A SILVER MINIATURE OF THE BADGE IN THE CENTRE OF THE RIBBON. FOR THE NEXT THREE LEVELS THE RIBBON WAS GOLD WITH A SILVER MINIATURE OF THE BADGE IN THE CENTRE AND HAD A BLUE, GREEN OR RED STRIPE ON BOTH EDGES OF THE RIBBON BAR TO DENOTE THE LEVEL OF THE AWARD. IN THE YEAR 2000 THE LEVELS WERE CHANGED TO BE KNOW AS LEVEL 1 TO 6. THIS BADGE ALSO EXISTS IN AN EMBROIDERED TYPE BUT ONLY IN SILVER AND GOLD BULLION. ONLY THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF BADGE IS WORN. THE FIRST PICTURES ARE OF THE BRONZE AND SILVER STAMPED, CUTOUT BADGES.

Another Berlin Polizei cap. This time for the traffic polizei. Regards, Gordon

Long Thrust VI, Thanks for your additional comments. I am glad that you found the web site and are posting to this sub forum. I started posting to it again recently because it has been inactive for a few months and will probably be removed if there is no recent activity. As you can see, I used to moderate the HUPR forum which no longer exists because of lack of posts to it. Now I moderate the Eastern European forum. You didn't "hijack" this thread but I guess we should stay more on topic and perhaps start another thread on Berlin polizei uniforms. Regards, Gordon

Red Eagle, Thanks for your comment. I didn't recognize the pistol and holster. Lots of interesting information in these photos. Regards, Gordon

Alex K, Interesting comment on the cap cords. I do not own a Berlin polizei visor cap with the embroidered insignia for comparison although I would certainly like to add one to my collection! These are high quality caps so perhaps they do have thicker cap cords or it might be just the way they look in the foto. Hard for me to say. Here is another high quality cap by Alkero from the Berlin Feuerwehr for cap cord comparison. Regards, Gordon

AN EXAMPLE OF THE RIBBON FOR A SILVER AWARD.

NIEDERSACHSEN LOWER SAXONY LANDESFEUERWEHRVERBANND (LFV) STATE FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION ABZEICHEN FÜR LANGJÄHRIGE MITGLIEDSCHAFT BADGES FOR LONG-TIME MEMBERSHIP THE STATE FIRE FIGHTERS ASSOCIATION OF THE STATE OF LOWER SAXONY, AT A MEETING IN THE CITY OF DIEPHOLZ, AUTHORIZED THIS BADGE ON THE 30TH OF MAY 1992. THERE WAS A PIN BACK BADGE, A RIBBON BAR AND A CERTIFICATE AWARDED. THEY WERE AWARDED FOR 25, AND 40 YEARS IN SILVER AND FOR 50, 60, AND 70 IN GOLD. A MINIATURE OF THE BADGE IS CENTRED ON THE RIBBON BAR. THE EDGES OF THE RIBBON BAR WILL BE SILVER FOR THE 25 AND FORTY YEAR BADGES AND IN GOLD FOR 50, 60 AND 70 YEARS. THE BADGE WAS IN THE SHAPE OF A ROUND BOTTOM SHIELD WITH THE NUMBER OF YEARS IN A CIRCLE AT THE TOP OF THE BADGE. THE BADGE MEASURES 28MM X 37MM. WRITTEN ACROSS THE BACK OF MY BADGE IS; GES.GESCH. VERSANDHAUSDFVBONN REGARDS, GORDON A PICTURE OF THE BADGE AND RIBBON BAR IN MY COLLECTION.

Red Eagle, Thanks for posting pictures of your schakos and the different badges. I've posted mine on the Police sub forum but not here. Your web page, which I refer to often, is a great resource. Thanks for taking the time to build it. Regards, Gordon

Long Thrust VI, Interesting photos. Thanks for posting them. BEPO stands for Bereitschaftpolizei which is usually translated to English as Barracks Police. This organization was used in riot control etc. and were more heavily armed than the regular Berlin police force. The BEPO appear to be carrying French rifles which was one of the firearms they were issued with in the early post war years. The wearing of the schako was was discontinued sometime in the 60s. In Red Eagles post he shows two schakos for the Berlin BEPO. The badges on the Schakos are slightly different. The earlier schako badge had an older style crown dating back to pre-war years. The later badge had a more modern crown. The flag in the picture with Kennedy in it is very interesting to me. Regards, Gordon

Red, Nice display. Especially the cased Berlin medals. Here is the version of the visor cap you posted with the metal insignia. The same maker as your cap. Regards, Gordon

Long Thrust VI Since Berlin was not considered part of West Germany, early West Berlin Polizei visor caps did not have cockade in the state colours of West Berlin. I do not know for certain when the cockade was added but probably sometime in the 1960s. Here is a picture from my photo archives showing the visor cap without the cockade and only the Berlin polizei star. Regards, Gordon

I have been unable to find an actual picture of the 45 year badge. Only a drawing of what it might look like. Ribbon bars seem to be much more common and some pictures show the 45 year ribbon bar in a case with the gold 35 year award. More research is needed here.