Gordon Craig

Charles, Great tunic and a nice find with all the badges/awards in place. Please post pictures of the cap asap please. Love to see one in the flesh! Seems a low rank, Szakasz Parancsnok, for a Professor? I wish we had more info on those who wore these tunics. We'll have to get together soon so I can see it in the flesh. Cheers, Gordon

#17 Thats all for today folks. Buy the books. Know your subject. Cheers, Gordon

#16

#15

#14 Very rare book and this thin volume will cost you.

#13 I beleive Paul wants one of these.

#12

#11

#10

#9 Buying one of these period magazines is only worth it if it contains an article of particular interest to you.

#8 The author of this book planned on doing a whole series on different subjects. This one didn't sell well so no more were produced. The reason they didn't sell was probably because of the size. It is a very small book for a reference one. Bring money of you want to buy one of these, if you can find one.

#7

#6

#5

#4 original manuals are always useful. If you buy one on ebay.de make sure you know if you are getting an original one or a photocopyed one.

#3 These small calendars contain some good rank charts and some colour pictures of Warsaw Pact stuff. The 1990 issue is the most common. I don't own any other years so can not comment on them as being useful or not.

#2, This is a three book set and for the life on me I can not think of a good reason why I only brought volume three with me except that it contains DDR stuff!

Gents, Here are some DDR reference books from my library. When I find time I'll post more. I'll only comment on the book if there is something specific to say about it. If it is pictured here I beleive it is worth having in your library. All of these books came from Germany.

Paul, The GST was probably one of the largest mass organization in the DDR. They were responsible for all premilitary training right up to parachute training. GST hats, second type, are plentiful but GST uniforms are not. Especially the early short jackets. Hard to know why, considering how many people wore these uniforms. I own two of the long tunics and the only pair of matching trouser I have ever seen. A short jacket should be on the way. I've never seen any of these uniforms for sale outside of Germany. Regards, Gordon

A partial view of the helmet display in the Budapest Fireman's museum. Regards, Gordon

The helmet in wear with the plastic face shield.

The helmet in wear. In this picture the helmet appears to have worked as a crash helmet as well!

Interior of the helmet.

Side view of the helmet.

Gents, I have arbitrarily decided to call this fireman's helmet the M60 model because it appears to have come into use in the 1960s. I do not have any reference to its actual designation but I will try to find that out on my next visit to the Fireman's Museum. The helmet is silver in colour and is made of layers of silver fibreglass cloth. It is painted silver on the exterior. It is not painted on the interior. The edges of the helmet are protect with a black plastic band running completely around the helmet. This plastic band is rivited into place. The liner is made of leather and appears to be leather pads with compressable plastic foam inside. If you hold the helmet level there doesn't seem to be a front or a back but there is only one way it will fit on your head and once there it is obvious there is only one way to wear this helmet. The chinstrap is also leather and fastens with a square metal piece on one side of the chinstrap and a hook on the other (right) side. There is a metal holder on each side of the exterior of the helmet for a plastic face shield that did not come with this helmet. There are also leather tabs, with metal press studs, around the back of the liner for attaching a neck flap which appears to have been seldom worn as I have never seen one in wear in a picture of a fireman with this helmet on. Frontal view of the helmet.