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And reverse - The number is 3523.

Here is my early 1950s numbered Grenztruppen Medaille fue vorbildlichen Grenzdienst that I found in a flea market on West Berlin's 17 Juli Stra?e. It was in the bottom of a box full of junk insignia mostly from West Germany. It was also really nast looking, especially the soiled ribbon. So I had to break my rule of not cleaning medals and washed the ribbon and cleaned the layers of dirt and gunk off of the medal. Kevin

Ed - I do have a ribbon bar that contains the Medaille f?r K?mpfer gegen Faschismus 1933-45. I found it interesting that it is placed first in front of the other NVA medals. I recall hearing that old Anti-Fascist fighters and communist concentration camp victims were revered in the DDR. Kevin

Ed - Excellent! I've seen these medals in books, but have never seen one up close. Kevin

Gerd - I found this medal bar and the VVO in a coin store on Karl-Marx allee around 1988 when I was stationed in the Berlin Brigade. I picked up several other medals and badges at this store as well. The medals are numbered 00407 and 01360. I also have an early 1950s numbered Grenztruppen Medaille fue vorbildlichen Grenzdienst that I found in a flea market on West Berlin's 17 Juli Stra?e. I'll post it here if anyone is interested. Unfortunately I was more interested in Soviet insignia and medals back then and as a result didn't pick up a lot of quality early DDR stuff that is now very difficult to find. Kevin

Marcus - Don't have a clue on why he earned two silver Verdienstmedaille der NVA. Perhaps two periods of achievement/service that were equal in merit. Yes the last medal is the 5 year Medellie fur treue Dienste in der KVP. The simular ribboned medal for the NVA was only awarded from 1956-1957. Both are only found in bronze. From 1957-1959 there was a silver and a bonze medal which like the earlier KVP and NVA medals didn't have the DDR state symbol on the flag, but had the black, red, yellow and green ribbon used in later Medellie fur treue Dienste. From 1960 on to the end they are the standard medals, most of which you see in my ribbon bar, Bronze (5 years), Silver (10 years), Gold (15 years) and Gold with an XX device and color enamel flags (20 years). You are right about the shortage of references. There were several medal references published by the DDR, but unfortunately they are a bit hard to find. The best is Auszeichnungen der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik, printed in 1979 which shows both civil and military medals in color and black & white plates. Even the Bartel's references are expensive and hard to come by in the US. I have the older Bartel medal and badge books which I brought back from my service in Berlin. Kevin

My VVO in Silver -

Close up showing numbered medals - They are marked .900 silver on the bottom rim.

And the reverse -

Here is one of my East German medal bars. It is an excellent older one but does have a flaw...one of the medals has come loose from it's hanger loop. Rule of thumb with DDR medals and insignia...the older the better quality. Stuff from the 1980s really lacks the quality of medals and badges from the 1960s-1970s.

Chris here are the German names of these medals and badges - Medal Bar: From left to right Medellie fur treue Dienste in der NVA 5 years and 10 years, Verdienstmedaille der NVA Bronze and Silber. Erinnerungsabzeichen der Ministeriums fur Staatssicherheit (Stasi) for 30 and 35 years Leistungsabzeichen der NVA Kampfsportabzeichen der Ministeriums des Innern (Police, Customs, etc...) Vaterlandisher Verdienstorden (VVO) in Silber, it is an older harder to find .925 silver medal. Kevin

Very interesting, I've never seen them come in a box before. Kevin

My limited number of Volksmarine enlisted shoulder boards. Including an NCO SB with a justice shield and border guard background color of green.

Paul, Thanks much. If only I had the space for uniforms to put all of shoulder boards on. Kevin

Here is a color selection of Major to Oberst. These shine a bit and are hard to scan properly. The are Armor, Border Guard, Air Force, Infantry, Signal, Air Defense, Airborne and Rear Services (Medical). I have many more types of NVA SBs, but I've run out of steam, this is the last posting for the night.

A selection of color Underleutnant to Hauptmann. Artillery, Signal, Border Guard, Air Force, Stasi and Air Defense.

Scanning boards as I pull them out of the box. Next up a selection of Fahnrich to Stabsoberfahnrich. Signal, Air Force, Infantry, Stasi, Armor, Airborne and Border Guard . Some have textile backgrounds some wool/felt.

A selection of Infantry - White, Border Guard - Green, Stasi - Brick Red and Signal - Yellow NCO SBs.

No, just the General's cap insignia. I was not interested in AF at the time. Note that Luftwaffe was a TR & West German term, the NVA used Luftstreitkrafte/Luftverteidigung (Air Forces/Air Defense)

Fahnrichschuler 2 Studienjahr Infantry. This is the only pair I have, other branches are on my want list.

Army General's Hat Badge, collar tabs, and shoulder boards for Generalmajor and Armeegeneral.

Border Guard Cap Insignia, collar tabs and Generalleutnant board.

Field/Subdued Soldat/Matrose, Gefreiter/Obermatrose, Unteroffizer/Maat. I have yet to get the NCO ranks, they are on my want list.

Had to take a break to carve pumpkins. Here are some more...

Which boards? Field Subdued? They were worn by all branches of the East German armed forces.