ehrentitle

It's indeed a great book and I have a copy in my library. I talked to Ralph a couple of weeks ago. He is still working on the second book, which promises to be even better than the first.

Here you go, here is a BdA document from my collection. It's been a number of years since I've bought a BdA document so I can't comment on current prices: Kevin

They come up occasionally on US E-bay in the range of $150-$300 depending on condition and if they have the original numbered box and additional straps. I purchased mine a year ago for $200, but East German para items have been increasing in value over the last year or so. Kevin

It's not exactly what you are looking for but this thread talks about DDR VOPO deployed to Namibia on a UN peacekeeping mission, it's on the WAF DDR Forum: http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/showthread.php?t=163155

I've uploaded a few video clips of the Tag der Republik Parade (Day of the Republic) Parade that I attended on October 7, 1988. It took place on Karl Marx Allee in East Berlin. I attended this parade while a member of the US Army Berlin Brigade along with a friend who was stationed at the time with the Army in West Germany. I took video and he used my camera to take still images. We were probably about 500 meters from the reviewing stand near the start of the parade for the armored vehicles. It's not the best quality video after 20 years on a VHS tape. But I've been told that this video footage is somewhat rare since 99% of the video you see from these parades was taken by official DDR sources. I've done two clips on the Volksmarine as this is my current collecting focus. First up the Volksmarine as they pass us: And a clip of the Volksmarine as they have rounded the turn to march past the reviewing stand. You can see that they are slightly out of step: Lastly members of the Volksarmee make the turn to the reviewing stand:

Kevin - These are both Gesellschaft für Sport und Technik (GST) badges a DDR paramilitary youth organization. The "For Active Labor" gold pin is relatively common and was used from the early 1960s to 1990. There are 4 earlier version of this pin from the 50s which are much rarer. As to what it was awarded for I'm not certain, but my hunch is that it was given for active involvement in the organization. Kevin

JD - Welcome to the GMIC DDR forum. One of my collecting areas in NVA Fallschirmjäger uniforms, badges, equipment, etc. I'm registered on www.nva-fallschirmjaeger.de as Ehrentitle, but unfortunately my German is limited so I don't contribute. Kevin

Gordon, What a great find to cap off your time in Hungary. Kevin

It is a great book indeed. Ralph is working on a second book and it's even better than the first!

Grey was for wear with the field uniform and Orange with the dress uniform. I can't speak for other countries, but US Airborne forces only wear one color beret, Maroon.

Just in case you should ever come across one, here are examples from my collecting showing the medal without the rim next to the one with the rim:

Dan - Nice medal. Note that there is also an older version of the Waffenbruderschaft Medals without the rim.

Grant - That's within the current range of prices you see them sell for on E-bay. Some have sold for as much as $50-$60 or more. Older berets and larger sizes generally command higher values. Kevin

Grant - Very nice. Especially the para beret which are becoming more expensive each year.

Grant - Here is a thead on the WAF DDR forum which has all of the date codes: http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/sho...ead.php?t=38158 II G would be 2nd Quarter 1981 On the Para Beret, I N would be 1st Quarter 1989. It also appears to be Size 2 which is next to the smallest size (1-4).

Yes, but since the tunic is dated II B = 2nd Quarter 1972 you would need the early general qualification badge.

The medal in post #157 is the Medaille fur ausgezeichnete Leistungen im Wettbewerb (Medal for outstanding performance in competition) It was awarded since 1953 for high performance and exemplary initiatives in the socialist competition for the all-round performance and economy by outdoing the targeted plan as well as to intensify the use of all complex factors that have contributed to higher productivity and effectiveness. It was awarded to individuals or groups of up to 25.

No problem. These are not that common here in the US. When they show up on Ebay they sell at between $15 -$25 each. Kevin

Paul - I had been told that they are close to the color used by the Gebirgsj?ger. But since I don't collect TR shoulderboards I have no clue if this is true. Kevin

Paul, Look at post #26 in this thread, this is a sport parachute badge of the Flug und Fallschirmsportverband der DDR (FFSV).

I suspect the Hunter Green color of the boards is close to some Third Reich Wehrmacht branch color and that these have been either sold as originals or as copies.

Paul, Here is the back of a DDR Feuerwehr booklet that shows the professional and volunteer firefighter insignia. As you can see there is a difference between the collar insignia of the two. Kevin

Paul - Very nice! For some reason I've always been drawn to the rear services shoulderboards. Kevin

It's from the early 1970s and was awarded to officers who had a degree from a civilian college or university. See this excellent thread on Graduation Badges on the WAF DDR forum: http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/sho...ead.php?t=84167

Kim, It's not uncommon to see printed names on one DDR award document and then hand printed on another.