DDR My DDR Police Collection

[Gordon Craig]

Dan,

Interesting document. Thanks for posting the additional pages.

Regards,

Gordon

[Hauptmann]

Dan,

Interesting document. Thanks for posting the additional pages.

Regards,

Gordon

Thanks Gordon. I wonder how many of these are still running around out there... at least this complete. You'd think most of these folks would have destroyed or otherwise gotten rid of these after the wall fell... but then again they estimate 80% of the population were working for the police in some capacity or another so perhaps there wasn't much of a point. But I was very happy to nab this one.

Dan

[Gordon Craig]

Dan,

There are lots of blank ones available on ebay.de but not many completed ones show up for sale. I don't think there was a lot of stigmatism associated with being a police helper. It is a long standing German tradition and not the same as being an informant for the STASI. Those people had a hard time after the wall fell and the files were opened. For example, the only East German fighter airplane accepted into the West German Luftwaffe, after the reunification of the forces, was the MiG 29. The Luftstreitcraft squadron pilots that flew the MiG 29 were offered positions in the Bundesluftwaffe and amost all of them accepted. After the STASI files were opened and researched it turned out that some of the East German MiG 29 pilots had been informers and seven of them "resigned" their commissions in the Bundesluftwaffe immediately.

Regards,

Gordon

Edited April 20, 2007 by Gordon Craig

[Hauptmann]

Dan,

There are lots of blank ones available on ebay.de but not many completed ones show up for sale. I don't think there was a lot of stigmatism associated with being a police helper. It is a long standing German tradition and not the same as being an informant for the STASI. Those people had a hard time after the wall fell and the files were opened. For example, the only East German fighter airplane accepted into the West German Luftwaffe, after the reunification of the forces, was the MiG 29. The Luftstreitcraft squadron pilots that flew the MiG 29 were offered positions in the Bundesluftwaffe and amost all of them accepted. After the STASI files were opened and researched it turned out that some of the East German MiG 29 pilots had been informers and seven of them "resigned" their commissions in the Bundesluftwaffe immediately.

Regards,

Gordon

Hi Gordon,

Many thanks for all this great info! I'd assumed they were on the same level as the informants and I was not aware that this was something they'd done for a long time. I guess they were similar then to our reserves here in the states? Helping at big events, traffic accidents, things of that nature.

Will definitely be keeping my eye out for more such docs in the future.

Thanks!

Dan

[Gordon Craig]

Dan,

Many people, and organizations, helped the police in the DDR. Young Pioneers as Crossing Guards for schools, FDJ members as street patrols and individual citizens patrolling with Police Officers. Here is a picture of a VOPO and his civilian assitant on patrol. Note the armband on the civilian's coat.

Regards,

Gordon

[Hauptmann]

Hi Gordon,

Very cool! And love the armband. I keep telling Vic and Gordon they each need to pick one up since generally they're dirt cheap, although very well made. I'm still keeping my eye peeled for the Border Guard version. I only saw it once a few years ago and hoping another pops up.

Thanks for posting the pic!

Dan

[jon m.]

Was Saalkreis located in Bezirk Halle?

[Hauptmann]

Was Saalkreis located in Bezirk Halle?

Hi Jon,

A good question! I myself have been wondering about the locations mentioned here. Hoping Gordon will be able to shed some light on this. Would love to see a map with the locations pointed out, if possible.

Dan

[Gordon Craig]

Gents,

I'm a little confused by the location reference. I assume you are refering to the picture I posted. The caption under the foto reads "Schutspolizist und freiwilliger Helfer im Bereich der VPI Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg W?hrend der Dienstdurchf?hrung". I hope this resolves the question.

Regards,

Gordon

[Hauptmann]

Gents,

I'm a little confused by the location reference. I assume you are refering to the picture I posted. The caption under the foto reads "Schutspolizist und freiwilliger Helfer im Bereich der VPI Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg W?hrend der Dienstdurchf?hrung". I hope this resolves the question.

Regards,

Gordon

Hi Gordon,

Actually, it's the locations mentioned in the helper ID I posted.

Dan

[Gordon Craig]

Dan,

Thanks. A litlle slow tonight. I'll be more awake tomorrow!

Regards,

Gordon

[Hauptmann]

Dan,

Thanks. A litlle slow tonight. I'll be more awake tomorrow!

Regards,

Gordon

Hi Gordon,

Not a problem my friend! I've been that way alot lately. Not been sleeping well... seems to happen every few months for some reason. That and early senility... my biggest excuse!

Dan

[Gordon Craig]

Was Saalkreis located in Bezirk Halle?

jon m,

Yes Saalkreis was in Bezirk Halle, Sachsen-Anhalt. According to the 1961 census there were 3,731 inhabitants.

Regards,

Gordon