DDR My First Uniform: Please Take a Look!

[Coinguy89]

If I got burned certainly it was a learning experience. I'm working on getting my second reference piece, a forum member actually has it for auction right now, a book of DDR uniforms in German. It will be over with tonight, hopefully I'm the winner. It's seriously high priced! Let me know what you guys think with this purchase. I will have some more reference materials for my next purchase so if I made a mistake I will learn from it.

[Gordon Craig]

coinguy89,

A nice Bereitschaft police uniform. It has the correct style collar tabs for an enlisted man and matches the shoulderboards well. Barracks police had a slightly different colour of green than that used by the VOPO.

The best general uniform references are Keubke's books. His first one "Uniformen der Nationalen Volkesarmy der DDR 1956-1986" would be useful if you don't speak German because there is an English translation available for it. A copy of the unpdated volum of this book "Militarische Uniformen in der DDR 1949-1990" is useful because it covers the whole period of the DDR military uniforms including the early police and the DfD. The only hat book worth buying is Wilhelm Zoller's "Kopfbedeckungen militarisch uniformierter Organizationen in Europe - Detsche Demokratische Republik 1945-1990". The neweset book on the market, and this is a reprint, is pictures of the NVA and is useful for general reference for the everyday wear of the uniform. It is, 'Die Nationale Volkesarmee' from Siegler Verlag Gmbh.

Regards,

Gordon

Edited March 22, 2007 by Gordon Craig

[Paul R]

Hi!

I cannot see the uniform photo?

Paul

[Coinguy89]

Hi!

I cannot see the uniform photo?

Paul

Hopefully that works.

[Paul R]

I love the set too!! Congrats on your find! These are not the most common tunics to find!

Regards

PAul

[Gordon Craig]

coinguy89,

Thanks for the additional pictures. Especially of the time in service stripes on the lower left sleeve. One of the common problems with buying DDR tunics is having previous owners "adding" items. This is often done with Time in Service stripes. I have rarely seen these tunic where these stripes are original to the tunic. One way to check this is to see if they are sewn through the lining. As a general rule, they should not be sewn through the lining if they were applied correctly. I say general rule because we can never be 100% sure of anything in collecting unless we wore the uniform in service ourselves. The Time in Service stripes were implimented in 1965 and discontinued a few years later but I can not remember exactly when. Perhaps someone else can fill in that info.

Regards,

Gordon

[Hauptmann]

So glad you managed to get this one! A great first purchase. Keep up the good work and before long you'll have a slew of them.

Dan

Edited March 23, 2007 by Hauptman