DDR NVA POLITICAL OFFICERS

[drewchaneyau]

G'day Group. I am a worldwide collector of POLITICAL OFFICER CADRE insignia...

Can anyone in the forum please help me to acquire information about the NVA Political Officers uniform accoutrment, insignia and regalia?

What items of insignia was worn by these chaps to distinguish themsleves as such?

Did they do so?

Did they receive special training?

Where? What was awarded to them for this training?

Did they receive any further political specific awards during their service period or career?

Looking forward to any advice, suggestions and information

Drew

[Gordon Craig]

Drew,

I posted your question on the DDR Sub Forum of the WAF as I said in our PM exchange. The responses were from two ex NVA officers. Torsten and AR-11. You can find there responses here http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/sho...266#post2387266

Basically what they said was that there were no special academies for political officers but it was a separate course within each combat arm taught at the Officers school. For example, you were a political officer in the Artillery and took some training as an Artillery officer but most of your studies were of a political or psycological nature. There were no special badges or rank insignia. A political officer in an artillery unit wore the same arm of service colour as the unit he was assigned to.

Regards,

Gordon

Edited January 6, 2008 by Gordon Craig

[Taz]

Hi Gordon,

Wouldn't the "Wilhelm Pieck" Milit?rpolitische Hochschule der NVA (MPHS) be classed as a special acadamy for political officers? Or did they mention that in their post?

Regards Eddie.

[Gordon Craig]

Taz,

No they didn't mention that in their post. It is a very good question however. There was a post to a thread on Sondereinheiten.de Forum by PD47 that basically said the same thing as you did, on The Soviet Military Awards Page Forum, about graduates of the Wilhelm Pieck" Milit?rpolitische Hochschule der NVA. They went on to senior positions in higher formations at Regiment and Brigade level. There are references on the web to men in the rank of Oberst or Fregattenkapit?n attending MPHS so perhaps Political Officers started their careers in Officers School and before moving on to senior political appointments in the NVA had to attend MPHS. I'll ask that question of those who posted to the WAF DDR Forum.

Regards,

Gordon

Edited January 7, 2008 by Gordon Craig

[drewchaneyau]

Taz,

No they didn't mention that in their post. It is a very good question however. There was a post to a thread on Sondereinheiten.de Forum by PD47 that basically said the same thing as you did, on The Soviet Military Awards Page Forum, about graduates of the Wilhelm Pieck" Milit?rpolitische Hochschule der NVA. They went on to senior positions in higher formations at Regiment and Brigade level. There are references on the web to men in the rank of Oberst or Fregattenkapit?n attending MPHS so perhaps Political Officers started their careers in Officers School and before moving on to senior political appointments in the NVA had to attend MPHS. I'll ask that question of those who posted to the WAF DDR Forum.

Regards,

Gordon

G'day Guys....this topic is now fast becoming a crusade ........ My thanks for the renewed impetus and enthusiasm! Luckily it's still early days at work and the slow trickle of staff coming back from leave has resulted in me having a 'google deutschland' day....so a bit of info coming through, albeit in German. I'm trying desperately to translate....but it appears you are right. It looks like Officers pursue a normal career via the Land Forces, Air Force or Naval Officers Hochschule. Within the 2nd year of this officer schooling the cadets learn all about POLITICAL WORK etc...It is not clear if Political Officers are chosen, earmarked etc or steered in to the career of the Political Officer at this stage by higher authorities etc. It is clear though that after completion of Officers School the new young officer undertakes his / her first officers service position within a normal unit. After this service attendance at the Militarpolitische Hochschule Wilhelm Pieck is possible.........although not sure if this requires some sort of recommendation by a superior officer etc. I think the text then indicates that the young officer still undertakes their normal role whilst studying at Pieck......once all the subjects are under their belt and the course passed, the officer then becomes a strellvretreter to the battalion chief. Here the real role of political, social, cultural and morale enforcer comes to play, along party lines/ It appears once this occurs the career path as Political Officer is further nurtured by enhanced study at the Pieck Academy and possibly at the Higher Military Academy Friedrich Engels - and even further study in the USSR.

Drew

[Gordon Craig]

Drew,

It would be normal for an NVA officer with good prospects in the service to attend a mid level USSR Military Academy in his arm of service at the rank of Captain or Major. Later, if he was destined for greater things, at the rank of Colonel or Major General he would be sent to one of the senior USSR Academies such as the Frunz Academy or Voroshilov although others are possibilities as well. No doubt this could happen to Political Officers as well.

Regards,

Gordon

[Taz]

Hi again guys,

Here is the information that I posted on the MPHS over at Soviet-awards which is the reason why I asked if they had mentioned it.

In my opinion this has to be classed as a special Acadamy for political officers. The Ministry of State Security Acadamies almost certainly had more intense Political training too. At other schools and Acadamies Political training would have been mandatory to a certain level.

The "Wilhelm Pieck" Milit?rpolitische Hochschule der NVA (MPHS) was located in in Berlin - Gr?nau.

This Academy was for NVA officers who wanted to follow an NVA political career.

After Graduation from the MPHS they could be promoted to "Stellvertreter" of the Battalion Commander or work in the Arbeitsgruppe "Polit" of a Regiment, Brigade or the equivilant.

They were not only responsible for the Political training of the soldiers, also they were for the organisation of the Culture and Freizeit of the soldiers in their Regiment, Brigade etc. Also they helped the Commander by the organisation of "Wettbewerbe" and were responsible for any other duties the Commander thought fitting.

MPHS students were also able to study in Military Academies, either at the MAK in Dresden or Moskau.

Regards Eddie.

[German.Militaria]

Guys, the Politoffiziere went to study at the OHS just like all other officer students. After the 4 years at OHS they graduated as Politoffiziere with a particular army specialisation. They did go on to attend Wilhelm Pieck later on if they were destined for higher things, but they were Politoffiziere after the OHS. Of course other 'normal' officers could have always changed their carreer paths into becoming Politoffiziere later on .. but not many what have wanted to ... including me ... ;-) . Cheers, Torsten.