DDR Foreign awards to a DDR Navy Captain

[Riley1965]

I have a very nice uniform of a DDR Navy Captain of the Medical Service. It was definately worn. There are laundry tags on the shirt jacket and pants. What Foreign awards would he possibly receive. USSR? Warsaw Pact countries? The single badge on the side with the fouragerre was on the uniform. The three badges on the other side were put on by me. They are all I have. I only have a 30 Year Long Service Police Medal.

Doc

Edited July 11, 2009 by Riley1965

[Paul R]

I would love to see some closeups of the insignia and awards! :jumping:

[Riley1965]

I would love to see some closeups of the insignia and awards!

Hi Paul,

I'll try to get some close-ups. However, I haven't bought a new camera. The one I have doesn't do close-ups very well.

Doc

[Riley1965]

Is this uniform a Parade service or what. I don't have a clue.

Doc

[Gordon Craig]

Doc,

With the aigulette in wear, this would be termed the "Grosser Gesellschaftsanzug Nr. 1 (Sommer)". This form of dress would also call for the wear of a daggerl. Medals would be worn instead of a ribbon bar. The rank would be Kapitan zur See. He may have had some foreign awards from other Warsaw Pact armed forces but you would have to build an entire medal bar for the NVA to start with and then think about what foreign awards to include. He would probably have some awards for meritorious service in the NVA and possibly at least 15 years of service for this rank. As a doctor he would probably wear a civilian university badge on his right breast. Since this badge was on the uniform when you got it it would be interesting to know what it looks like.

Regards,

Gordon

Edited July 11, 2009 by Gordon Craig

[Riley1965]

Here's the Badge that was on the uniform and the three that I added.

Doc

[Riley1965]

Here's the last badge I added.

Doc

[Gordon Craig]

Doc,

The Officers School badge worn on the right side is Soviet, as you are probably aware, and I think it would be correct for this uniform but I will have to check my files on that.

The other small badges were awarded to almost any, and everyone, in the DDR and would likely not be worn on this uniform. I'll try and do up a suggested list of awards for medals on the left side of the tunic but that will likely take a couple of days, or longer, as I am packing to move from Hungary back to Canada in mid August. Period pictures indicate that DDR naval officers wore fewer awards than their counterparts in the air or land elements of the NVA. There are also specific awards that were more likely to be worn by medical officers. This uniform would conform to the 1986 regulations so the medal bars would be a maximum of four across and as a Kapitan zur See he would probably have two rows of medals although not necessarily eight or more.

Regards,

Gordon

Edited July 12, 2009 by Gordon Craig

[Greg Collins]

I concur with Gordon that the medals currently on the uniform- all for Socialistic Work- are out of place. Here's what I'd expect to see (starting with the highest award):

-A Kampforden, possibly silver

-A Waffenbruderschaft, also silver

-Meritorious Mariner (a Merchant Fleet award)

-A Hufeland Medal (gold or silver)

-30th Ann. of the DDR

-30th Ann. of the NVA

-15 Years NVA Service

-10 Years NVA Service

-5 Years NVA Service

Possible foreign awards:

- Soviet Combat Cooperation (maybe- more often awarded to Admirals)

- Bulgarian Brotherhood in Arms (probably)

In my opinion, this would make a nice, convincing ribbon bar on this uniform (but you know what they say about opinions).

Edited July 12, 2009 by Greg Collins

[Gordon Craig]

Greg,

A nice run down on possible awards for this uniform. I have my doubts about the Waffenbruderschaft and the Merchant Marine awards though. You don't see them that often on Naval uniforms. Definately a Hufeland medal and the rest you list. As for foreign awards, I'd stay away from them unless we were talking about an Admiral, which you mentioned in one case.

As you say, this kind of thing boils down to personal preferrance and in the end, what you can get your hands on.

Doc,

As a senior medical doctor, the Soviet academy fits. At this rank it is very possible that he would have attended the Soviet Kirov Military Medical Academy in St Petersburg(Leningrad in those days). The Kirov trained (and still does) graduate medical doctors but also conducted post graduate courses up to PhD level. Warsaw Pact doctors attended there as well as Soviet military doctors.

The Hufeland Medal was basically a civilian award but is often found on NVA ribbon bars which are attributed to doctors.

Greg has certainly given you an excellent list of awards to work with in completing this uniform.

This is a edit with an addition on the Hufeland Medal. It was named after Christopher Wilhelm Hufeland and was awarded for significant contributions to health. Meant to say that during my post but forgot.

Regards,

Gordon

Edited July 12, 2009 by Gordon Craig

[Greg Collins]

Also, as this is the "Gala" uniform, you may not want to show all the awards an individual was entitled to- especially if you choose to go with medals instead of ribbon bars. What I'm getting at is this; this particular uniform was for evening wear or to a special event- perhaps a concert or luncheon- where too much "lettuce" would appear a bit gauch. As the DDR, like most countries, did not have miniature awards, the wearer would often restrict the number of awards worn to the highest achievements. I have seen this uniform, worn by a Lt. Colonel, with only one award- a silver Kampforden. Something to think about.

Edited July 13, 2009 by Greg Collins

[Riley1965]

Gentlemen,

Thank You for your help!!! Now to find all or some of those medals. I'll take off the badges I put on.

Doc

[Riley1965]

I have found the following medals. Which would work with this uniform?

DDR East Germany communist military medal For merit

East Germany: Defense of the Nation Long Service Medal

East Germany: NVA Reservist Service Medal in Bronze, Silver & Gold

East Germany: Medal for the 30th Anniversary of the DDR

East Germany: Civil Defense 10, 15 & 20 Year Service Medals

Doc

[Gordon Craig]

Doc,

Not exactly sure which medals you are talking about in the first two. Forget the Reservist medal. Here is a URL of DDR Awards, in case you don't have a good one, which may help with medal names etc. http://www.medals.lava.pl/de/ddr.htm You could use up to the 20 year long service but sticking with the 15 as the highest would probably be more realistic. As Greg says, you don't necessarily need all of the medals listed by him on this gala uniform.

Here is a photo from one of my reference books that illustrates what he is saying very well. The drawing on the left shows a General in parade dress with all of his awards (or the majority) being worn. On the right is an Admiral in the Gesellschaftanzug and the caption says that only the highest awards are to be worn hence a single row of four medals instead of a double row or more.

Regards,

Gordon

Edited July 13, 2009 by Gordon Craig

[Gordon Craig]

Doc,

Here is another pictures from "DV 010/0/005 Uniformarten und ihre Trageweise Bekleidungsvorschrift - 1986" of the two ways this tunic could worn. We have ben discussing the Grosser Gesellschaftanzug.

Regards,

Gordon

[Riley1965]

Again, Thanks Guys!!! I certainly don't want to get crazy with the medals. I'd like to mount 4 medals. I'll look for the ones you've listed.

Doc

[Riley1965]

Are these the Kampforden f?r Verdienste um Volk und Vaterland (O. for Merit for the Nation and Fatherland?

Doc

[Gordon Craig]

Doc,

Yes.

Gordon

[Greg Collins]

Hey Doc,

Old eyes being what they are- are the darker stripes on the ribbons of those orders red or maroon? If red, that award was given for hostile action while the maroon indicates more meritorious service. The red is quite rare (and more expensive). In my opinion, you'd be better off using the same award but with the maroon and yellow ribbon... much more commonly given.

[Riley1965]

Hey Doc,

Old eyes being what they are- are the darker stripes on the ribbons of those orders red or maroon? If red, that award was given for hostile action while the maroon indicates more meritorious service. The red is quite rare (and more expensive). In my opinion, you'd be better off using the same award but with the maroon and yellow ribbon... much more commonly given.

Thanks for the information!!! They are at a good price for the set.

Doc