DDR Dynamo

[Greg Collins]

The Dynamo was the sports organization of the Ministry for State Security and the Police. It was divided into three sizes- the SC (sport club), the SG (Sportgemeinschaft- Sports community), and the SV (Sportvereinigung- Sports association). The SG Dynamo could have several SC Dynamos attached to it while the SV Dynamo could have several SG's and associated SC's attached to it. The SC Dynamo would concentrate on a single sport; the SG's would have a couple to a few sports under the same roof; the SV would have several sports under the same roof. The main Dynamo was SV Dynamo Berlin, and was headed by Erich Mielke- head of the Stasi- from it's inception in 1953 until 1989.

I have a reasonable collection of Dynamo items I thought I'd share. First off, an early bronze honour badge (full size and miniature) and document from 1961.

[Greg Collins]

Next, the silver honour badge (full size and miniature) and document to the same individual in 1968. Note Erich Mielke's stamped signature.

[Greg Collins]

The next image is the gold honour badge (full size and miniature) to the same individual. The flag of the badge went from the tri-colour to red in 1973; this document is dated 1977. Note Erich Mielke's actual signature here.

[Greg Collins]

A detail of Mielke's hand signature on the previous document. It seems he used a ball point when signing this.

[Greg Collins]

The previous documents did not come to me with mappe (document covers); the next two did; the silver in a dark red cloth covered mappe and the gold in a red leatherette mappe.

[Greg Collins]

The silver full sized badge and document from 1973 (the first year of the "red flag" issue). Erich Mielke's signature is stamped.

[Greg Collins]

Next, the full sized gold badge and document, to the same individual, dated 1979. Again, Erich Mielke's hand signature (must have been reserved for gold).

[Greg Collins]

This post would not respond to Full Editor.

Edited September 20, 2009 by Greg Collins

[Greg Collins]

A detail of Mielke's signature; a fountain pen, I believe.

[Greg Collins]

A collection of Dynamo honour badges. The red case is for the full sized gold badge. The badge I'm lacking is the gold badge with tri-colour flag- still looking.

[Greg Collins]

A Dynamo gold master pin from 1968.

[Greg Collins]

A couple of next-to-last-model Kampfsport badges (ignore the top badge- I'll discuss that in another post). These are bronze and silver, although the silver has, apparently, been coloured by the tree-sap resin coating.

[Greg Collins]

All three Dzierzynski Sportler badges from SG Adlershof. The top badge was given between 1969-1989; the other two from 1988-1989.

[Greg Collins]

A gold and silver Bestenermittlung (good determination) badge... I don't have a date on these. These were for police, and you can see the police "star" joined to the D.

[Greg Collins]

Some Dynamo stick pins. The various locations had specific pins, while the plain "D" pins were general. The "Sports Club" pin was for Berlin.

[Greg Collins]

Last, for now, a Dynamo flag complete with paper label and hung, unceremoniously, on my clothes line.

[Gordon Craig]

Greg,

Very interesting thread on SV Dynamo badges. Superb reference with all of these badges pictured, identified and dated.

Regards,

Gordon

[Greg Collins]

Thanks, Gordon. I'm lucky enough to have a trusty copy of Bartel's 1998-99.

Ralph Pickard has indicated that there will be a Dynamo section in his next book. With the emphasis placed on the organization (doping, high profile sports/gymnastics/skating informers, etc.), it is impossible (to me, anyway) that someone would collect the Stasi without collecting Dynamo.

[Gordon Craig]

Greg,

I have a copy of Bartels as well but it doesn't put Dynamo things together the way your thread does.

Regards,

Gordon

[Greg Collins]

Thanks again, Gordon.

I guess that, since I didn't have the funds to chase the high dollar items when I began my collection, I went for the more obscure items that weren't as popular. As these items weren't popular, there wasn't a whole lot of material available on them so............ found a copy of the 1998-99 from the man himself, Frank Bartel, which began e-mailing back and forth; bought Ralph Pickard's book and, through the net, we've become friends; found a copy of the Feder book on the MfS; the rest is research, research and more research. At least the information is there, you just have to dig it up.

Also, I do "trawl" the German location of our favorite auction site... there are still deals there. The first three groups of items I showed- bronze, silver and gold honour pins with documents to the same person- all ran me less than $30 including postage. I knew what I was looking for.

Am currently working on the Romanian Securitate, and if anyone thinks the research on the Stasi is difficult, whew!!! Try the Securitate!

[YesIexist]

Very Nice Collection! 
 

 

YesIExist