DDR NVA Military Police

[Gordon Williamson]

Can someone advise on the insignia worn by these troops.

I have tucked away in the attic somewhere an NVA steel helmet which has a white band around it with a yellow diamond at the front with black letters KD which I believe is for "Kommandantendienst". I am aware also of the arm patcgh with the embroidered motorcycle with the letter "R" above which is also listed in a reference I have as being Kommandantendienst. Was this an MP badge, or only worn by those on motorcycles ? (What does the "R" stand for ?)

Am I correct in thinking that the Waffenfarbe colour for MPs was the standard white ? I picked up a book on NVA uniforms in Berlin many years with coloured illustrations and which shows an MP with white Waffenfarbe.

I know that like the Bundeswehr, the NVA went through many changes in its uniforms and insignia and wondered if there were any changes to the insignia worn by MPs ?

Grateful for any advice/info.

[ehrentitle]

Gordon, The Kommandantendienst (KD) in the NVA were a special service roughly equivalent to MPs. I believe they also served as couriers. I don't know of any particular Waffenfarben for the KD. According to Klaus Wather's Uniformeffekten the Dienstlaufbahnabzeichen with the R and the motorcycle is also for the KD.

There were also Regulierers that wore special helmet covers and an armband with an R. If memory serves these were not true MPs, but rather soldiers detailed to traffic control duties. The Soviet Army had a simular arrangement.

Edited March 3, 2010 by ehrentitle

[ehrentitle]

Gordon, I did a quick look at some of my references. An NVA KD solder in field uniform as well as the motorcycle with an R insignia your are talking about is illustrated in Color Plate A of the Gordon Rottman's, Warsaw Pact Ground Forces. I've also run across a reference in the EGA East German Army Dictionary published by Bonner Druck- und Verlagsgesellschaft, 3rd Edition 1984:

Military Police / Kommandantendienste (KD) The tasks here are those of the military police in the West. Up to 1967, competence was restricted to the Ministry of National Defense and the appurtenant garrison area of Strausberg. They functioned at parades as control sentries. After 1967, the "Kommandantendienste" took over the functions of military police in all military districts. These functions include patrol duty.

The military units of a garrison, in their area of jurisdiction, monitor the behavior of officers, NCOs, and enlisted men and see to it that the directives of the base commander are obeyed. The military police also provide traffic control sentries ('Regulieter').

Men of the military police wear white leather equipment (belt, shoulder strap, holster and cap band). The front of their steel helmets is emblazoned with he letters KD in black on a yellow background. The Kommandantendienste is commanded by the Chief of Staff of the East German Army (EGA).

[ehrentitle]

Last but not least here is a link to an excellent site which describes the KD & Regulierers in German as well as photos of equipment:

http://www.militarypolice.de/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=135

Edited March 3, 2010 by ehrentitle

[Gordon Williamson]

Many thanks. Great info.

This is the only illustration I could find in any of my references (not that I have much on the DDR).

Do you know if the white band on the NCO cap is fixed, or like the officers white top - removeable ?

So then, it looks like - early helmet with white painted band and "KD", later replaced by the removable white nylon cover with the DDR emblem, NCO cap with white band and officer cap with white cover, and the motorcycle sleeve patch.

(Working on the basis that the white belt wasn't specifically KD if it was worn by other units for parade dress)

[ehrentitle]

Gordon, As I recall these hat covers and bands were removable. Unfortunately this is not my area of expertise; I'm mostly focused on NVA Para and Volksmarine as well as medals, shoulder boards and insignia. There is a thread on the hats many years back on the WAF NVA forum:

http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/showthread.php?t=201621&highlight=KD

You might enquire there and get a more informed response. Here is the main page: http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=64

Now if you want to talk about the elusive Volksmarine U-Boat badge, well I could talk all day about that.

Kevin

[Ulsterman]

Wasn't Torsten in the NVA MPs?

He can probably help. I'll contact him at the WAF.

[ehrentitle]

I believe Torsten was Artillery.

[ehrentitle]

Double post.

Edited March 4, 2010 by ehrentitle