Hi All
For my DDR mannequins (only a few so far), I created a new thread, so I do not have to mix them with the WW1 mannequins which you can find here : http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=603972
The early DDR is quite fascinating and offers a wide range of uniforms/uniform regulations and gear. Many items (for example closed piped caps and tunics) are much more difficult to find than Wehrmacht items. I find it always interesting to see how close the NVA uniforms resemble the earlier Wehrmacht uniforms.
Mannequin #1: NVA Panzer Officer, Dienstuniform, Early 1960'ties
The NVA (National People’s Army - Nationale Volksarmee) was established in 1956 as a professional volunteer army. Conscription was introduced in 1962. During the first years of its existence, almost 27% of the officer corps had formerly served in the Wehrmacht. These veterans brought a lot of military knowledge and combat experience with them to shape the new army. The motto of the Nationale Volksarmee was "For the Protection of the Workers' and Farmers' Power."
The early 60'ties was a difficult time and the DDR armed forces went into a state of heightened combat readiness during several occasions, including the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961, the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 and in 1968 the Warsaw Pact intervention in Czechoslovakia.
The uniform is a private purchased tunic for a Lieutenant in a Dienstuniform (service uniform) configuration from the early sixties.
The collar tabs (Litzen) of the tunic have pink middle stripes (in Dienstausführung) and are in the version used between 1956 and 1965, although they could have been worn thereafter. Pink was the Waffenfarbe (color of arms) of the Panzer troops - same as in the Wehrmacht. Between 1966 - 75, a new design appeared - also with pink middle stripes. Finally, these colored stripes changed to white for all Land forces as from 1975. The 1956-1965 Litzen as seen on the photo are a little bit wider that the 1966 ones and more close to the edges on the base.
Note that caps and parade tunics with colored piping could be worn after 1961 for a period of three years. However, the sleeve patches of the parade tunics with colored piping were removed and the jacket worn as a service tunic instead.
Two Panzer brothers side by side :
On the left a Panzer Schirmmütze with pink piping, dated 1961. The cockade has already been changed to the new model (August 1961). Between 1956 - 61, a black-red-golden cockade decorated the embroided cap insignia. Existing caps were changed as from 1961 and the black-red-golden cockade was replaced with the DDR cockade in metal. The embroided insignia were replaced in 1966/67 with metal versions. At the right an early II/1956 dated cap with 1961 issued embroided cap insignia. The existing pre-1961 insignia were replaced to make the cap conform the new regulations.
Liner of the 1961 dated cap
Liner of the II/1956 dated cap
As a side note, here an example of a Panzer side cap, again with pink piping, dated I. Quartal 1958 with officer cockade.
Wearing the same tunic, the Panzer officer switched to a new peaked cap. Still with an embroided cap insignia and DDR cockade as prescribed in August 1961, but now with white piping. In 1961/1962, white replaced all colored pipings on caps (and tunics) for all land forces, removing the existing colorful distinction between the arms of service in 1961/62.
Close up of the August 1961 modification
Example of an early brown leather officer belt:
I hope you liked this first NVA post.
JS1
__________________________________________________ ______________
Auferstanden aus Ruinen
Und der Zukunft zugewandt,
Lass uns dir zum Guten dienen,
...................
http://www.germanuniformsandequipment.co.nr
WW1 Collection: http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=603972
DDR Collection: http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=610344
For my DDR mannequins (only a few so far), I created a new thread, so I do not have to mix them with the WW1 mannequins which you can find here : http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=603972
The early DDR is quite fascinating and offers a wide range of uniforms/uniform regulations and gear. Many items (for example closed piped caps and tunics) are much more difficult to find than Wehrmacht items. I find it always interesting to see how close the NVA uniforms resemble the earlier Wehrmacht uniforms.
Mannequin #1: NVA Panzer Officer, Dienstuniform, Early 1960'ties
The NVA (National People’s Army - Nationale Volksarmee) was established in 1956 as a professional volunteer army. Conscription was introduced in 1962. During the first years of its existence, almost 27% of the officer corps had formerly served in the Wehrmacht. These veterans brought a lot of military knowledge and combat experience with them to shape the new army. The motto of the Nationale Volksarmee was "For the Protection of the Workers' and Farmers' Power."
The early 60'ties was a difficult time and the DDR armed forces went into a state of heightened combat readiness during several occasions, including the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961, the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 and in 1968 the Warsaw Pact intervention in Czechoslovakia.
The uniform is a private purchased tunic for a Lieutenant in a Dienstuniform (service uniform) configuration from the early sixties.
The collar tabs (Litzen) of the tunic have pink middle stripes (in Dienstausführung) and are in the version used between 1956 and 1965, although they could have been worn thereafter. Pink was the Waffenfarbe (color of arms) of the Panzer troops - same as in the Wehrmacht. Between 1966 - 75, a new design appeared - also with pink middle stripes. Finally, these colored stripes changed to white for all Land forces as from 1975. The 1956-1965 Litzen as seen on the photo are a little bit wider that the 1966 ones and more close to the edges on the base.
Note that caps and parade tunics with colored piping could be worn after 1961 for a period of three years. However, the sleeve patches of the parade tunics with colored piping were removed and the jacket worn as a service tunic instead.
Two Panzer brothers side by side :
On the left a Panzer Schirmmütze with pink piping, dated 1961. The cockade has already been changed to the new model (August 1961). Between 1956 - 61, a black-red-golden cockade decorated the embroided cap insignia. Existing caps were changed as from 1961 and the black-red-golden cockade was replaced with the DDR cockade in metal. The embroided insignia were replaced in 1966/67 with metal versions. At the right an early II/1956 dated cap with 1961 issued embroided cap insignia. The existing pre-1961 insignia were replaced to make the cap conform the new regulations.
Liner of the 1961 dated cap
Liner of the II/1956 dated cap
As a side note, here an example of a Panzer side cap, again with pink piping, dated I. Quartal 1958 with officer cockade.
Wearing the same tunic, the Panzer officer switched to a new peaked cap. Still with an embroided cap insignia and DDR cockade as prescribed in August 1961, but now with white piping. In 1961/1962, white replaced all colored pipings on caps (and tunics) for all land forces, removing the existing colorful distinction between the arms of service in 1961/62.
Close up of the August 1961 modification
Example of an early brown leather officer belt:
I hope you liked this first NVA post.
JS1
__________________________________________________ ______________
Auferstanden aus Ruinen
Und der Zukunft zugewandt,
Lass uns dir zum Guten dienen,
...................
http://www.germanuniformsandequipment.co.nr
WW1 Collection: http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=603972
DDR Collection: http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=610344
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