When did you start collecting DDR items?

[B. Jones]

After the Fall of the Wall, stuff starting trickling into the PX and BX of U.S. Army and Air Force Installations in West Germany...

I saw my first M56 Plastic Parade Helmet at Ramstein AFB around 1990/91 but it was already pre-sold according to the seller.

-Brian

[B. Jones]

Correction: Ramstein AB, not AFB!

[P.M.C.]

About two years ago I went looking for an M40 greatcoat to go with a newly-purchased M43 Feldmutze to keep me warm in Montreal. I quickly discovered that reproduction Wehrmacht gear is twice as expensive and half as stylish as any DDR material.

I bought my first item- a worn out VoPo Oberleutnant overcoat- in a careless frenzy at a price I'm ashamed to admit to now. Shortly thereafter I stumbled on a mint condition winter FDU jacket in my size at a thrift store for a price I'd be happy to brag about

I knew it was an omen and from there my collection exploded. As I write this I'm waiting on a parcel while hungrily browsing for a pair of boots. I have an affinity for militaria in general but it's primarily for day-to-day wear in the fall and winter. I try to keep things reasonable but after receiving a Wintermantel which was supposed to replace my haggard-looking VoPo overcoat I realized I couldn't part with it because...well, I'm a collector now

[Jozar]

For my story see the link to my blog and my first NVA militaria from 1990...:

http://johansddrmilitaria.blogspot.n...n-hoe-het.html

Cheers

Johan

[B. Jones]

My Dad went on a Border Tour along the East German Border in 1981 and took photos.

I saw these photos in 1988/89 and was awestruck by a photo taken in a border museum display I'm assuming of one of the ACR units stationed along the border.

The photo showed an actual M56 helmet along with a strichtarn uniform.

I was flabbergasted back then that you could actually see a real uniform from the NVA in a display.

[gunter]

Hi guys I started my collection in February of 2012 by purchasing in an online auction this uniform of a colonel of stasis along with the hat, then being keen I bought the greatcoat officer and everything else that you see; I have recently bought the shirt summer uniform with gun belt complete with holster for the Makarov ......

The collection continues ...... anyway ....

[comune1aclasse]

Hi everybody!

I started collecting East German Militaria and Memorabilia in the first half of the 1990s. It must have been 1992 or 1993.
My very first purchase was (and still is) a sleeve patch for an Abschnittsbevollmächtigter of the Transportpolizei.

Cheers,
Alex

[Ralph P]

Alex - Thanks for your post and welcome to the DDR forum and glad you posted.

[Gordon Craig]

Alex,

Welcome to the forum. Looking forward to your posts of your collection.

Regards,

Gordon

[rebeldevil89]

I finally made the transition from WWII German stuff to DDR stuff just a few months ago. I still like the WWII stuff, but it's just gotten way too expensive for the most part. DDR stuff, I have found to be just as enjoyable, and much cheaper field of collecting, one I imagine will rise in price over the years as Cold War stuff becomes more popular and leaves the surplus field, into the collecting field.

[Gordon Craig]

rebeldevil89,

Welcome to the forum. You will find of those on the forum started collecting TR artifacts,and like myself, just got tired of the fakes and the prices. Looking forward to your taking psrt in the forum.

Regards,

Gordon

[FreeRange]

If my one helmet counts...I started about 3 weeks ago...

[bolo]

DDR collecting

I started soon after the wall came down and the surplus started flooding the market, I started out with a steel helmet, and canteen, then a little later got the Makarov pistol for only $139 in like new condition with two matching magazines, a leather holster, and the original records with dates and names of the German soliders / police that used it.

the East German M56 / M56 / 76 model helmets took a nose dive in value

they went from $300 a piece down to $15 each.

they're still down to $20 price range right now

[Ralph P]

Thanks for your comments.

[Stasi242]

I started in the late 1990's after talking to RALPH............of course I also got into collecting DDR for the chicks and money..............it hasn't happened yet, but one day it will............................Plus WW2 stuff was tooo expensive, and I could never make a contribution, so I decided to get into a collecting field on the ground floor...................and the rest is history