DDR Reference Books

[torstenbel]

Hi Guys,

there have been various reference books shown and mentioned in various threads, but I thought it would be nice to have a specific thread devoted to them...I do not know if there has been one before, but there certainly has not been one since I joined the forum...I ws thinking it would be good if we could show all of the reference books that are in the possession of members of this forum with a short assessment of what we think of them...I certainly hope to see some reference books that I have not already got...

First Up from me is Feder: Auszeichnungen im Ministerium fuer Staatssicherheit der DDR.

As far as I know, this is a complete review of all of the awards, medals and badges officially awarded to members of the Stasi throughout its history. It also contains a limited overview of some of the undercover badges used and there is a complete list with the award dates of all of the awards given to Erich Mielke, probably to most decorated person in the DDR. He got more than 200!! There are also examples of award certificates.

I think that this is a very useful book, although, I would prefer to see more information on the background and history of the individual awards. For my liking there is too much detail description of the award construction and there is also too much about test pieces which were never actually awarded.

[torstenbel]

Bartel Spezialkatalog of state awards 1949 to 1990. Very useful, especially since it contains colour photos of all the awards.

[torstenbel]

1988 DDR published book by Feder about military decorations of the DDR. I find this one of the best books, as it gives good background to the awards and it also contains some very early awards.

[torstenbel]

Book about German military cuffbands by Gordon Williamson. ALL! military coffbands are covered. Very, very good book. Of course it almost entirely contains cuffbands of the Wehrmacht and Waffen SS, but there are also the cuffbands of the NVA, but this restricted to the NVA only and nothing else.

[torstenbel]

Mentioned here many times already, this is the 1998 Bartel Spezialkatalog and it is absolutely essential to own as far as I am concerned...complete oeverview of all of the awards, medals and badges issued by the state and official organisations. Only drawback is that photographs are in black and white only and it is a little difficult to find specific badges that you are looking for.

[torstenbel]

Keubke's book about the history of uniforms of the NVA. Essential reference guide if you are interested in NVA uniforms...although there may be one or two mistakes in it..

[torstenbel]

Hi Guys,

there have been various reference books shown and mentioned in various threads, but I thought it would be nice to have a specific thread devoted to them...I do not know if there has been one before, but there certainly has not been one since I joined the forum...I ws thinking it would be good if we could show all of the reference books that are in the possession of members of this forum with a short assessment of what we think of them...I certainly hope to see some reference books that I have not already got... .

Last one from me is this 1988 DDR published two volume dictionary of German military history. I still remember buying it new in the MHO of the OHS in Zittau in 1988... interesting book, but too superficial as far as I am concerned and I hardly ever use it. Only reason why have not sold it as yet, is because I bought it new while I was in the Army and it was quite expensive then and I have some sentimental attachment to it...

and now over to you guys...what additional books do you have and what do you think of them?

Cheers, Torsten.

[Thälmannpionier]

Great Idea for a Thread
I always wanted to start one like this but just for any kind of interesting and DDR related Books.

The 1998 Bartels Book is the only reference Book I have so far. I'm looking for the "Milit******228;rische Kopfbedeckungen der DDR" Book but I haven't found one under 50EUR yet.So I will keep looking.

Here is my contribution..

It is not really a serious Reference Book BUT for anyone who can read a bit german,it is very much worth having

Das Wahre E
Dictionary of the Soldiers-Language

This book has any East German Slang Word in it..not only used by Soldiers. I still use lots of these Words but that's because I lieve near Berlin and the Berlin Slang is known in Germany as a pretty "dirty" Slang

Also all the funny NVA Games like Schildkr******246;te,Jukebox etc. are explained in this Book.

REAL FUN TO READ

[Thälmannpionier]

2

[Thälmannpionier]

3

[Thälmannpionier]

..and just one more

btw,the book has also some nice photos in it.

[ehrentitle]

Last one from me is this 1988 DDR published two volume dictionary of German military history. I still remember buying it new in the MHO of the OHS in Zittau in 1988... interesting book, but too superficial as far as I am concerned and I hardly ever use it. Only reason why have not sold it as yet, is because I bought it new while I was in the Army and it was quite expensive then and I have some sentimental attachment to it...

Cheers, Torsten.

Excellent thread. I also purchased the two volume Worterbuch zur Deutschen Militar-Geschiste when I was stationed in the U.S. Army Berlin Brigade in the late 80s, and still have it. I'm embarrased to say what it cost, it was very inexpensive because of the favorable exchange rate enjoyed by allied soldiers. I purchased several dozen Militarverag books when I was in Berlin and in hindsight consider them one of my best investments, especially the harder to find insignia books from the 70's and 80's like Auszeichnungen der DDR, Frank Bartel, 1979 and Orden und Medaillen, Staatliche Auszeichnungen der DDR, Gunter Tautz, VEB Bibliograhisches Institute, Leipzig, 1983.

[torstenbel]

Excellent thread. I also purchased the two volume Worterbuch zur Deutschen Militar-Geschiste when I was stationed in the U.S. Army Berlin Brigade in the late 80s, and still have it. I'm embarrased to say what it cost, it was very inexpensive because of the favorable exchange rate enjoyed by allied soldiers. .

Hi there, yes there were some very good books being published in the DDR...I just checked in the book, and it was actually published in 1985 and mine is the first edition, but I did buy it new in the MHO in 1988 and the price was 87 Mark, which was almost all of my weekly salery at that time... Cheers, Torsten....ah well, how things have changed...

[OSTDEUTSCHLAND]

Hi there, yes there were some very good books being published in the DDR...I just checked in the book, and it was actually published in 1985 and mine is the first edition, but I did buy it new in the MHO in 1985 and the price was 87 Mark, which was almost all of my weekly salery at that time... Cheers, Torsten....ah well, how things have changed...

Hier noch ein Hinweiß auf den ODD-leider kaum bekannt.

[OSTDEUTSCHLAND]

Hier noch ein Hinweiß auf den ODD-leider kaum bekannt.

....die Dienstgrade sind schon ein "Zungenbrecher"