Awards & decorations set, KVP, NVA & MdI

[Mike G.]

As many on the Forum may recall, sometime ago an early era NVA Armour Officer color-piped uniform ensemble appeared for auction on German Ebay. In addition to the Tunics, pants, overcoat and visor hat, the auction also included various uniform accoutrements inclusive of boots and belts, and what appeared to be medals and certificates encompassing the entire military service history of the officer, beginning in the KVP, moving on to the Police, and finally ending with the NVA. The uniform part of the auction ended not without some controversy. The uniform was pulled from ebay before bidding on it had ended. Many called “Foul Play” and there was discussion about this on the Forum. It was inferred someone probably contacted the seller and negotiated a “Buy Now” price, thus accounting for how and why the uniform ensemble mysteriously disappeared from auction on ebay.

In the interim, I and some of my colleagues continued to study the remaining offerings, which included a good deal of award certificates and matching medals. Typical of many of these auctions, the name on the certificates was blacked out, making it difficult to identify much if any, information about the recipient of the awards and medals.

A colleague and good friend of mine that is an avid collector and member of the Forum, was able to communicate with the seller. Correspondence between she and my colleague appeared to be facilitated by her son. Through correspondence, the seller represented that all items, inclusive of the uniforms, uniform accoutrements, and award certificates and medals, belonged to her deceased husband, who started his career in the KVP and ended it in the NVA as a Lieutenant Colonel in Armour. The awards and medals offered suggested in-between the KVP and NVA the officer also served in the Police. The awards and medals drew my interest because they started in 1954, covered a good part of the 50s and 60s, indicating a good many of the medals involved, should be of the older and more desirable types, and encompassed a career that was comprised of the KVP, Police and finally, the NVA. Thinking these awards and medals all belonged to the same individual and spanned this person’s entire military career, I bid on the set, which was broken up and offered for sale one by one. And one by one, I bid on and won each certificate and medal. It was an arduous, somewhat stressful, and expensive affair. Missing out on just one auction, meant having an incomplete set. But in the end, I successfully acquired each and every certificate and medal offered.

Since I was going to <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:State><ST1Berlin</ST1 </st1:State>a few months later, I elected to have everything sent to my mother-in-law’s address to save postage. I figured I could carry it all back on the trip back from <st1:State><ST1Berlin </ST1</st1:State>to the <st1:country-region><ST1US</ST1</st1:country-region>. Given the demise of the U.S. dollar to the Euro, at the time this seemed logical. And if everything had gone according to plan, it would have been.

Firstly, the last name of the woman that auctioned the military memorabilia is FISCHER. So one would presume the name of her deceased husband also would be FISCHER. The name on the award documents however, is that of a Manfred BOHME. I am unsure of what if any, is his connection and/or association to Ms. FISCHER. I think it’s safe to say he isn’t her husband. All of the Police awards and decorations are issued to a colleague of Manfred BOHME named Ursula BOHME. I don’t know if this is his wife or sister. I suspect it is his wife. She apparently was in the Police. He apparently was not.

While not in the police, a diploma included in the auction issued to Manfred BOHME complicates the matter in that it was awarded to him in 1976 for graduation from the Deutsche Volkspolizei Hochschule. This is confusing to me, in that all of the preceding awards, and awards that follow, are NVA. Further, there are graduation pictures of this person enclosed that clearly depict him wearing an NVA uniform. Another piece of paper enclosed in the Diploma indicates Manfred BOHME applied for acceptance and attendance to the <ST1<st1:PlaceName>Police</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType>Academy</st1:PlaceType></ST1 in 1971, and eventually graduated in 1976. I’m hoping Dag or Dirk can add some commentary to this and clarify why this person attended a <ST1<st1:PlaceName>Police</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType>Academy</st1:PlaceType></ST1. What is noticeably absent is his graduation certificate/diploma from whatever <ST1<st1:PlaceName>NVA</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType>Academy </st1:PlaceType></ST1he attended. Consequently, I don’t know for sure what branch of the NVA he was in. No Military Occupation Badges were auctioned, and none are visible on any of his uniforms in any of the pictures provided.

Upon arrival in <st1:State><ST1Berlin </ST1</st1:State>and subsequent review and examination of the certificates and medals, I was disappointed to find that the set was not for one person, but two, and also that I didn’t receive everything for which I paid. There were some certificates missing and some medals missing. One medal that is missing which is the first early issue NVA Medaille fuer Treue Dienste, would have encompassed a matching serial number to the matching certificate, and therefore is not replaceable.

a). The certificates and medals were actually for two different people, though they appear to be related. The single KVP award and all NVA awards are for one person, while the police awards are to a different person. The KVP certificate and matching medal, along with all NVA medals and certificates, all belong to Manfred BOHMER, as does the Police Academy Graduation Certificate. The Police medals and certificates belong to Ursula BOHMER.

b). Two medals and one certificate were found to be missing. As one of the missing medals would have been serial numbered and would have matched the serial number on the certificate, there is no hope of replacing it.

c). The 50s era NVA Treue Dienste medals were expected not to have the staatswappen in the regimental flag appearing in the medals. As it was found upon receipt, the flags appearing in these medals did have a staatswappen, it had to be presumed the recipient of these awards opted to turn them in for newer examples when the medals were re-struck a few years later.

d). Like the NVA Treue Dienste medals, it was also expected that the Police (MdI) Treue Dienste medals would not have the staatswappen in the shield. But they turned out to be for a different person and to have consequently been issued at a later date, when the staatswappen would have appeared in the shield on each medal.

All news is not bad. There is some good news as well.

The 1954 KVP medal and certificate match by serial number.
And an early NVA Treue Dienst medal upon examination, was found to bear the 900 silver stamp.

Following are the certificate and medals groupings:

First up: An overview of the KVP and NVA certficates and medals, and Police Academy Graduation Certificate Book, followed by a look at the one KVP, and the NVA Certificates. These were awarded to Manfred BOHME.

[Mike G.]

KVP Medaille Fuer Treue Dienste dated <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:date Month="7" Day="1" Year="1954">July 1, 1954</st1:date>. The Certificate and the accompanying medal are numbered 002381. They match and that is quite nice.

[Mike G.]

Certificate Number:

[Mike G.]

KVP Medal matches Certificate, by serial number:

[Mike G.]

Next: Bronze Medaille Fuer Treue Dienste dated <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:date Month="3" Day="1" Year="1957">Mar 1, 1957</st1:date>. This medal is actually quite unique. The ribbon and medal are different form subsequent later versions. Initially, it was issued in only a bronze version without the staatswappen with a ribbon that was similar to the preceding KVP medal, and more importantly, the medal and certificate were serial numbered. The certificate, which was received, was numbered 10547. A serial numbered 10547 medal was supposed to come with this certificate. It didn’t. I bid on a certificate and medal, but only got the certificate. This one really hurt.

[Mike G.]

Next: Silver Medaille Fuer Treue Dienste dated <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:date Month="10" Day="7" Year="1959">Oct 7, 1959</st1:date>. I got the medal, but it had the staatswappen in the flag. It is possible that per regulation, the recipient traded in the original without staatswappen for the next version that did. I just don’t know.

[Mike G.]

Next: Bronze Verdienstmedaille der Nationale Volksarmee, dated <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:date Month="10" Day="7" Year="1961">Oct 7, 1961.</st1:date>
<st1:date Month="10" Day="7" Year="1961"></st1:date>
<st1:date Month="10" Day="7" Year="1961"></st1:date>
<st1:date Month="10" Day="7" Year="1961"></st1:date>
<st1:date Month="10" Day="7" Year="1961"></st1:date>

[Mike G.]

Next: Gold Medaille fuer Treue Dienste dated <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:date Month="9" Day="20" Year="1964">Sep 20, 1964</st1:date>. The gold electro-plating is mostly worn off and the medal therefore appears silver.
This medal is marked “900” silver and that is nice.
The medal and certificate came with a short letter dated <st1:date Month="10" Day="7" Year="1964">Oct 7<SUP>th</SUP>, 1964</st1:date> signed by Army General Hoffmann.


The medal and certificate:

[Mike G.]

The "900" Silver mark:

[Mike G.]

The Gen. HOFFMANN letter:

[Mike G.]

The letter reads:
Anlaesslich des 15. Jahrestages der Gruendung der Deutschen Democratischen Republik spreche ich Ihnen im Namen der Leitung des Ministeriums fuer Nationale Verteidigung fuer Ihre langjaehrige treue Pflichterfuellung bei der Festigung und dem sicheren militaerischen Schutz unseres Arbeiter-und-Bauren-Staates Dank und Anerkennung aus.

Rough Translation:

On the occasion of the 15<SUP>th</SUP> anniversary of the establishment of the German Democratic Republic, I extend the state’s heartfelt appreciation and thanks to you in the name of the Ministry for National Defense in acknowledgement of your faithful performance of duties over many years toward the strengthening and safe military protection of our state workers.

[Mike G.]

Next: Twenty year Medaille fuer Treue Deinste dated <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:date Month="9" Day="20" Year="1969">Sep 20, 1969</st1:date>.

[Mike G.]

Next: Silver Verdienstmedaille der Nationalen Volksarmee dated <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:date Month="3" Day="1" Year="1970">March 1, 1970</st1:date>. It was supposed to come with a silver medal. It didn’t. Again, I bid on both a certificate and medal, and only received the certificate.

[Mike G.]

Next: Gold Verdienstmedaille der Nationalen Volksarmee dated <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:date Month="9" Day="11" Year="1972">Sep 11, 1972</st1:date>.

[Mike G.]

Next: This one is interesting. It is the first Certificate I’ve seen for an East German Waffenbruederschaft medal. The certificate is quite small. This particular one is dated <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:date Month="3" Day="1" Year="1975">Mar 1, 1975</st1:date>. The accompanying bronze medal was actually quite nice in that it did not have the roundel or edged lip around the outside of the medal, making it the earlier production and more rare type example of the medal.