NCO NVA-Wachregiment Tunic

[MauserKar98k]

Achtung Kameraden,
I am taking this opportunity to post my one and only East German tunic. As you can see from the pics, it is a NVA-Wachregiment example with Unterfeldwebel boards. The inside pocket is made of synthetic material and was probably made either in 1984 or 1989 (unless you guys inform me otherwise.) Both the chevron and the cufftitle are not sewn on through the lining, so there should be no problems there. It is named on the tag, but it is very faded. From what I can make out, it says "Uf?", "Litze", and either "Lorius Wenkel" or "Lorin Schinkel".

As usual, comments are welcome. Thanks for looking.

[redjames2004]

Nice tunic!!!!

Hi, This is a standard NVA Wachtregiment NCO tunic from late 1980s. This tunic was very common NVA tunic widely available on eBay. The winkel chevron emblem on the right sleeve is for a career NCO for 5 years while the double winkel chevron emblm is for a career NCO for 10 years. I used to own this such example three years ago. You can find it without any problem. BTW, a nice DDR tunic from late 1980s! James

[olivyaya]

Hi, This is a standard NVA Wachtregiment NCO tunic from late 1980s. This tunic was very common NVA tunic widely available on eBay. The winkel chevron emblem on the right sleeve is for a career NCO for 5 years while the double winkel chevron emblm is for a career NCO for 10 years. I used to own this such example three years ago. You can find it without any problem. BTW, a nice DDR tunic from late 1980s! James

The parade ones, with collar piping a a bit harder to find !!

[Knuckles930]

The shoulderboards made of the same material as the tunic or made of wool?
Since the Wach-Rgt's had other boards than the regular ones.

[Mike G.]

Actually,

this is a bit of a misnomer. Some of the boards on some of the uniforms of the four different Wachregiments were gabardine, but this wasn't set in stone. It was actually more common in MfS enlisted uniforms. But was also found in Wachregiment NVA 1 and 2, and later Friedrich Engels. But boards that were wool were not wrong, or incorrect. My Wachregiment uniforms have both types.

[iannima]

Actually,

this is a bit of a misnomer. Some of the boards on some of the uniforms of the four different Wachregiments were gabardine, but this wasn't set in stone. It was actually more common in MfS enlisted uniforms. But was also found in Wachregiment NVA 1 and 2, and later Friedrich Engels. But boards that were wool were not wrong, or incorrect. My Wachregiment uniforms have both types.

I quite agree with you Michael but if I did that, the duty car would be unleashed on me without mercy... mind you... not that I care much now...

[MauserKar98k]

The boards are wool, not gabardine. I hope that they are correct, but they are almost certainly not original to the tunic. This tunic had no boards on it when it was shipped to me. Included in the box were these boards in unissued condition (a button had never been put through them) and I put them on myself. That's just the way it was sold to me.

So, considering that this is a late '80s non-parade tunic, it is fairly obvious that this never did "the walk" at the Neue Wache with the 1st Wachregiment before they became Friedrich Engles. What unit still used the "NVA-Wachregiment" cufftitle at this time, where were they stationed, and what were their duties?

[Mike G.]

Tunic is dated 1989.

NVA-Wachregiment 2 - Guard Duties at Strausberg.

[iannima]

We have discussed tunics like this one before and there is a consensus that they were generally used for service, and also for parade/going out but crucially NOT for such extra glamorous parade as the Neue Wache. Having said this there is ONE photograph only taken by a friend of mine around 1988 that can possibly show one such tunic at the Neue Wache (they are distinguishable because of the lack of piping at the collar.

Yours is interesting because iit has the factory applied Tresse at the collar. As Michael was saying the Wachregiment N.2 was charged with guarding the Ministry of Defense Buildings in Berlin Strausberg and various other little bits connected with the top command of the military. Wachregiment N. 1 the Friedrich Engels one, was based in Berlin Mitte and had the more glamorous high profile jobs. The third Wachregiment is as you know Stasi and they had the job of defending all key POLITICAL buildings, people etc.
The equipment seems to be common across the three Wachregiment barring the all too obvious differences, e.g. insignia

Here are some photographs:
members of the NVA Wachregiment N. 2 relaxing in Barracks



Engels
Soldiers on service duty, keeping an eye on the nasty tourists so that the guards on the pedestals would not be disturbed:

Chap at the back:


The elusive photograph showing no piping at the collar at the Neue Wache


Stasi...
The infamous photograph of the disgraceful NCO...


Engels again:
guard at the gates:

whose order of dress Rob and I were replicating

[Knuckles930]

Interesting photo's. As for the shoulderboards, I assume that the Engels Wach-Rgt
did all had the gabardine, parade wise.

Also quite interesting that the guards at the Neue Wache had guards guarding the guards.

[iannima]

Also quite interesting that the guards at the Neue Wache had guards guarding the guards.

And God only knows how many undercover Stasi agents there were guarding the guards that guarded the guards...
But you see, Genosse, it had been reported that seditious and dangerous individuals were loitering with intent around the Neue Wache. Rumour had it that one legendary character amongst these, by the code-name of "Mike-G" , had been sighted too. One simply cannot be too careful when dealing with people like these...

[olivyaya]

Nice pics Matteo !!!! Are your AK original ones or repros ?

[MauserKar98k]

Thanks very much for posting those pics. A couple more questions: was there a reason that the Wachregiments still retained close-necked tunics when the open-necked examples became more-or-less standard in the rest of the NVA?

Yours is interesting because it has the factory applied Tresse at the collar.

So how uncommon are Wachregiment tunics with factory-applied tresse?

[iannima]

was there a reason that the Wachregiments still retained close-necked tunics when the open-necked examples became more-or-less standard in the rest of the NVA?

Logic and uniform production in the DDR were not necessarily on speaking terms . Seriously though, I don't think we can look for a reason or expect to find one. The "only" logic that there can be, is that in this way the uniforms of the Wachregiment matched the unforms of ordinary conscripts except for the cloth. But then so many other things did not match: Stiefelhose, boots, brown belt etc.

So how uncommon are Wachregiment tunics with factory-applied tresse?

Cannot say much here. Ordinary tunics with no Tresse are listed on a Sturm catalogue (I have seen it) and an Ebay dealer local to me regularly orders them. Whenever I pay him a visit I need to restrain myself from acquring more for the War Reserve stock ... So on the whole not really common, common, but they cannot be that rare either.
I added the Tresse and the Winkel myself.