DDR bandsmen info.

[Dallasfan]

Hi Don
I found this photo on the net , nice trumpet banners !




Regards , Johan

[tony james]

interesting that this NCO is wearing a six peice metal bar



tony

[Capt. R]

Nice Johan!!

Love those trumpet banners.

[Mikhealc]

Pics

These pictures are really great. I am impressed. Mike C

[Dallasfan]

Some more from the net










Regards , Johan

[ehrentitle]

I have very little band related material. However I do have have this 1981 Eterna record cover that may be of interest:

[Dallasfan]

This photo is also in the Kuebke / Kunz book ( in black and white )




Regards , Johan

[Lancer21]

Grenz Band Leaders Rank Insignia

This is a great thread. I have a question regarding the Grenz Band Leaders (Conductors?) in the Warrant Offers grades (Faehnrich, Oberfaehnrich, Stabsfaehnrich, and Stabsoberfaehnrich). When the lyre device is worn on the shoulder board, is it in the gold color (the same as the rank pips and the same as the naval lyre)? And if so, what is the arrangement of the gold pips around the lyre? Faehnrich with the Lyre above the pip? Oberfaehnrich with the lyre between the two gold pips, Stabsfaehnrich with the three pips forming a triangle arrangement below the lyre, and finally Stabsoberfaehnrich with one pip above the lyre and the Stabsfaehnrich arrangement below the lyre? These are my guesses and I would prefer to have the facts. I have a uniform that I want to configure correctly. Thanks for any help with this matter.

[Dallasfan]

Hi Lancer

I'm sorry but I can't help you with that , this is someting for the uniform boys
to answer

Regards , Johan

[Gordon Craig]

This is a great thread. I have a question regarding the Grenz Band Leaders (Conductors?) in the Warrant Offers grades (Faehnrich, Oberfaehnrich, Stabsfaehnrich, and Stabsoberfaehnrich). When the lyre device is worn on the shoulder board, is it in the gold color (the same as the rank pips and the same as the naval lyre)? And if so, what is the arrangement of the gold pips around the lyre? Faehnrich with the Lyre above the pip? Oberfaehnrich with the lyre between the two gold pips, Stabsfaehnrich with the three pips forming a triangle arrangement below the lyre, and finally Stabsoberfaehnrich with one pip above the lyre and the Stabsfaehnrich arrangement below the lyre? These are my guesses and I would prefer to have the facts. I have a uniform that I want to configure correctly. Thanks for any help with this matter.

Lancer21,

The lyre should be silver. If you go to post 18 (Border Guard bandsman's shoulder board) then scroll down through that page you should find the answers to your questions. There would probably be no difference in the position of the lyre and the rank stars between the BG and the Landstreitkrafte.

Regards,

Gordon

[Garulfo]

To my knwoledge there is no lyra on the shouderboards for the Fänhrich, only the rank pips (after 1979).

Between 1974 and 1979 when the rank was on the sleeve shield, the lyra was gold (always 2 pips whatever was the rank).

[Mike G.]

Unteroffizier und soldaten wore either a matte grey lyer or silver lyre.
The (25 X 17 mm) size lyre was worn between 1956 and 1962.
The (26 X 16 mm) size lyre was worn between 1962 and 1990.
The matte grey lyre was worn between 1959 and 1984.

The warrant officers wore a gold lyre and a matte grey lyre.
Size: (29/30 X 20 mm)
The gold lyre was worn between 1956 and 1990.
The matte grey lyre was worn between 1959 and 1984.

I'm enclosing some warrant officer shoulder board examples.

Here is what I've personally observed regarding the wear of pips on warrant officer band uniforms.

One pip: Worn beneath the lyre.

Two pips: Worn two ways. Two pips beneath the lyre. One pip below and one pip above the lyre.

Three pips: worn two ways. Three pips beneath the lyre. Two pips below and one above the lyre.

Four pips: Three below the lyre and one above the lyre.
I've never seen it two and two, and I think this is because the pips won't fit properly without overlapping the lyre (or I'm sure some enterprising bandsman would have done it).

Some examples:

[Mike G.]

Air Force Warrant Officer:

[Mike G.]

Dark Collar era 4 pip warrant officer shoulder board.

[Ian Richardson]

wow, this thread is moving right along isn't it? I'd just like to say I just recently aquired my first book on DDR militaria, the imfamous 'militarische uniformen in der DDR 1949-1990. I love it for reference, but unfortunatley my german interpretation skills are lacking...I'm sad cuz its wealth of information that I can't read But fortunately I can see, so the pictures and what little german I can interpret in military lingo might suffice for now...

anyway, does anyone have some basic Musicians Soldaten uniform I can see?I'm trying to put together a basic uniform from an unissued 1988 NVA tunic... Whhat i need so far I think is;

-Lyre sleeve patch
-Lyre pin for the shoulder boards
-shoulder boards
-swallows nests
-white parade belt
- uniformhose (riding breeches, or white piped pants?)
-white gloves
- Parade helmet (normal metal, or lightweight version?)

suggestions anyone?

-Ian