Transitional Militaria/photos

[Ian Richardson]

Im not quite sure if this would belong in the Bundeswehr or DDR forums, but I guess it technically CAN be on the DDR thread since it encompasses both...

Today I came across this interesting picture;

<a href="http://s662.photobucket.com/albums/uu342/Ian123456789_2009/?action=view&current=4_0g.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu342/Ian123456789_2009/4_0g.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

And this made me wonder about transitional militaria items of interest and pics. Anyone have any to share? Im aware of some hats that were DDR officer's hats with the insignia replaced by Bundeswehr three-color insignia, but thats about it...

p.s.- whats the deal with this pic? are these former east recruits around late october 1990? Cuz thats the only explanation I can think of...

-Ian

[torstenbel]

p.s.- whats the deal with this pic? are these former east recruits around late october 1990? Cuz thats the only explanation I can think of...

-Ian

I would think that's about right. Cheers, Torsten.

[SirHarry1]

Ian,
Found your thread today and thought I could bring some light into this matter.
You are almost right, this, and many similar photos were taken on or after Oct 3, 1990. It was the famous transition period when the NVA was taken over by the Bundeswehr. They shipped waggons of BW field uniforms over to the East, but they did not have enough rifles to give one to every soldier in the East, so the decision was made to keep on having the AK 74 as the standard weapon. After a while, the exchange took part and then everyone had the G3 rifle.
They didnt have enough dress uniforms either to distribute them, so in order to be not "the rich uncle from the west", every West German soldier, private or general, had to wear the field uniform when going east. This also got better after a while. It was a sort of a wild time these days.
Best

Harry

Im not quite sure if this would belong in the Bundeswehr or DDR forums, but I guess it technically CAN be on the DDR thread since it encompasses both...

Today I came across this interesting picture;

<a href="http://s662.photobucket.com/albums/uu342/Ian123456789_2009/?action=view&current=4_0g.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu342/Ian123456789_2009/4_0g.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

And this made me wonder about transitional militaria items of interest and pics. Anyone have any to share? Im aware of some hats that were DDR officer's hats with the insignia replaced by Bundeswehr three-color insignia, but thats about it...

p.s.- whats the deal with this pic? are these former east recruits around late october 1990? Cuz thats the only explanation I can think of...

-Ian

[Ian Richardson]

THanks for helping me out genosse! But I wonder, are the berets in the picture former NVA manufacture perhaps Just a thought...

-Ian

[Gordon Craig]

Ian,

It is possible they are East German made berets. I have a Bundewehr tunic made by Spezialbekleidung, Liepzig. Sound familiar?

Regards,

Gordon

[Pauly]

Does anyone have any other photos of NVA troops during this transitional period? This is an interesting time of change, and I have only really seen three or four photos of the combination of West German uniforms with East German gear.

[Gordon Craig]

Pauly,

Just a comment. In previous post on the DDR Forum we have referred to "transitional uniforms" as those worn between May/June of 1990 and Oct 2 1990. Just so we keep straight which "transitional" period we are talking about. I have some uniforms from both "transitional" periods and have posted most of them on the forum in the past. I have to leave for the airport in a few minutes so no time to post them now but I'll try to find time to do that in the coming weekend.

Regards,

Gordon

[SirHarry1]

Berets

Well Ian, unfortunately you can´t see the badges they wear but from what I can see I would bet these are the common West German BW berets. As with the uniforms, these were shipped east in large numbers and issued to the troops. The color looks like the red of the BW, not like the orange of the NVA para berets. Perhaps I can find some more pics on this topic.

Harry

THanks for helping me out genosse! But I wonder, are the berets in the picture former NVA manufacture perhaps Just a thought...

-Ian

[Gordon Craig]

Does anyone have any other photos of NVA troops during this transitional period? This is an interesting time of change, and I have only really seen three or four photos of the combination of West German uniforms with East German gear.

Rusty,

I think it is worth while posting some uniform pictures of things done before 3 Oct, as they would have been worn post 3 Oct. as well as the items you asked about as combination of both servcies.
I am going to start with the NVA visor cap insignai as authorized in June of 1990. It would certainly have benn worn until BW uniforms could have been issued. I would say the cap was made this way because the insignia pins do not penetrate the cloth lining of the cap.

Regards,

Gordon

[Gordon Craig]

Next up, a DDR police general with the general officers buttons as authorized in June of 1990. I own two uniforms belonging to this general. The other uniform has the DDR State crest buttons on it.

[Gordon Craig]

A close up of the buttons.

[Gordon Craig]

A Brigadekust bordjacke with West German flags on the sleeves. The flags fit on a tunic that has been wash a fair amount. The Brigadekust was absorbed into the West German service in its entirety at first. I beleive that eventually the East German boats were replaced by West German ones. At first the Brigadekust would have worn NVA shoulderboards and at some later date they probably would have switched to West German ranks. That would have taken a while as East Germans who stayed in the West German forces did so at a Lower rank than they held in the NVA. It is anyones guess how long this could have taken and it probably varied with the individual. On the other hand, they could have worn West German rank insignia right away if someone had worked out the equivalents between the NVA and the BW. Somehow, I don't see that working very well.

Regards,

Gordon

[Gordon Craig]

A different view.

[Ian Richardson]

Awesome pics Gordon! I particularly like the transitional Visor Cap. So I take it then that the cap was made in 1990 ('D') and was made with that transitional cocade? How does one go aout finding an authentic one of those? I know they are easily faked.

-Ianthumpsup

[eastgermansks]

Awesome pics Gordon! I particularly like the transitional Visor Cap. So I take it then that the cap was made in 1990 ('D') and was made with that transitional cocade? How does one go aout finding an authentic one of those? I know they are easily faked.

-Ianthumpsup

I'd try gowenmilitaria.com. I believe he had some awhile back, and i saw two caps on ebay last year. -Luke