Volksmarine Books

[jkeegen]

What about the MarineKalendar der DDRs? Do they contain interesting photos?

On Christmas morning I unwrapped a gift to reveal a Marine Kalender der DDR 1987.

It's 239 pages long and is composed of a series of articles covering a very wide range of topics. Some article titles:
Das sturmische Jahr 1917
Piraterie heute
Der U-Boot-Bau in der BDR
Berlin und die Schiffahrt
Reise nach Ostafrika
ORP>>Iskra<< - ein neues polnisches Segelschulschiff
Unternehmen >>Chariot<< (which is actually an article about the British Commando raid on St. Nazaire during the Second World War)

There are a total of about 32 articles and many photos and drawings. While the photos are interesting, I wouldn't say that the Marine Kalenders are a valuable resource tool for VM collectors. You're better off buying other books first and saving the Kalenders for later.

An interesting anecdote concerning my Kalender: Another gift I received this Christmas was a pamphlet sized synopsis about operation Urgent Fury written by the Center for Military History and published by the GPO. As I read it, I found myself thinking about how the invasion was portrayed in the DDR press, as it clearly could be seen by the Eastern side of the Iron curtain a clear example of imperialist aggression. No less than 10 minutes after thinking that, I switched from reading the pamphlet to thumbing through the Marine Kalender and was pleasantly surprised to see it contains an article titled "Operation Urgent Fury."
It was a Christmas coincidence.

[ehrentitle]

Interesting, the lack of focus on the NVA is probably why I didn't pick these Marine Kalender's up during visits to East Berlin bookstores in the late 80s.

[ehrentitle]

I did however buy several issues of Arsenal, published by Militaverlag der DDR, which was a youth oriented book with short articles on NVA military weapons, uniforms, equipment and history. Or as the title page of the books state, "An anthology of military science and socialist defense for young people". Each issue has at least one article related to the Volksmarine.

Here is the cover of Arsenal 6:

[jkeegen]

I've looked at a some issues of Arsenal on ebay but haven't purchased any yet. Are the photos b/w or color?

[ehrentitle]

I've looked at a some issues of Arsenal on ebay but haven't purchased any yet. Are the photos b/w or color?

They are both B&W and color photos in the Arsenal series.

[jkeegen]

Now I HAVE to own it!!!

....and now I do!! A copy of Volksmarine auf Wacht arrived in the mail this week.

[ehrentitle]

....and now I do!! A copy of Volksmarine auf Wacht arrived in the mail this week.

Congrats, you will not be disappointed with your purchase.

[Capt. R]

Great books, great thread! Love the naval traditions. Which ones show good pics of the scuba/recon units?

[ehrentitle]

Die Kampfschwimmer der Volksmarine by Horst Kerzig, Jürgen Knittel, Kurt Schulze, Das Neue Berlin, 2008 which is shown in Post #7 of this thread.

[jkeegen]

#3 - Warship International articles by Dipl.-Ing. Hartman Ehlers:
- Issue No 1, 1991, The Transparent Enemy; A Few Days Inside the Volksmarine
- Issue No 3, 1991, The Naval Facilities at Peenemunde After the German Unification
- Issue No 1, 1992, Volksmarine der DDR; The Other German Navy

I found one issue on E-bay and got the other two through interlibrary loan. These articles provide extensive details and photos of VM combat ships as well as short histories of all of the VM Flotillas and naval bases. All in English of course.

Erhentitle, which of these three articles did you find the most interesting and informative?

[ehrentitle]

Erhentitle, which of these three articles did you find the most interesting and informative?

Brian - They are all good. They represent the most detailed and comprehensive listing I've found of VM ships and their disposition after Unification. Not only do they discuss combat ships, by fleet auxiliaries like oilers, supply ships, tugs, diving tenders, target boats, etc...

I received two of the three through inter-library loan as .pdf's and would be happy to share them with you and can scan the third when I get time.

[jkeegen]

I received two of the three through inter-library loan as .pdf's and would be happy to share them with you and can scan the third when I get time.

That would be greatly appreciated and I am willing to pay you for your time. I found all three issues on ebay but don't really need the whole issue and have a few other publications I would prefer to purchase instead.