Wach Rgt. Dzierzynski "Commandos" Uniform

[Ralph P]

Ralph,

As Dirk pointed out there is nothing specific about the book. It follows the line of all handbooks used in the NVA. The stamp only indicates that it was in the inventory of the MdI rather then the NVA. The same stamp could/will possibly be found in the Handbuch fuer Sanitaeter for example or others without anything "special" or different about the content.
Only the Handbuch Militaerisches Grundwissen, to my knowledge, differentiated between issues, mine is the NVA-edition.

Hey dag...that was what I was thinking too, but thought I would ask the question to be sure. So thanks for the update and information...

[DaveM]

MdI paras........?

this week in the mail...
4 piece mdi stamped para uniform....



bdu pants

winter pant liner

[Mike G.]

So, we now have an MdI marked/stamped Fallshirmjager book, and an MdI marked/stamped Fallschirmjager Field Uniform.

Questions:

a). Given the uniform is dated 1984, is it possible the East German Polizei had something special going on, starting that year? Maybe the establishment of a new and unique unit, such as a S.W.A.T unit or immediate response unit of some sort?

b). Or has David M's posts now brought the thread full circle and put this squarely back on the backs of the Stasi? Is this evidence of their in effect having jump qualified personnel?

Thanks Dave for the posts. You have some very interesting stuff there.

[Chuck D.]

So, we now have an MdI marked/stamped Fallshirmjager book, and an MdI marked/stamped Fallschirmjager Field Uniform.

Questions:

a). Given the uniform is dated 1984, is it possible the East German Polizei had something special going on, starting that year? Maybe the establishment of a new and unique unit, such as a S.W.A.T unit or immediate response unit of some sort?

b). Or has David M's posts now brought the thread full circle and put this squarely back on the backs of the Stasi? Is this evidence of their in effect having jump qualified personnel?

Thanks Dave for the posts. You have some very interesting stuff there.

Hi Michael,

I would tend to go with option (a) regarding the "Mdi" markings, but have in my collection a set of "MfS" marked para bdus which would confirm that the Stasi had jump-qualified personnel. They are date-coded the first quarter of 1980. A friend of mine has an identical (though smaller size) set.

Chuck

[AR-11]

I´m not a stamp-specialist: but a rainpattern-uniform, stamped in 1958 could not be correct! The rainpatterns was introduced in NVA at the end of the 60ies... and some years later in MFS.

AR-11

[Mike G.]

Hi Dirk,

Actually, the 1958 stamp in the MfS marked Fallschirmjager clothing Chuck posted is not the Date. Probably it is a code specific to the garment type or location produced.

The Date Stamp, after 1968 was a letter, usually with a number. The number signified the quarter - Jan to Mar; Apr to Jun; Jul to Sep and Oct to Dec.

The Alphabet letters signified the actual year, "K" being 1969 and "D" being 1990. Ironically, there was an apparent screwup, in that the Letter "L" was used twice, and can be either 1973 or 1987. This is usually easy to determine, as 73 was still Dark Collar era and 87 was Open Collar Era.

In the case of Chuck's MfS Fallschirmjager Clothing, it is date stamped:
1 / E, which is: 1st Quarter (Jan to Mar) 1980.

Dirk, I wouldn't sweat the small stuff - you former NVA guys were all way too busy with your work to worry or be concerned about the small mundane things such as what year your pants or shirts were manufactured.

[U873]

MdI gloves ??

" what happened to Soviet's post on MdI gloves?
I read it here yesterday, and now its vanished without a trace
Did the KGB get him? "

[Mike G.]

Hi Chuck,

This sure opens the door for a lot of speculation, too which I very much wish the answers could be found.

Without question, it is apparent the Stasi did have "Jump Qualified" personnel. What their varied missions and specific Unit designations may have been, remain a mystery to me.
Also, what they "Jumped" from: ie; Fixed Wing or Rotary Aircraft. The aircraft presumably would have been provided by the NVA, at least until 1986, given that is when I believe, the MdI (Volkspolizei) formed their own Rotary Aircraft Wing?

And Dave M's MdI Fallschirmjager clothing is dated 1984. So again, one has to wonder what aircraft they jumped from, and who provided it?

Intrigue -

This is what I like about the DDR stuff.

[Mike G.]

" what happened to Soviet's post on MdI gloves?
I read it here yesterday, and now its vanished without a trace
Did the KGB get him? "

Boy you guys are observant.

Nothing so ominous as the KGB or Stasi. Soviet requested the post be pulled due to the fact the Glove Inserts were not specifically MdI - that's all. Perhaps he can be encouraged to initiate a thread on DDR Gloves and Glove Inserts.

[DaveM]

I´m not a stamp-specialist: but a rainpattern-uniform, stamped in 1958 could not be correct! The rainpatterns was introduced in NVA at the end of the 60ies... and some years later in MFS.

AR-11

Hi Dirk,
here are the details on LETTER date coding taken my web page:
http://wizard.hprtec.org/builder/wor....php3?ID=28500
From the larger NVA page:
http://wizard.hprtec.org/builder/wor....php3?ID=28436
The NVA date coded it's uniform tunics, pants, hats, and field gear. After 1969 these items were coded with a letter for the year and a Roman numeral I, II, III, and IV for the quarter.
DDR Year Codes
1969 - K
1970 - M
1971 - X
1972 - B
1973 - L
1974 - O
1975 - S
1976 - R
1977 - A
1978 - U
1979 - F
1980 - E
1981 - G
1982 - I
1983 - C
1984 - H
1985 - T
1986 - P
1987 - L
1988 - Y
1989 - N
1990 - D

[AR-11]

Thanx for the lesson, Mike and Dave.

You´re right: it never was intrested in the stamps inside my clothes.

But now to find parchute-jumping policemen: I can´t believe that. Maybe it was a plan-but I never saw them. Donßt forget: Mfs had also units in Volkspolizei and NVA and Zoll and Reichsbahn and so on. They sometimes firmed under "MdI".
Of course, the Volkspolizei had flying forces, especially Helicopters.
But now I will get a heart attack if you still prove to me that there were parachute bulls.

AR-11

[Mike G.]

Hi Dave,

My Date Code Chart might be off. Wonder if you know?

It shows "K" for 1968 and "Z" for 1969. Everything else is the same.
I don't think I have any hats date stamped "Z" inside, so I wonder if my Date Code chart is wrong?

[Mike G.]

Disregard,


While I didn't find any hats dated "Z" inside, I found some hats date "1968" inside. Presumably, if my date code chart was correct, these hats would have been date "K" inside.

So, my date chart is off.

Glad you posted your date chart Dave. I've corrected my prior post.

Thanks.

[paul heath]

Members,

I too have a MdI stamped para BDU. But, alas, I can not fully make out the year stamp. I beleive it is N meaning 1989. The stamp is faded. I think it is likely 1989. Reason: The guy in Germany I got it from was part of the transition NVA. It has sewn on the left side a NATO style name tag and underneath it his NVA (last style) rank badge.

I can not post a pic - no digital camera

Paul Heath

[Mike G.]

Hey Paul,

I have a Digital Camera. Hint, hint.