Review of the year 2017

[David H]

and more

[Venturefan260]

Loving the grenzpolizei uniform, Stefan!

[Ralph P]

This thread continues to be interesting to see that the DDR collecting community is still alive and well with what fellow collectors have added to their collections.

I also agree that the KGB badges are reproductions on the DDR tunic. With that said VPKA your tunics are great to see.

Kevin, thanks for the taking the time for posting how you did for 2017 and I will say that there is nothing wrong checking out the Soviet side. :-)

Stefan, thanks for more background about your collecting interests and also showing us some of your private collection, very nice.

VPKA, I have added a photo from a KGB grouping in my collection that shows a couple of KGB badges.

Great thread so far, thanks all.

[Felix]

Very nice items shown!!
It was a slow year for me too but I managed to pick up a few things. Will try to post tomorrow!

Cheers
/Felix

[Ralph P]

Felix - it is great to read your post!!! I hope all has been good with you. It will be good to see what you collected in 2017.

[Felix]

Sorry for being a bit late - here are my finds for 2017 - not much but a few nice I hope

Tunic and trousers set for Grenztruppen. Bullion insignias on a parade tunic and a medal bar. Including Vorbildlichen grenzdienst with number on the reverse. Tunic dated 66 and trousers 67.

Grenzpolizei tunic dated 61. This year I wanted because of the start of the building of the Berlin wall. Now I need to find a matching visor..... (good luck to myself)

Deutsche grenzpolizei 10 years book in good condition.

Cheers

//Felix

P.s I wonder what the hunt will bring for 2018?

[Felix]

I almost forgot this find - but its not a new one to me - I found my lost transit visa for East Germany in the summer of 1988. Long before the wall came down and it was all there - true and real. I travelled from the Trier/Saarbrucken area to West Berlin and crossed the border to DDR at Gerstungen. That was a special moment as well. Late in the evening, almost at night we crossed. We opened the windows as much as we could on the sleeper wagoon train and viewed and smelled the first contact with East Germany. The air was filled with pollution from coal fired plants and none filtered air pollutants from other sources. Air was filled with fog and smog and I saw a lonely man in a long coat walking on the platform. It reminded me of an old movie. The smell was sour and the scent of sulphur was there. I took a shot of it and had high hopes it would develop from the old style film rolls but it was discarded by the lab - probably too dark. But the memories remain. Thats part of why I collect East German memorabilia...

I also found a reciept from Inter Hotel Stadt Berlin at Alexanderplatz where I had lunch with some friends. We tipped the hot looking waitress with West German Marks and she liked that! Inter Hotel Stadt Berlin helped us calling a cab for a round trip which cost us very little - and we had to spend the compulsory changed West German Marks to the East German ones. Crazy old days with 17 year old Swedish kids (I was very close to 18 though)... Nice memories for me - I was young and all was fun... Nice and fun times! Schwareneggers Running Man was on the cinemas and soon the first Die hard with Bruce willis was there. Oh man, those were times... Sorry for getting a bit emotional

Cheers
//Felix

[tony james]

Felix
nice tunics . expecially the parade .

[Ralph P]

Felix - very nice additions to your collection. Is your DG 10 year book have many pages?

[Felix]

Felix - very nice additions to your collection. Is your DG 10 year book have many pages?

Thanks gentlemen!

Ralph, I think all the pages and complete.

Cheers
//Felix

[Ralph P]

Felix - thanks much for your post.

[jon m.]

Those are both very good movies.

I almost forgot this find - but its not a new one to me - I
found my lost transit visa for East Germany in the summer of 1988. Long before the wall came down and it was all there - true and real. I travelled from the Trier/Saarbrucken area to West Berlin and crossed the border to DDR at Gerstungen. That was a special moment as well. Late in the evening, almost at night we crossed. We opened the windows as much as we could on the sleeper wagoon train and viewed and smelled the first contact with East Germany. The air was filled with pollution from coal fired plants and none filtered air pollutants from other sources. Air was filled with fog and smog and I saw a lonely man in a long coat walking on the platform. It reminded me of an old movie. The smell was sour and the scent of sulphur was there. I took a shot of it and had high hopes it would develop from the old style film rolls but it was discarded by the lab - probably too dark. But the memories remain. Thats part of why I collect East German memorabilia...

I also found a reciept from Inter Hotel Stadt Berlin at Alexanderplatz where I had lunch with some friends. We tipped the hot looking waitress with West German Marks and she liked that! Inter Hotel Stadt Berlin helped us calling a cab for a round trip which cost us very little - and we had to spend the compulsory changed West German Marks to the East German ones. Crazy old days with 17 year old Swedish kids (I was very close to 18 though)... Nice memories for me - I was young and all was fun... Nice and fun times! Schwareneggers Running Man was on the cinemas and soon the first Die hard with Bruce willis was there. Oh man, those were times... Sorry for getting a bit emotional

Cheers
//Felix