https://soviet-awards.com/forum/ Wed, 28 Oct 2026 18:00:39 +0000 MyBB https://soviet-awards.com/forum/Thread-Recommendations-for-a-New-Collector Tue, 03 Jun 2014 17:55:18 +0000 Pravda]]> https://soviet-awards.com/forum/Thread-Recommendations-for-a-New-Collector
I have built up large Soviet and Mongolian collections and am thinking about branching out. I just came back from Germany and searched through the flea markets and saw some interesting GDR militaria, which has got me thinking about collecting GDR orders and medals. What I need is now is some sage advice.

I am interested in collecting a few higher quality orders and medals, specifically ones that are made of silver. I would like to get your views on what orders and medals (under $100 USD ea) are worth my time. I figure I can get the much more common medals later on.

Also, can you PM me any leads on dealers or any items you may have that are available for sale.

Finally, is their a good reference book you recommend, as there seem to be a few on the market.

Thank you in advance!!

Cheers,
Will :thumbsup]]>
I have built up large Soviet and Mongolian collections and am thinking about branching out. I just came back from Germany and searched through the flea markets and saw some interesting GDR militaria, which has got me thinking about collecting GDR orders and medals. What I need is now is some sage advice.

I am interested in collecting a few higher quality orders and medals, specifically ones that are made of silver. I would like to get your views on what orders and medals (under $100 USD ea) are worth my time. I figure I can get the much more common medals later on.

Also, can you PM me any leads on dealers or any items you may have that are available for sale.

Finally, is their a good reference book you recommend, as there seem to be a few on the market.

Thank you in advance!!

Cheers,
Will :thumbsup]]> https://soviet-awards.com/forum/Thread-Plaque-5-Years-Collective-German-Soviet-Friendship Wed, 22 May 2013 17:34:33 +0000 CtahhR]]> https://soviet-awards.com/forum/Thread-Plaque-5-Years-Collective-German-Soviet-Friendship
Not much more information currently available.

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Not much more information currently available.

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The book was written by the general responsible for closing shop on the NVA and incorporating a small segment of it into the Bundeswehr.

Fascinating social-political-military insight on Germans, the effect of communism on a society, and two peoples' "marriage" after a long separation. For collectors interesting mention of secret Stasi weapons, the East German medal room with Bluecher medals and orders awaiting WWIII, field marshal epaullettes for General Hoffman, and DDR plans to drive on Western Germany.

210 pages and glad we avoided the nuclear nightmare...:thumbsup]]>
The book was written by the general responsible for closing shop on the NVA and incorporating a small segment of it into the Bundeswehr.

Fascinating social-political-military insight on Germans, the effect of communism on a society, and two peoples' "marriage" after a long separation. For collectors interesting mention of secret Stasi weapons, the East German medal room with Bluecher medals and orders awaiting WWIII, field marshal epaullettes for General Hoffman, and DDR plans to drive on Western Germany.

210 pages and glad we avoided the nuclear nightmare...:thumbsup]]> https://soviet-awards.com/forum/Thread-Dynamo-the-Stasi-Sports-Organisation Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:05:32 +0000 Greg Collins]]> https://soviet-awards.com/forum/Thread-Dynamo-the-Stasi-Sports-Organisation
I have a reasonable collection of Dynamo items I thought I'd share. First off, an early bronze honour badge (full size and miniature) and document from 1961.

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I have a reasonable collection of Dynamo items I thought I'd share. First off, an early bronze honour badge (full size and miniature) and document from 1961.

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I have a few of these I thought I'd share. At the bottom is the unit's cuff title.

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I have a few of these I thought I'd share. At the bottom is the unit's cuff title.

  All.JPG (Size: 100.58 KB / Downloads: 18) ]]> https://soviet-awards.com/forum/Thread-GDR-Reference-material Wed, 17 Dec 2008 22:47:28 +0000 Taz]]> https://soviet-awards.com/forum/Thread-GDR-Reference-material Bartel: DDR Spezialkatalog Band 5

Auszeichnungen der FDJ und der Pionierorganisation "Ernst Thälmann"

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Auszeichnungen der FDJ und der Pionierorganisation "Ernst Thälmann"

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V. Bestehende Regelungen

Mit Ausnahme des Landes Brandenburg haben die einzelnen Bundesländer für ihren Zuständigkeitsbereich bisher keine Bestimmungen erlassen, die die Trageerlaubnis regeln. Im Gesetz über die Stiftung des Feuerwehrehrenzeichens des Landes Brandenburg wird das Tragen nachstehender Aus-zeichnungen der DDR gestattet:

- Ehrenzeichen für hervorragende Leistungen im Brandschutz
- Medaille für Verdienste im Brandschutz
- Medaille für selbstlosen Einsatz bei der Bekämpfung von Katastrophen
- Rettungsmedaille

Die Ordenskanzlei des Bundespräsidialamtes hat auf Anfrage der Sächsischen Staatskanzlei mitgeteilt, daß gegen das„Ehrenzeichen der Deutschen Volkspolizei“, die verschiedenen Verdienstmedaillen der Organe des Ministeriums des Innern, die „Medaille für ausgezeichnete Leistungen in denbewaffneten Organen des Mdl“, sowie gegen die Medaillen für treue Dienste des Mdl Bedenken (!) bestehen.
Die Bundeswehr hat 1990 in diesem Zusammenhang in einem Fernschreiben an alle Einheiten die vorläufige Anweisung gegeben, die es Soldaten in Uniform, aber auch in Zivil verbietet, Orden, Medaillen oder Abzeichen der DDR in militärischen Anlagen und im Dienst außerhalb militärischer Anlagen zu tragen. Auch Klassifizierungs- und Fallschirmsprungabzeichen der NVA der DDR dürfen an der Uniform der Bundeswehr nicht getragen werden. Es bestehtallerdings die Möglichkeit, nach Anerkennung dazu erbrachter Leistungen (z.B. Fallschirmsprungabzeichen), diese umschreiben zu lassen.

Underlined

Soldiers of the Bundeswehr are not allowed to wear on their unifoms or in civilian clothes any form of GDR awards.

EG: Parachuting and other qualifications can be exchanged for the equivilent BRD awards]]>
V. Bestehende Regelungen

Mit Ausnahme des Landes Brandenburg haben die einzelnen Bundesländer für ihren Zuständigkeitsbereich bisher keine Bestimmungen erlassen, die die Trageerlaubnis regeln. Im Gesetz über die Stiftung des Feuerwehrehrenzeichens des Landes Brandenburg wird das Tragen nachstehender Aus-zeichnungen der DDR gestattet:

- Ehrenzeichen für hervorragende Leistungen im Brandschutz
- Medaille für Verdienste im Brandschutz
- Medaille für selbstlosen Einsatz bei der Bekämpfung von Katastrophen
- Rettungsmedaille

Die Ordenskanzlei des Bundespräsidialamtes hat auf Anfrage der Sächsischen Staatskanzlei mitgeteilt, daß gegen das„Ehrenzeichen der Deutschen Volkspolizei“, die verschiedenen Verdienstmedaillen der Organe des Ministeriums des Innern, die „Medaille für ausgezeichnete Leistungen in denbewaffneten Organen des Mdl“, sowie gegen die Medaillen für treue Dienste des Mdl Bedenken (!) bestehen.
Die Bundeswehr hat 1990 in diesem Zusammenhang in einem Fernschreiben an alle Einheiten die vorläufige Anweisung gegeben, die es Soldaten in Uniform, aber auch in Zivil verbietet, Orden, Medaillen oder Abzeichen der DDR in militärischen Anlagen und im Dienst außerhalb militärischer Anlagen zu tragen. Auch Klassifizierungs- und Fallschirmsprungabzeichen der NVA der DDR dürfen an der Uniform der Bundeswehr nicht getragen werden. Es bestehtallerdings die Möglichkeit, nach Anerkennung dazu erbrachter Leistungen (z.B. Fallschirmsprungabzeichen), diese umschreiben zu lassen.

Underlined

Soldiers of the Bundeswehr are not allowed to wear on their unifoms or in civilian clothes any form of GDR awards.

EG: Parachuting and other qualifications can be exchanged for the equivilent BRD awards]]> https://soviet-awards.com/forum/Thread-Stasi-Decorations-And-Memorabilia-Reference-Book Sat, 31 May 2008 16:33:19 +0000 Tal Inbar]]> https://soviet-awards.com/forum/Thread-Stasi-Decorations-And-Memorabilia-Reference-Book
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  7.JPG (Size: 43.32 KB / Downloads: 4) ]]> https://soviet-awards.com/forum/Thread-In-the-Stasi Sun, 27 May 2007 13:03:15 +0000 Christophe]]> https://soviet-awards.com/forum/Thread-In-the-Stasi
They have been taken in the Building 1 of the HQ of the Ministry for State Security (MfS or Stasi). This building is located in Normannenstrasse, Berlin.

From here, Erich Mielke directed the "Shield and Sword of the Party".

Enjoy the tour...
#2 The entrance...
#3 Control post.
#4 The Entrance Hall.
#5 A Prisoner Transport vehicle (GTW).

Ch.

Pic : © Christophe – ChR Collection

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They have been taken in the Building 1 of the HQ of the Ministry for State Security (MfS or Stasi). This building is located in Normannenstrasse, Berlin.

From here, Erich Mielke directed the "Shield and Sword of the Party".

Enjoy the tour...
#2 The entrance...
#3 Control post.
#4 The Entrance Hall.
#5 A Prisoner Transport vehicle (GTW).

Ch.

Pic : © Christophe – ChR Collection

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  ChR-Stasi017.JPG (Size: 92.12 KB / Downloads: 27) ]]> https://soviet-awards.com/forum/Thread-History-East-German-Military-Forces-Introduction Fri, 16 Feb 2007 21:06:36 +0000 willie777]]> https://soviet-awards.com/forum/Thread-History-East-German-Military-Forces-Introduction Background

East German military forces comprised one of the Cold War's most formidable armies. These same forces also kept the East German population from revolting successfully against hard-line Communist rule for over four decades. Furthermore, East Germany sent combat and security/intelligence troops all over the world in conjunction with the Soviet Union's master plan to spread Communism across the globe. They could function as an independent military force if necessary, but were mainly factored into the Soviet Union's defensive and offensive plans for all of Europe.

History

At the end of World War 2, the Western allies and the USSR divided much of the world among themselves. Germany was no exception. The country was split into four occupation zones, which later evolved into two separate and increasingly antagonistic countries: West Germany, an ally of the West, and Communist East Germany, the right hand of the Soviet Union. Both sides evaded cease-fire agreements aimed at blocking the two Germanys from developing armed forces. With the help of the Soviets, East Germany formed police groups of various sorts -- ground, air, water and others -- to circumvent these restrictions. By the early 1950s, these police groups had expanded to the size of small armies, each with its own administrative and mission tasks.

By then the Cold War had escalated into a struggle for survival between two global power blocs, with the Soviets backing their new client state, the GDR (German Democratic Republic; in German, DDR), as it became more open in its demands for a genuine military. In 1956, East Germany merged existing police units into recognizable armed forces: infantry, air force, navy, and other branches. In this confrontational way the East Germans began their formidable military machine -- all geared for total war against the West, including their West German blood brothers, whenever the call came from Berlin or, more accurately, from Moscow.

East German Military Force Structure

(Figures are based on 1987 data and should not be considered definitive)
In 1987, the armed forces of the DDR, officially known as the National People's Army (NVA), totaled 175,300 troops, of whom slightly over half (54%) were conscripts. The NVA comprised four main branches: ground forces, Navy, Air Force/Air Defense, and Border Guards, who technically were under the control of the Ministry of Defense, but in the field cooperated closely with the ground forces.

The actual number of male and female soldiers under arms was much larger, however, than the figure above indicates. East Germany's Communist leaders followed the Soviets in having available an assortment of auxiliary forces with military capabilities to support the regime. The list includes several types of police, militia, para-military and special mission units (see below).

It is vital to note that these forces were subordinate to Soviet forces stationed in East Germany, which numbered 380,000 men organized into 20 infantry divisions and one air army. In addition to countering NATO, the Soviets placed so many troops in the DDR to insure internal security and to keep the East Germans from rising up against their larger Communist brother.]]> Background

East German military forces comprised one of the Cold War's most formidable armies. These same forces also kept the East German population from revolting successfully against hard-line Communist rule for over four decades. Furthermore, East Germany sent combat and security/intelligence troops all over the world in conjunction with the Soviet Union's master plan to spread Communism across the globe. They could function as an independent military force if necessary, but were mainly factored into the Soviet Union's defensive and offensive plans for all of Europe.

History

At the end of World War 2, the Western allies and the USSR divided much of the world among themselves. Germany was no exception. The country was split into four occupation zones, which later evolved into two separate and increasingly antagonistic countries: West Germany, an ally of the West, and Communist East Germany, the right hand of the Soviet Union. Both sides evaded cease-fire agreements aimed at blocking the two Germanys from developing armed forces. With the help of the Soviets, East Germany formed police groups of various sorts -- ground, air, water and others -- to circumvent these restrictions. By the early 1950s, these police groups had expanded to the size of small armies, each with its own administrative and mission tasks.

By then the Cold War had escalated into a struggle for survival between two global power blocs, with the Soviets backing their new client state, the GDR (German Democratic Republic; in German, DDR), as it became more open in its demands for a genuine military. In 1956, East Germany merged existing police units into recognizable armed forces: infantry, air force, navy, and other branches. In this confrontational way the East Germans began their formidable military machine -- all geared for total war against the West, including their West German blood brothers, whenever the call came from Berlin or, more accurately, from Moscow.

East German Military Force Structure

(Figures are based on 1987 data and should not be considered definitive)
In 1987, the armed forces of the DDR, officially known as the National People's Army (NVA), totaled 175,300 troops, of whom slightly over half (54%) were conscripts. The NVA comprised four main branches: ground forces, Navy, Air Force/Air Defense, and Border Guards, who technically were under the control of the Ministry of Defense, but in the field cooperated closely with the ground forces.

The actual number of male and female soldiers under arms was much larger, however, than the figure above indicates. East Germany's Communist leaders followed the Soviets in having available an assortment of auxiliary forces with military capabilities to support the regime. The list includes several types of police, militia, para-military and special mission units (see below).

It is vital to note that these forces were subordinate to Soviet forces stationed in East Germany, which numbered 380,000 men organized into 20 infantry divisions and one air army. In addition to countering NATO, the Soviets placed so many troops in the DDR to insure internal security and to keep the East Germans from rising up against their larger Communist brother.]]> https://soviet-awards.com/forum/Thread-NVA-in-the-Bundeswehr Thu, 29 Sep 2005 18:46:02 +0000 Ingsoc]]> https://soviet-awards.com/forum/Thread-NVA-in-the-Bundeswehr https://soviet-awards.com/forum/Thread-DDR-Ribbons-online-guide Fri, 13 May 2005 00:17:59 +0000 medals73]]> https://soviet-awards.com/forum/Thread-DDR-Ribbons-online-guide Orders and Decorations of the German Democratic Republic, 1949-90]]> Orders and Decorations of the German Democratic Republic, 1949-90]]> https://soviet-awards.com/forum/Thread-General-questions-comments-on-GDR-awards Wed, 18 Aug 2004 15:39:45 +0000 Taz]]> https://soviet-awards.com/forum/Thread-General-questions-comments-on-GDR-awards
Eddie.]]>
Eddie.]]> https://soviet-awards.com/forum/Thread-GDR-Regulations Sun, 18 Jul 2004 10:48:03 +0000 Taz]]> https://soviet-awards.com/forum/Thread-GDR-Regulations It is the rules and regulations for the wearing of State GDR Orders and Medals from 1978 including a list of precedence and where the Orders and medals are to be worn.


ddr-im-www - Enzyklopädie - Verordnung über das Tragen der Ehrenzeichen zu staatlichen Auszeichnungen vom 19. April 1978 - Verordnung über das Tragen der Ehrenzeichen zu staatlichen Auszeich...

Eddie.

  Ehrenzeichen.pdf (Size: 38.14 KB / Downloads: 13) ]]> It is the rules and regulations for the wearing of State GDR Orders and Medals from 1978 including a list of precedence and where the Orders and medals are to be worn.


ddr-im-www - Enzyklopädie - Verordnung über das Tragen der Ehrenzeichen zu staatlichen Auszeichnungen vom 19. April 1978 - Verordnung über das Tragen der Ehrenzeichen zu staatlichen Auszeich...

Eddie.

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And a nearer view of the Emblem in the middle.

"For German - Soviet Friendship"

Eddie.

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And a nearer view of the Emblem in the middle.

"For German - Soviet Friendship"

Eddie.

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