In August 1945, the four allied powers: America, Britain, France and Russia, divided Germany into four military occupation zones. America took control of the Southern area (comprising what are today the states of Baden-Wurttemberg, Bavaria, Bremen & Hessen). Britain took the North West (comprising Schleswig Holstein, Hamburg, Nordrhein Westfalen and Niedersachsen), France the South West (comprising Rheinland Pfalz and Saarland) and Russia the East (comprising what is today Brandenburg, Thuringen, Sachsen, Sachsen / Anhalt & Mecklenburg Vorpommern). The Capitol of Berlin was also divided into four quadrants.

The German Democratic Republic was created in 1949 following the creation of the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany). East Germany existed as a separate entity until 1990 when the two countries re-united.

Unlike West Germany, which had de-centralized individual state police agencies, East Germany maintained a centralized structure similar to the one in place during the III Reich. The Volkspolizei was a subordinate of the MdI (Ministry of the Interior). The Volkspolizei itself comprised several sub-commands, including: General Police, Traffic Police, Railway Police (Originally part of the Ministry for State Security), Criminal Police, Water Police, and Aviation Police, Border Police, Riot Police & Fire.

While localized policing was instituted by the Soviet Military Administration in Germany (SVAG) beginning in 1945, the actual term “Volkspolizei” did not come into existence until 1946. Most of the original members were former Wehrmacht officers. Unfortunately, they lasted only till 1949 when the SVAG purged the VoPo of all politically undesirable individuals which include the former Wehrmacht personnel. With the creation of the GDR, the Volkspolizei came into a “true” existence as the official police force of German Democratic Republic.

The original VoPo was actually quite large, amounting to over 45,000 members. They were in fact the original state security force, at least until 1956 when the Volksarmee was instituted. Ironically, while the former Wehrmacht officers were deemed politically undesirable for the Volkspolizei, they were well received in the NVA. Former Wehrmacht officers comprised nearly 2/3 of the top command staff of the early NVA.

In 1952 the position of Abschnittsbevollmächtigter was established. In addition to other duties, the ABV was basically the link to the Ministerium für Staatssicherheit (Stasi).

At the end, the VoPo personnel numbered in the 80,000 range, with a civilian auxiliary numbering around double that amount.

Original rank & insignia was modeled closely after III Reich insignia. But these also underwent changes as time progressed. Between 1946 and 1990, there was as much variety in insignia, rank, etc.. as there was in all of the states comprising West Germany. This included utilization of the old “Waffenfarbe” system to distinguish between subordinate units. As time allows, I will attempt to outline these as clearly as possible.

Exactly what was used immediately after the war is unknown to this writer. My guess is that local police may have used what was available to them. Perhaps someone more knowledgeable can help out in this particular area. The first record of officially recognized insignia of Volkspolizei insignia I have seen is dated 1949.

I will preface this entry with the understanding that my understanding of the Volkspolizei is not as good as that of my understanding of West Germany. There are many others who are much more well versed, and I hope that they will add their input to this section. That being said, as time permits, I will try to add outlines of the various components and insignia I have.

Happy collecting,

Andrew

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Dave Cameron,

Andrew, Thank you very much for the above Introduction. It will serve as an excellent way to start this thread off in the right direction!

Moved Reply:

Removable Polizei Anwärter shoulder boards with green cords. These boards are the same style as wartime Probationary Policeman shoulder boards, except for the later manufacturing techniques. The E German boards are entirely different in the form of the button hole and the thin synthetic fabric attaching straps. Notice the boards have one more strip of cording in the center that is not present on the wartime German Anwärter shoulder boards. This is a typical feature of later E German shoulder boards.

George

"You can't please everyone, so you've got to please yourself." Ricky Nelson

Moved Reply:

East German silver sports badge for the DDR. This is a pin back award.

George

"You can't please everyone, so you've got to please yourself." Ricky Nelson

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Back of tunic showing two panel cut with no slit in the tail. The trousers for this uniform are green with green piping as on the collar and cuffs. East German Police uniforms are typically marked to the Ministry of the Interior (MdI) and dated with letter codes. This tunic is stamped with a Y date code, indicating manufacture in 1988.

George

"You can't please everyone, so you've got to please yourself." Ricky Nelson

Moved Reply:

East German Police qualification bar for Class III Policemen. This is a screwback award.

George

"You can't please everyone, so you've got to please yourself." Ricky Nelson

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This is a five button uniform, cut in the military Mode, that will button up to the throat. It can also be worn as an open collar tunic with a grey shirt and a green tie. Barracks Police could wear some military insignia but this uniform has an East German Sport badge in silver and a police classification badge (III) over the right breast pocket.

George

"You can't please everyone, so you've got to please yourself." Ricky Nelson

Moved Reply:

Machine sewn Polizei collar tabs with aluminum Litzen woven into the green backing. The collar tabs also have green twisted cord piping, unlike wartime Schupo collar tabs. The collar is of the same material and color as the tunic and it is piped in green.

George

"You can't please everyone, so you've got to please yourself." Ricky Nelson

Moved Reply:

Machine sewn TRAPO Officer collar tabs with blue backing. The bars are stamped metal with blue cord inner Litzen. Early police Officer collar tabs may be found that are embroidered and/or are single bars instead of double bars. These later metal collar tabs are standardized for ease of manufacture.

"You can't please everyone, so you've got to please yourself." Ricky Nelson

Moved Reply:

Since I also collect postwar Polizei stuff, I will post another East German uniform for the Transportation Police (TRAPO). This tunic is Ministery of the Interior (MdI) marked, dated 1987 and is cut in a standardized manner as befits manufactured goods from a socialist worker's paradise. Blue wool/polyester in the same cut as other E German police uniforms, with the same buttons and insignia. The piping is light blue on the collar, cuffs, trousers, and cap.

George

"You can't please everyone, so you've got to please yourself." Ricky Nelson

Moved Reply:

TRAPO Officer peaked cap in blue with light blue piping. The visor is molded plastic and the larger Officer wreath is stamped metal. The Officer cap cords are the same as wartime but often have plastic parts and some will "glow" under black light. The cap is constructed entirely of postwar materials with a plastic sweat shield.

George

"You can't please everyone, so you've got to please yourself." Ricky Nelson

Moved Reply:

TRAPO Leutnant removable shoulder boards with blue underlay and bright aluminum tops. Notice the standard rimed aluminum buttons that are used on almost all E German uniforms. The buttons are attached with cords through two holes in the shoulder. The pips are the same as were utilized during the war but are much lighter stampings.

"You can't please everyone, so you've got to please yourself." Ricky Nelson

Moved Reply:

East German Wasserschutzpolizei Bootsführer tunic. This double breasted tunic is the same style as that issued to the DDR Navy and Coast Guard except that it is MdI marked and dated 1990 (the last year of manufacture for DDR uniforms). It has ten gilt fouled anchor buttons on the front and green piping on the collar.

George

"You can't please everyone, so you've got to please yourself." Ricky Nelson

Moved Reply:

Machine sewn Volkspolizei NCO collar tabs with stamped metal litzen with green centers and backing. These standard VOPO NCO tabs are worn reversed (according to regulations) in order to better follow the shape of the double breasted lapels.

George

"You can't please everyone, so you've got to please yourself." Ricky Nelson

Moved Reply:

Hi Jiri,

Very nice DDR General Officer collar tabs. It is interesting that all DDR General Officer ranks had the same style of collar tab and the specific rank was only designated on the shoulder boards with pips. Regular Volkspolizei Generals utilized the identical collar tab with green backing, Transportpolizei Generals with blue backing, etc.

Here is an intersting mixture of colors for the Helicopter Police (Hubschraubereinheit). The DDR police who were assigned to flying duty were in the Transportpolizei (TRAPO) and wore regular TRAPO kornblumenblau Biesen- und Effektenfarbe police shoulder boards but with lighter color military hellblauer collar tabs for NCO ranks. Officers wore both shoulder boards and collar tabs of hellblauer Kragenspiegel. I don't know the logic behind this difference in NCO and Officer insignia colors, but it is called for in the 29 November 1983 uniform regulations as last revised in 1988.

George

"You can't please everyone, so you've got to please yourself." Ricky Nelson

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General

"I only had two beers officer, I swear."

"In GOD we trust, everyone else keep your hands were we can see them"

Moved Reply:

Volkspolizei Meister der VP shoulder boards with green underlay and center cords with two aluminum pips. Notice the fouled anchor buttons that are similar to those from WWII but are stamped with dished backs. The stamped white metal pips are similar to the WWII style but the prongs are entirely different.

George

"You can't please everyone, so you've got to please yourself." Ricky Nelson

Moved Reply:

This is a very hard to find set of ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND WATER CONSERVATION POLICE: (UNWELTSCHUTZ UND WASSERWIRTSCHAFT). The boards are piped in diffrent farbs for diffrent jobs.

"I only had two beers officer, I swear."

"In GOD we trust, everyone else keep your hands were we can see them"

Moved Reply:

Lbsr,

Very nice general's tabs. They are the first I've seen that are made with bullion.

George,

Super nice Hubschraubereinheit tunic, do you have a visor for it? I've seen a few over the past couple of years but they aren't so easy to get, at least with out paying out of the nose.

Here are is my pair of VolksPolizei generals tabs. Not as nice as your Lbsr. They are made with the metal oak leaves.

pat

"I only had two beers officer, I swear."

"In GOD we trust, everyone else keep your hands were we can see them"

Moved Reply:

side

"I only had two beers officer, I swear."

"In GOD we trust, everyone else keep your hands were we can see them"

Moved Reply:

Very nice Meister with 15 years service! It is 1st time I see "Bootsführer" Ärmelband.

Here are shoulderboards for General of Volkspolizei-Luft/Verwaltung Aeroklub (1952-56).
These are for "Uniformjacke" - shoulderboards for Wintermantel were 1cm longer

Moved Reply:

Machine sewn Bootsführer sleeveband and 15 year service stripes on the left sleeve. The Bootsführer sleeveband was only worn by the police on the uniform of the boot commander. Interestingly, MdI regulations also allowed wear of this sleeveband on Feuerwehr uniforms for fire boat commanders.

George

"You can'