Volksmarine uniforms in the Bundesmarine?

[Jan Klaassen]

@Proud Kraut: thanks for the link. I had indeed seen that one, though it's a bit different as it has (as you mentioned) shoulderboards still on, but also has the VM-style ranks, and not the BM.

@Steve and Sprogcollector:
I do indeed agree as this being pre-unification at least. It is made in 1990, and was acquired by the seller (so he states) in 1991. So it would be "mostly pre-unification", and been worn only a very short period post-unification. Is there any info on whether it is indeed true that the last units of the former VM (in their VM-organisation, not yet part of the BM I believe) were dissolved in 1991?
Excluding Handelsmarine and WSP I think is wise in this case.

Sprogcollector, I understand the last bit. In the DDR-section, others think that NOT all officers received new uniforms (I, personally, do not know how many officers went over from one to another anyways).
What the seller said would make sense as long as the officer would not have been taken into the BM (with a sort of 'contract' untill 1991) fully, but only worked during the unification. It would make sense that he used his old uniform for this relatively short period, but also changed the ranks on it...
At least, that's what I think

[Proud Kraut]

Originally Posted by Jan Klaassen

@Proud Kraut: thanks for the link. I had indeed seen that one, though it's a bit different as it has (as you mentioned) shoulderboards still on, but also has the VM-style ranks, and not the BM.
)

Jan, I don't know if we are talking about the same uniform. If you follow the link it's not the last uniform but the third from last. The Ärmelstreifen are from a Bw Korvettenkapitän, aren't they?

Lars

[Nachrichten]

"I know Grenztruppen and Volkspolizei uniforms were modified to wear BGS and Polizei ranks. I have a converted Grenztruppen jacket with BGS badges I bought from a BGS veteran, I also have DDR cardboard shoulder ranks that are copies of BRD ranks. Somewhere on this Forum there is a discussion about other details of the transition."

I find this piece of information most interesting. As I understand it, the Grenztruppen were considered the most 'hard line' of all the former NVA/Polizei formations raised in the GDR. To that end, as with most of the senior NVA officers, it was not deemed approriate (or safe - from a security perspective) to allow them to join the BW or BGS. Indeed, in the case of the latter, there were significant 'tensions' arising from a number of fatalities which had occurred 'an die grenze' for which investigations were on-going (as to the identity of Greztruppe and former Grentruppe involved) with a view to possible criminal prosecutions being undertaken. Such prosecutions, did, subsequently, occurr. Those investigations were conducted by the BGS (in their police-type role).

I, for one, would like to know a lot more about this 'transition' and, in particular, the period of time in which former Grenztruppen were 'taken on board' as part of the BGS. Personally, I have to say that I am very sceptical that this would have occurred in any more than a superficial manner and that the staff acquired would have been given unrestricted access to BGS resources and information.

N

[Jan Klaassen]

Originally Posted by Proud Kraut

Jan, I don't know if we are talking about the same uniform. If you follow the link it's not the last uniform but the third from last. The Ärmelstreifen are from a Bw Korvettenkapitän, aren't they?

Lars

Hello Lars!

Well, I never looked at it that way I always imagined that they were VM-ranks, but then lenghtened, but they could indeed very well be BM-ones (as they match Korvettenkapitaen as you said)! Thanks!