Oath of the NVA

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The oath of the flag was taken in the GDR by everyone called up to the National People's Army (NVA) when he was sworn in. The wording was part of the Military Service Act. Initially referred to only as an "oath", it was not until 1962 that it became an "oath".

text

1959-1961

I swear

To
serve my fatherland, the German Democratic Republic, loyally at all times, to protect it against every enemy by order of the workers 'and peasants' government
at the risk of my life,
to obey unconditionally
our military superiors, always and everywhere the honor of our republic and its National People's Army to protect.

1962-1989

I swear


To serve the German Democratic Republic, my fatherland, loyally at all times
and
to protect it against every enemy on the orders of the workers and peasants government .

I swear

At the side of the Soviet Army and the armies of
the socialist countries allied with us,
as a soldier of the National People's Army, to
be ready at any time
to defend socialism against all enemies
and to use my life to achieve victory.

I swear


To be an honest, brave, disciplined and vigilant soldier, to obey
the military superiors with
absolute obedience,
to carry out orders with all determination
and to
always strictly keep military and state secrets .

I swear

To conscientiously acquire military knowledge, to
comply with military regulations
and always and everywhere to preserve the honor of our republic
and its National People's Army.

Should I ever violate this solemn oath of my oath,
may the harsh punishment of the law of our republic
and the contempt of the working people hit me .

Members of the border troops of the GDR , the VP readiness and the Ministry for State Security (MfS) swore a modified oath. Officers made a vow in addition to the oath . Construction soldiers only made a vow.

1990

The Volkskammer passed a new oath on April 26, 1990. Before the swearing in on July 20, 1990, the anniversary of the Hitler attack , the order of the day from the Minister for Disarmament and Defense of the GDR Rainer Eppelmann was read out. Professional soldiers who had taken the old oath were released from it and sworn in according to the new formula.

I swear ,
true to the laws of the German Democratic Republic, that
I will always perform my military duties with discipline and honor.

I swear to use
all my strength to maintain the peace
and protect the German Democratic Republic.

Anyone who did not want to take this oath was originally to be dismissed immediately because of "insufficient suitability for the military profession". Since there was a risk that many qualified NVA members could refuse to take the oath in order to be able to leave the service quickly, the setting of the discharge date was made the responsibility of the individual commanders until the end of December .

See also

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Daily order of the Minister for Disarmament and Defense of the GDR on July 20, 1990 in Strausberg. In: 20-juli.44.de. Foundation July 20, 1944, accessed July 20, 2020 .
  2. Bruno Thoss, Wolfgang Schmidt on behalf of the Military History Research Office (ed.): From the Cold War to German Unity . Analyzes and contemporary witness reports on German military history 1945 to 1995. Oldenbourg , Munich 1995, ISBN 978-3-486-56160-9 , pp. 432 (743 pages).
  3. Heiner Bröckermann: oath on democracy. (PDF 4,2MB) On the commemoration day of the Hitler assassination 20 years ago the National People's Army was sworn in again. (No longer available online.) In: bw aktuell No. 28/2010. July 19, 2010, p. 7 , archived from the original on July 1, 2011 ; accessed on July 20, 2020 .

Web links

  • Peter Veith: Oath. Retrieved July 21, 2012 .