People's Police readiness

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National badge of the VP readiness

The People's Police Readiness ( VPB for short ), also called VP Readiness , were part of the barracked units of the Ministry of the Interior . In the Ministry of the Interior (MdI) of the GDR they were subordinate to the Deputy Minister for Readiness / Combat Groups - the German People's Police, on the other hand, was subordinate to the First Deputy Minister of the Interior. The People's Police readiness was divided into independent battalions and thus troops. They were structured in Mot.Schützen- , reconnaissance , artillery - anti-tank, anti-aircraft, combat engineer, KCB- (NBC), communications and transport units.

General

In addition to the stand-by units, the barracked units of the Ministry of the Interior had other departments with regimental status and independent companies. Within the armed organs of the GDR they belonged to the territorial area of ​​the national defense of the GDR. During their training, during energy missions in lignite opencast mines , during missions in the Rostock overseas port and when working to eliminate the consequences of disasters and the like. ä., the field service uniform summer Strichtarndruck similar to the NVA or, depending on seasonal fixed carrier, the field service uniform winter in police green with dark green Tarnschulterstücken. They wore green VP uniforms with light green rank badges and collar tabs as their starting uniform as well as when they were in order and security . Conscripts sergeants and subordinates wore a black belt, officers and professional subordinates wore a brown one.

The VP readiness is not to be confused with the VP readiness of the Barracked People's Police , the military forerunner organization of the land forces of the National People's Army .

The VP readiness, as part of the barracked units of the Ministry of the Interior , emerged from the readiness set up in April 1955 in the headquarters of the Inner Troops in regimental strength. They were subordinate to a deputy minister of the interior. Its formation and activities were supervised by advisers to the Internal Forces of the Ministry of Interior of the USSR. They existed parallel to the VP readiness of the main administration of the German People's Police (HVDVP), which had already been set up in autumn 1953 . After 1962, the organ of deputy minister of the interior readiness / combat groups was newly created after the troops (1,600 men) had been restructured into independent battalions. The VPB did not belong to the branches of the German People's Police (DVP).

They were comparable to the paramilitary formations existing in other states such as the Federal Border Guard, the French Gendarmerie Nationale, the Italian Carabinieri and other formations.

After the introduction of compulsory military service in the GDR in 1962, in the barracked units of the Ministry of the Interior - as well as in the NVA , in the border troops , in the Feliks Dzierzynski guard regiment of the Ministry for State Security (MfS) and in civil defense - military service on the Based on the Military Service Act. In the barracked units of the Ministry of the Interior , conscripts were called up for 18-month basic military service, long-term service and as reservists for the NVA. The call-up took place via the military district command of the NVA, in whose reserve the reservists were incorporated after completing their military service. They received pay equal to the NVA remuneration. With the introduction of compulsory military service from 1962, service in the transport and riot police was designated as alternative service and legally equated with service in the NVA. With the introduction of the new military service law in the GDR from 1982, the concept of military alternative service was omitted, from now on military service was also performed in the KE of the MdI. A takeover of the relatives in a branch of the German People's Police (DVP) was only possible after completing military service.

The function as riot police was exercised by the Central Forces Protection Police (ZKS) , which existed in parallel in the district authorities of the DVP (BDVP) . These were divided into military groups and equipped with submachine guns and other rifle weapons. The Schnellkommandos, consisting of police officers in groups or platoons, were partly their predecessors. The Schnellkommandos were disbanded in 1967.

The head of the main department readiness in the MdI, Major General Heinz Opitz , explained in a 1986 lecture to commanders and senior officers: “Depending on the situation, the people's police readiness can be complete or partial

  • another head of the BDVP,
  • a head of the VPKA / VPI (inspection) or
  • subordinate to a commander of the NVA or the border troops of the GDR. "

A fundamental re-profiling of the VP readiness took place with the order of the chairman of the National Defense Council of the GDR ( Honecker ) No. 12/88 of December 21, 1988. Among other things, this set the basic task of strengthening the operational service of the To use DVP . Neither the trainers (officers and subordinates) nor the 18-month conscripts had been trained in police law by then . The use in the service system of the security police in the VP district offices and districts was therefore more a wish than a reality until the end of the GDR .

history

  • September 22, 1948: Formation of the main border police / readiness department at the German Interior Administration (DVdI) and establishment of barracked readiness, from which the Barracked People's Police (KVP) and later the National People's Army emerged.
  • In 1949 guard battalions were set up in the federal states, integrating the existing barracked readiness.
  • In 1952, companies of the guard battalions were stationed decentrally in the federal states and placed under the People's Police District Offices (VPKA). You should reach each location in a maximum of two hours.
  • from July 1952: with the conversion of the federal states into 14 districts, the guard companies were subordinated to the respective district authorities of the German People's Police (BDVP).
  • July 1, 1952: in addition to the existing guard units, the existing VP readiness was converted into the barracked People's Police (KVP, later NVA land forces ).
  • 1953 As a result of the unrest on June 17, 1953 , the guard units and standby commands of the border police were disbanded and large VP standby units were formed from the inventory. They were subordinated to the education and training department of the main administration of the German People's Police (HVDVP). The district schools of the DVP arise from them and are forerunners of the Central Forces Protection Police (ZKS).
  • 1955: Additional installation of security units and motorized units of the riot police, which were directly subordinate to the MdI .
  • November 1, 1956: Subordination of the readiness (S and Mot. Units) to the MfS (Administration of Inner Troops, 15,000 men, next to the guard regiment).
  • With effect from February 1, 1957: Return to the MdI, “German Riot Police Command” and restructuring to ten (large) readiness positions.
  • August 13, 1961: VP readiness and 1st Brigade (B) / MdI from Basdorf secure or build the wall in Berlin with the fighting groups of the working class . The NVA and divisions of the Soviet Army remain in readiness rooms around Berlin.
  • 1962: Conversion of the great readiness into 21 VP readiness as a result of the conscription law passed on January 24, 1962. In April 1962 the first conscripts entered.
  • from 1962: only minor changes in the structure and none in the subordination.
  • November 1, 1985: Restructuring of the barracked units of the MdI, reduction of the personnel of the VP readiness and the addition of further technology and armament.
  • October 3, 1990: The VP readiness and the Blumberg office are taken over by the police of the newly created federal states, the personnel of the Basdorf readiness by the Berlin police . The last of those doing military service are dismissed, a few officers and professional subordinates are taken over by the police forces of the federal states and service contracts are then concluded with them.

Responsibilities of the VP readiness

The tasks of the VP readiness resulted from the second part of the law on the tasks and powers of the German People's Police (DVP) of June 11, 1968. The following paragraphs apply to the barracked units of the MdI:

§ 7 tasks
(1) The German People's Police must reliably guarantee public order and security at all times. It is incumbent upon her within her jurisdiction to:
...
b) Preventing other dangers and eliminating disturbances that threaten the life or health of people, socialist, personal or private property or otherwise impair public order and security.
...
j) to perform the tasks assigned in the context of national defense .
...
(2) In the event of dangers or disruptions that other state organs are responsible for defending against or eliminating, the German People's Police must also take action if ...

The Minister of the Interior and head of the DVP issued instructions on this legal basis, in particular “Order 0020 /…”, in which the tasks for the barracked units were specified.

  • The "§ 7 (1) b" was the basis for actions in peace and
  • the "§ 7 (1) j" for the preparation for and actions in a state of tension and defense.

In "Command 0020/79" it said: "The VP readiness is barracked, fully motorized units of the DVP organized and managed according to military principles."

The focus of their orientation in the late 1960s, fighting behind the front lines operating diversion reconnaissance groups in times of war, shifted more and more in favor of the ability to fulfill tasks in the elimination of "disturbances of public order and security".

As barracked units of the MdI, the VPB were not part of the VP's service branches. Therefore, the other sections of Section 7 VP Act do not apply. A VPB or a company was subordinated to a head of a VP district office for a limited time if their “Central Forces Protection Police” (rifle platoons) were not sufficient to fulfill their tasks. The company commanders and platoon leaders received their orders on site from an operations manager (VP officer) of the respective VP district office (VPKA), who also had to ensure compliance with the applicable legal provisions. A division below the rifle group, that is, an independent deployment of a conscript, was forbidden by ministerial order. An exception was the half-yearly one-day advertising campaigns on a VPKA for service in the People's Police.

The "command 0020/89" as a follow-up instruction, operational tasks of the barracked units of the MdI for the five-year planning period 1990–1995, is based on the GDR population becoming increasingly dissatisfied. The tasks of closed units of the protective police were assigned and the subordination to units of the NVA in the state of defense was not listed for the first time. This command was no longer implemented.

Barracked units and their deployment

Conscripts of the "barracked units" made of Potsdam oak in front of the opening of the Wall at the Brandenburg Gate

Barracked units of the MdI

There were more than 21 VP-willingness, of which six were in the immediate vicinity of Berlin dislocated .

In the area of ​​the President of the VP Berlin

  • 17th-19th VPB and NaB (news) in Basdorf near Berlin

In the area of ​​the head of the district authority of the DVP Potsdam

Subordinate to the 1st deputy of the Chief of Staff of the MdI

In the area of ​​the head of the office of the DVP Blumberg among other things

  • Security unit (SE, construction and guard battalion, structure of a VPB) near Gielsdorf , 10 km north of Strausberg

After mobilization has been triggered

  • After mobilization had been triggered, the 22nd to 30th VP readiness and 11 security readouts were to be set up again. In addition, there were 6 other designated alternative accommodation rooms for VP readiness. Their greatest concentration was planned around Berlin and in the south.
  • The storage of armament, technology and equipment, including armored personnel carriers PSH and Flak ZU-23-2, for 9 VP readiness in the same number as that of the existing units is proven.

Displacement (location of the barracks)

The VP readiness was distributed in district cities or in the vicinity of urban conurbations. One of the VP stand-by units housed in a barracks was operationally subordinate to the head of the BDVP, the other stand-by units were subject to the leadership of the Interior Minister and head of the DVP.

1. Deputy to the Chief of Staff of the MdI
designation Surname place Operational area Insinuation Remarks
Hs. unit ... Diepensee GDR 1. Deputy C-Staff / MdI Support for the VP's service branches
DSt. Blbg. Richard Sorge Freudenberg Bz. Frankf./O 1. Deputy C-Staff / MdI underground command post - interior minister
Abbreviations:
Blbg .:
DSt.
¹ Service Unit IX
Blumberg (camouflage designation)
service center = unit
not identical, service branches / BDVP's (SEK's) 		Hs.
C-Rod
MdI
VP 		Helicopter
Chief of Staff of the MdI
Ministry of the Interior
People's Police
Deputy Minister Working Class Combat Groups / Readiness
No. designation place Operational area Insinuation Surname Remarks
01. VPB Schwerin Schwerin district C-BDVP Karl Liebknecht State border / NVA subordinate. possible
02. VPB Stralsund Rostock district C-BDVP Erich Weinert ...
03. VPB Potsdam oak Potsdam district C-BDVP Hans Marchwitza Training of subordinates of the VPB
04th VPB Magdeburg Magdeburg district C-BDVP Wilhelm Pieck ...
05. VPB Leipzig Leipzig district C-BDVP Otto Heckert ...
06th VPB Hall Halle district C-BDVP Hans Beimler Reservist training
07th VPB Erfurt District of Erfurt C-BDVP Theodor Neubauer State border / NVA subordinate. possible
08th. VPB Dresden Dresden district C-BDVP Kurt Fischer ...
09. VPB Karl Marx City Karl-Marx-Stadt district C-BDVP Ernst Schneller ...
10. VPB Rudolstadt Gera district C-BDVP Georg Schumann State border / NVA subordinate. possible
11. VPB Magdeburg GDR minister Ernst Thalmann State border / NVA subordinate. possible
12. VPB Hall GDR minister Bernhard Koenen State border / NVA subordinate. possible
13. VPB Meiningen District of Suhl C-BDVP Magnus Poser State border / NVA subordinate. possible
14th VPB Neustrelitz Neubrandenburg district C-BDVP Hans Kahle Training of subordinates of the VPB artillery
15th VPB Eisenhüttenstadt Frankfurt district C-BDVP John Schehr Training of subordinates of the VPB-SPW
16. VPB cottbus Cottbus district C-BDVP Georgi Dimitrov Training of subordinates of the VPB
17th VPB Basdorf GDR minister Conrad Blenkle Output pre-assigned police officer;
18th VPB Basdorf Berlin district Pres. PDVP Heinrich Rau Output prepaid police; Ingestion of W-Bln.
19th VPB Basdorf Berlin district Pres. PDVP Robert Uhrig Output prepaid police; Ingestion of W-Bln.
20th VPB Potsdam oak GDR minister Käthe Niederkirchner State border / NVA subordinate. possible / 1st company from 1985 training of subordinates of the VPB
21st VPB Leipzig GDR minister Arthur Hoffmann ...
Further barracked units and training areas
No. designation place Operational area Insinuation Surname Remarks
9. VP-Kp. Kp. Potsdam oak GDR C-BDVP Ptd. Anti-terror unit (counterpart to GSG-9 / BGS) ¹
(22.) NaB Basdorf GDR StM Well. Rudolf Gyptner Ensuring leadership connections
(23.) SE Gielsdorf (Strausberg) Ltr.DSt.Bbg. ... Securing command post - Minister of the Interior
10. Kp. Berlin-Blankenburg GDR StM VD Rudolf Tittelbach (FDJ-GO) Catering provision
- Na.-Kp. Dommitzsch GDR StM Well. Joseph Giefer Output Unterführer (Uffz.) And officers messages alternately every 2 years at the technical college and every 2 years at the college
- TüP-I Bad Belzig GDR South StM KG / B ... Accommodation of the units in the Verlorenwasser field camp
- TüP-II Neuruppin GDR north StM KG / B ... ...
- TüP-Kroppen Kroppen TüP-OHS Kdr. OHS ... ...
- OH S Dresden GDR StM KG / B Artur Becker Training troop officers
Abbreviations: . StM Deputy Minister
DVP German People's Police KGB Working class combat groups / readiness
PDVP Presidium of the DVP Berlin Ltr. Dst. Head of Service (Colonel of VP)
BDVP District authority of the DVP Ltr.VPKA Head of VPKA (Lieutenant Colonel of VP)
VPB People's Police Readiness K-VPB Commander (Lieutenant Colonel of the VP)
SE Fuse unit (unit and VPB) StKuSC Deputy des K u. Chief of Staff (Major of the VP)
VPKA VP district office KC Company Commander (Major of VP)
TüP Military training area N / A Messages (lead connections)
Transport Police Operational Companies / Readiness
No. designation place Operational area Insinuation Remarks
01. TP-Kp. (B) Bad little ones Bez. Rostock u. Schwerin C-BDVP often deployments in Berlin
02. TP-Kp. (B) Pasewalk District Neubrandenburg C-BDVP ...
03. TP-Kp. (B) Eisenhüttenstadt District Frankfurt / O. C-BDVP ...
04th TP-Kp. (B) cottbus Cottbus district C-BDVP ...
05. TP-Kp. (B) Tharandt Dresden district C-BDVP ...
06th TP-Kp. (B) Naumburg Halle district C-BDVP ...
07th TP-Kp. (B) Brittle Leipzig district C-BDVP ...
08th. TP-Kp. (B) Brandenburg Potsdam district C-BDVP Disbanded April 30, 1980!
Abbreviations:
TP
Transport police 		Kp.
B 		Company
readiness

Structure of a VP readiness

Police acts

Realized by:

  • Individual protection police service: only by forces of the service branches (protection police, ...)
  • police force: by forces of the service branches and by units of the VP readiness
  • Police combat use: by closed units of the service branches and the VP readiness
  • Actions in the framework of and in support of formations and emergency services for civil defense: by units of the VP readiness and by forces of the service branches of the VP

Combat use

"Includes all measures of the DVP against armed opposing forces and other criminal elements, the fight against which requires the use of units in the interest of maintaining and restoring public order and security on the territory of the GDR." This task should be implemented in the types of action with Help

  • of tactical actions and
  • through task forces and posts.

Types of action

  • Combating and destroying subversive and other armed forces of the enemy (through VP readiness)
  • Participation in the smashing of enemy units in important directions and areas (subordinate to NVA-TT / field army)
  • Free fighting of important objects (9th Company)
  • Temporary security and defense of important sections, rooms and objects as well as (subordination to NVA troops)
  • Securing important supply transports on railways (transport police (B) units)

The tactical actions and the operational principles of the Einsatzgruppen and posts were determined in the "DV IX / 10 Zug Group" and the applicable regulations of the NVA.

It should be carried out by closed units and with the support of additional forces such as volunteers of the VP , order groups of the FDJ or GST and other organized forces of the working people (including working class combat groups).

The goal ... consists in the prevention or elimination of disturbances of public order and security, which affect the socialist coexistence of citizens, their life, their health, honor and dignity, the protection of social and personal property, the course of public life and the impair or endanger the state order and general security.

A distinction was made between types of action, tactical methods and forms of deployment. In the types of action, in the broadest sense tasks of the VPB during an operation, the tactical methods and types of operations to fulfill the task were implemented.

Types of action were:

  • Use to eliminate disturbances of public order and security in streets and squares
  • Use to secure large events
  • Use to arrest fugitive violators (search)
  • Use in the event of damage, accidents or disasters

The units did not act independently, but were subordinated to a head of a VP district office, in Berlin a VP district, for the duration of a deployment. The conscripts were not allowed to be used individually and were led by the group leader.

These types of action were valid to this extent until about 1985. In order 0020/89 of the minister u. a. add:

  • focus on strengthening the operational service of the DVP (protection police).
  • Implementation of property surveillance when necessary.

education

The training in the VP readiness was organized on the basis of the order of the Minister of the Interior and chief of "DVP No. 062 / ...".

Training in the barracked units of the MdI

The training in the barracked units of the MdI included:

  • political training and
  • the operational training tactics order and security operation
  • the deployment training tactics combat deployment

Political training

It was organized and carried out on the basis of Directive 3 / .. as well as other instructions and orders. Political training was held on two days (2 × 8 hours) based on the NVA training booklet.

Mission training

It was broken down into:

  • Basic training
  • Training in the training branches:
    • Shooting training (with MPi Kalashnikov , IMG RPK , sMG , anti-tank rifle RPG-7 and RPG-18 , Makarow pistol and, if available in the unit, also with armored personnel carriers SPW BTR-40 and BTR-152, replaced by SPW PSH (Hungary) and Grenade launcher 82-mm and AGS-17 Plamja )
    • Drill training
    • Service regulations
    • Physical exercise
    • Military deployment training (including orientation in the field, camouflage, ambush, setting up positions, local and urban warfare)
    • Police operations training (including formations for order and security operations, handling of special equipment such as helmets, baton, shield or chain of command , arrest of suspects, measures for self-protection)
  • Checks (endurance tests over 10 km, etc.)
  • School and combat shooting as well as artillery test shooting
  • tactical exercises
  • Training as part of parking and business days (maintenance of combat technology, object cleaning)
  • Driving school for military drivers of the barracked units of the MdI
  • Specialist training (training in police law) in the units of the 17th, 18th and 19th VPB (Basdorf, 1st company each), who trained relatives for the protection police service (pre-conscripted conscripts)

In reality, the training was greatly reduced because the VP readiness was used in the national economy . In winter they were used in the lignite opencast mines and in summer in the port of Rostock or other companies (depending on the local situation, but mostly in the chemical companies).

In the search operation against fugitive Soviet soldiers, not all deserters of the GSSD were treated with the same priority. In the wanted telegraphs that an OvD received from the VPB, it was usually clearly stated with what and in which direction the "soldiers on the move" were moving. Movements to the west or West Berlin and armed members of the GSSD mostly led to the alerting of an entire VP readiness. Until the end of the 1970s, the use of Soviet units took place only in exceptional cases after the deserter had been encircled. In the following period, direct access was usually made by special units of the Soviet Army.

Structure in sections

The training year began on November 1st of the current year and ended on October 31st of the following year.

  • The first half of the apprenticeship began on November 1st and ended on April 30th.
  • The second half of the training year began on May 1st and ended on October 31st.

The six months of training were again divided into three training phases.

  • First training phase: November or May - it served the basic training of the newly called up and the second training (anti-tank rifle, medic, etc.) of the 2nd and 3rd half of the service, with the aim of forming the trains and performing tasks.
  • Second phase of training: December – February or June – August - The aim was to create unity in the units and to enable conscripts to successfully carry out all operational tasks under difficult conditions and with high physical demands.
  • Third phase of training: March – April or September – October - The aim was to deepen knowledge and skills. It served the preparation and implementation of norm reviews, field exercises, combat shooting (group, platoon, company in attack and defense) during the day and night and tactical exercises.

Around 1000 hours were used as a basis for each semester of training, including 500 hours for training. The daily training time was seven hours. Five training hours were held on Saturdays, which were usually limited to parking and business hours.

Training for temporary subordinates (3 years) and professional subordinates (10 years)

Unterführer were trained at the Kurt Schlosser Unterführer school in Liegau near Dresden until 1971 and after relocation until May 1985 in Dresden (object of the OHS). After that, the training of the sub-leaders took place in 5 VPB with the profiles

  • Rifle group leader in the 1st Kp./16th (Scottbus) and 20th VPB (Potsdam),
  • SPW group leader / commander in the 3rd Kp./15. VPB (Eisenhüttenstadt),
  • Gun or thrower leader in the 4th Kp./14. VPB (Neustrelitz),
  • Pioneer group leader and master qualification for professional subordinate in the 2. Kp./8. VPB (Dresden)

instead of.

The successful training ended with the appointment as Unterführer and the rank: Oberwachtmeister of the VP.

In Potsdam-Eiche, among other things, independent “teachers” for Marxism / Leninism were employed in the rank of major in the People's Police.

Training at the officers' college of the MdI - readiness

Officer students (OS) of the barracked units of the MdI were trained (as long as they were not studying any special fields) at the officers college of the Ministry of the Interior Artur Becker - Readiness (OHS of the MdI) in Dresden. As for all officers' colleges in the GDR, the general higher education entrance qualification or the Abitur was required for admission .

Training of foreigners and foreign assignments

VP readiness officers were deployed abroad as military advisers. So was z. B. 1974 a lieutenant colonel d. VP in South Yemen to combat anti-government groups. In 1980, two Nicaraguans were hired by a lieutenant colonel at the Dresden officers' college on the Kroppen military training area. VP trained. Furthermore, a lieutenant colonel of the VP acted as a military advisor in Mozambique in the early 1980s, where he directly participated in the recruitment and training of armed forces and accompanied them, among other things, in battles with opponents of the regime from Zimbabwe.

Furthermore, members of other countries received instructions or complete training at the OHS Artur Becker.

In 1987 the German-Iraqi FS was admitted to training at the OHS. For example, he was allowed to visit his father in Baghdad on summer vacation. He went there with a diplomatic passport from the GDR. FS had both German and Iraqi citizenship. In 1990, at the insistence of the Iraqi government, FS was flown to Baghdad on a special plane from the then Foreign Ministry of the GDR. There he took up his service with the notorious Saddam Hussein secret police. FS was significantly involved in the persecution, torture and murder of so-called opponents of the regime and is now a recognized and leading member of the terrorist underground in Iraq.

Education and training outside of the barracked units of the MdI

Org Facility place Subject area Remarks
NVA Friedrich Engels Military Academy Dresden Mot.-Schützen- u.Panzer-Kdr., Polit.Arbeit, Rückw.Sicherstellg. Commanders, Chiefs of Staff, Deputy Kdr. for political work and Deputy Kdr. for supply
NVA Officers' college of the land forces "Ernst Thälmann" Löbau / Zittau News, pioneer, air defense and KCB-Abw-Offz. followed by an introductory course - OHS readiness in Dresden
NVA Military medical section at the University of Greifswald Greifswald Troop doctors One troop doctor per garrison, followed by an introductory course - OHS readiness
KGB OHS Internal Troops Moscow Inner troops Further education of the graduates of the NVA military academy (after 5 years of service)
DVP School of Utilities of the MdI Bautzen Weapons, vehicles, B / A Unterführer in short courses and 3-year studies to become an officer
DVP News school Dommitzsch Radio, telephone Sub-commanders and officers in courses
DVP Special school of the MdI for medical services Magdeburg medical corps Unterführer

Armament

Rifles

Explosives

  • TNT (as 70 g drill cartridge, 100 g, 200 g, 400 g, concentrated charge 1 kg, 3 kg, 5 kg and stretched charges of 2 m expandable, as well as hollow and cutting charges)
  • PPM-2 infantry mine (made of plastic, only metal detonator)
  • Fragmentation explosive mine POMS (70 g TNT and cast body)
  • Anti-tank mine: PTMIBA-III (plastic), TM-57 (metal)
  • Light and signal mine NO-2
  • Hand grenades: RGD-5 assault hand grenade, F-1 defensive hand grenade
  • RKG-III tank hand grenade
  • Detonating cords

Artillery, anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons

  • 82 mm grenade launcher 37/41 , transported by LO-2002 / A Robur platform truck, until November 1982
  • 120 mm grenade launcher M1943 , converted from November 1982
  • Twin anti-aircraft gun ZU-23-2 ; The Robur also served as the towing vehicle. Attempts to mount the ZU-23-2 firmly on the Robur already failed during testing. An exact adjustment was not possible, and no reliable stability could be achieved when shooting
  • recoilless anti-tank gun SPG-9 (ammunition from the cannon of the armored personnel carrier BMP-1, Transport Robur flatbed truck or UAZ - permanently mounted as "special gun")

Armored personnel carrier

  • SPW PSH with 7.62 mm MG PKT and 14.5 mm MG KPWT
  • until 1975: SPW-152 and SPW-40 , handed over to combat groups
  • SPW-152 open (2 mine cabinets with 50 mines each) with mine laying device MLG-60 (anti-tank mines TM-57 / PTMIBA-III) armament MG Gorjunow, caliber 7.62 mm

Ranks

The name of the individual ranks such as sergeant or sergeant , partially followed the recent police typical in Germany semantics. The design of the badges of rank, especially for officers and generals, however, was largely modeled on that of the NVA. The badges of rank (shoulder pieces) of the service branches of the People's Police for men (the only exception: candidates for the VP ) and subordinates showed differences compared to the "barracked units of the MdI".

Uniformity

  • Service uniform in the barracks and grounds was the green field service uniform, later the field service suit (according to the FDA of the NVA, one line / no line), green field cap ("kepi") or steel helmet, boots and textile belt, in winter the lined green field service suit, felt boots and woven fur hat
  • Starting uniform (category 1, K1 for short) was a police uniform, consisting of long uniform trousers, black low shoes, peaked cap, black leather belt (only conscripts, temporary subordinates), uniform jacket with light green collar tabs. From 1976 worsted uniform was introduced for conscripts with a light gray shirt and tie (winter) and a light gray blouse with an open collar in summer.
  • Service uniform (K2, inside service) Boot trousers and jacket closed with hooks for conscripts and temporary subordinates, professional subordinates and officers with light gray shirt and tie
  • Work uniform (K3) was the so-called drill suit (jacket, trousers) of the NVA, later a field service suit over-dyed black
  • In the transition period, a Dederon weather coat was worn in addition to the normal service uniform ; in winter, the faux fur hat replaced the green peaked cap and the winter coat replaced the weather coat.
  • effects
    • Unterführer wore a silver braid on the collar of their uniform jacket.
    • Temporary subordinate officers wore one corner, professional subordinate officers two corners on the left arm of the uniform jacket.
    • The shoulder pieces of the sergeants and subordinates of the barracked units differed in their design from those of the service branches (which still leads to confusion today), and dark green collar tabs were also worn in the service branches and no braids were worn on subordinates. The number of angles denotes the years of service (one angle each for 5, 10, 15 and 20 years).
  • The uniform for student officers corresponded to the uniform for professional subordinates, with the exception of the tress not worn here on the collar and the double angle on the left sleeve.

Activity of the defense officer of the MfS

With the help of IMs (unofficial employees), the defense officer collected information about all members of the unit. At least two IMs were recruited in each accommodation room (up to 16 people). He did not have any authority over the conscripts, including officers. He could only make recommendations to the commander. He did not have to adhere to it, but was disciplined by his superior if the person named in the recommendation committed an incident (violation of regulations).

The Abwehr officers were recruited as IMs from among the officers' students in Dresden and trained at the MfS for six months after being appointed lieutenant of the VP. Then they took up duty in a VP standby (service uniform of VPBs, service book MfS, HA VII).

As a rule, however, the IMs were called up by the MfS shortly before the “normal” officer students were called up (always around August 17th / 18th of this year), about 1 week before the MfS and appointed NCOs of the MfS after about 3 days. These people were then delegated to the officers' college, where they did their training like all other officer students. These MfS people always wore police uniforms outside and / or on special occasions (anniversary of the MfS, etc.) - never the field gray of the MfS. On the other hand, at the exit, the members of the MfS guard regiment (10 per academic year) wore their MfS uniform. The only thing that set her apart from the other officer students was her pay. In addition to their training allowance (university entrance qualification: 315 M; 1st academic year: 365 M; 2nd academic year: 415 M, 3rd academic year: 465 M, 4th academic year: 515 M), they also received their non-commissioned officers' salary, usually 850 M. Until about 1985 the remuneration was 80, 160 and 240 marks for the first, second and third year of study.

The bulk of these graduates made no secret of their origins, as the salary payments could not be concealed. Only the further use was usually unclear.

literature

  • Jörn Steike: The riot police of the GDR 1950–1990. History - structure - tasks - legal structure. tuduv Verlag, Munich 1992.
  • Jörn Steike: From the “Inner Troops” to the riot police (1953–1990). In: Torsten Diedrich, Hans Ehlert, Rüdiger Wenzke : Handbook of the armed organs of the GDR. Christoph Links Verlag - LinksDruck GmbH, Berlin 1998
  • Collective of authors: Historical outline of the structure and development of the People's Police readiness 1945–1985. Preliminary print of the MdI, Berlin (O) 1988 (under the direction of Major General Heinz Opitz, Head of the Main Deployment Department 1983–1989. Historical development revealing as the distinction between VP readiness and KVP, from 1953 VP readiness (training) of the main administration of the German People's Police / HVDVP and parallel outside the HVDVP VP readiness / internal troops ("technical"). 9. VPB is placed in the foreground, as Opitz was in command of this unit until 1983.)
  • Thomas Fischer: Police soldiers / barracks service - street fighting - nuclear bunker. Helios-Verlag, Aachen 2006, ISBN 3-938208-39-2 .
  • Rainer Lambrecht, From the barracks to the headquarters of the authorities - From the history of a military and police accommodation in Potsdam-Eiche. Potsdam 2010, ISBN 978-3-939090-07-6 .
  • Council of Ministers of the German Democratic Republic, Ministry of the Interior: Official duties of members of the People's Police standby and companies of the transport police. Berlin 1979.
  • Council of Ministers of the German Democratic Republic, Ministry of the Interior: Completion of official duties for members of the People's Police on standby with training companies for sub-leader students. Berlin 1985.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Order of the NVR of the GDR on the course of service in the barracked units of the Ministry of the Interior - service career order - barracked units of the Ministry of the Interior - dated April 22, 1982 (Journal of Laws of I No. 19 p. 389). In: Military Service Act and related provisions, Staatsverlag der DDR, Berlin 1982, p. 62
  2. ↑ Adviser to Internal Forces (Russian)
  3. ↑ Military Service Act of March 25, 1982
  4. ↑ replacement: The riot police. In: Runde-ecke-leipzig.de. Retrieved June 21, 2018 .
  5. ↑ Torsten Diedrich, Hans Gotthard Ehlert, Rüdiger Wenzke (ed.): In the service of the party: Handbook of the armed organs of the GDR . Ch. Links, 1998, ISBN 978-3-86153-160-9 , pp. 91 ( Google Books ).
  6. ^ Military, state and society in the GDR: fields of research, results, perspectives . In: Hans Gotthard Ehlert, Matthias Rogg (Hrsg.): Military history of the GDR . tape 8 . Ch. Links, 2004, ISBN 978-3-86153-329-0 , pp. 161 ( Google Books ).
  7. ↑ to: VVS I 082 719, 5., 1-35; Federal Archives Berlin: DO-1/20 54133
  8. ↑ In order No. 20/89 of the Minister of the Interior and Chief of the DVP ( Army General Dickel ) on tasks and principles for the deployment of the VPB and companies of the transport police, GVS 082 872, of February 25, 1989, the implementation of order No. 12/88.
  9. ↑ Source: Wolfram Kempe: The role and tasks of the units of the VP readiness in the system of socialist national defense of the GDR. Lecture, Dresden June 12, 1980, VD X / 82/80 p. 5
  10. ↑ Martin Braune, Hans-Jürgen Graefe (Ed.): Started - The Berlin People's Police Readiness in Basdorf. Verlag am Park, Berlin 2017. ISBN 978-3-947094-02-8 .
  11. ↑ BArch DO-1 / 0.2.1 / 53622 Catalog of the positions and rooms of the NVA u. a. dated April 26, 1986.
  12. ↑ BArch DO 1/12381 Equipment target 1976-1980 - Central reserves - from September 21, 1976.
  13. ↑ Source: Wolfram Kempe: The role and tasks of the units of the VP readiness in the system of socialist national defense of the GDR. Lecture, Dresden June 12, 1980. In: VD, X / 82/80 pp. 9-14.
  14. ↑ Source: "DV IX / 10" (company level - group)
  15. ↑ Source: "Provisional DV No. 30/78 BDVP - VPKA" of October 2, 1978
  16. ↑ Source: Wolfram Kempe: The role and tasks of the units of the VP readiness in the system of socialist national defense of the GDR. Lecture, Dresden June 12, 1980. In: VD, X /
    82/80 pp. 15-19 as well as "DV 30/78" (level BDVP - VPB)
  17. ↑ Source: Jörn Steike: The GDR Riot Police 1950–1990. Munich, p. 180
  18. ↑ BArch DO 1-59085 Order No. 110/81 of the Minister of the Interior and Chief of the DVP of June 1, 1981 conversion of units of the VP readiness