NVA uniforms
- Alec Trevelyan 006
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NVA uniforms
Can anyone please explain to me why do NVA Army uniforms look similar in design to Whermacht uniforms?
- soldat_m56
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Although there are members here that could probably give more detailed explanations, I believe it had to do partly with resentment of anything that looked Soviet-influenced to the East German civilians in the 1950s. It had partly to do with the DDR showing it was the "real Germany" that retained German military traditions and not foreign satellite like American-controlled West Germany.
I've seen an East German newsreel dating from the time when NVA was founded where the new uniforms were paraded. The commentator proudly announced that unlike the 'American-influenced' uniforms of the West German Army, those of the Nationale Volksarmee followed the German tradition -- i.e. were almost exactly the same as Wehrmacht Heere uniforms!
BTW, I think it was Andrew Mollo who commented that the first uniforms of the West German Bundesheer looked like they were designed by a rabid pacifist who wanted the soldiers to look as ridiculous as possible.
BTW, I think it was Andrew Mollo who commented that the first uniforms of the West German Bundesheer looked like they were designed by a rabid pacifist who wanted the soldiers to look as ridiculous as possible.
- NVA Schütze
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I've seen it, too, it this is what you mean. It's really worth watching, very interesting.Mikko H. wrote:I've seen an East German newsreel dating from the time when NVA was founded where the new uniforms were paraded. The commentator proudly announced that unlike the 'American-influenced' uniforms of the West German Army, those of the Nationale Volksarmee followed the German tradition -- i.e. were almost exactly the same as Wehrmacht Heere uniforms!
BTW, I think it was Andrew Mollo who commented that the first uniforms of the West German Bundesheer looked like they were designed by a rabid pacifist who wanted the soldiers to look as ridiculous as possible.
Uniforms
The serviceuniforms of NVA are design from the Wehrmacht,ranks too.
The first combatuniform (to 1968) was similar camourflage uniforms of
the Waffen SS.1968 comes then the new combatuniforms in the NVA.
The NVA steel helmet is a original development(1944) from the Wehrmacht.
The helmet to be follower of the Wehrmachtshelm 40.No action by the
Wehrmacht,why the ww 2 off.
Sorry fror my bad English.
White man
The first combatuniform (to 1968) was similar camourflage uniforms of
the Waffen SS.1968 comes then the new combatuniforms in the NVA.
The NVA steel helmet is a original development(1944) from the Wehrmacht.
The helmet to be follower of the Wehrmachtshelm 40.No action by the
Wehrmacht,why the ww 2 off.
Sorry fror my bad English.
White man
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I agree with the prussian tradition comment as well....this was the official reasoning by the NVA and DDR officials...but they did retain a bit more of the Wehrmacht style over the Reichsheer...
The NVA tried to copy the Red army style early on...when they were developing their own uniforms. The early VOPO and KVP units used recycled 3rd Reich uniforms.
There is an old DDR joke about the SED Party member who polished his party badge so much that you could see NSDAP underneath...so i guess if an old VOPO washed his uniform enough you'd see the old feldgrau come through...
-d
The NVA tried to copy the Red army style early on...when they were developing their own uniforms. The early VOPO and KVP units used recycled 3rd Reich uniforms.
There is an old DDR joke about the SED Party member who polished his party badge so much that you could see NSDAP underneath...so i guess if an old VOPO washed his uniform enough you'd see the old feldgrau come through...
-d