East German Uniform with badges and bars

[reneblacky]

Date Letter Codes

All East German Uniform items were letter coded to indicate the year of manufacture from 1968 onward. Prior to this the actual year and possibly also the quarter was usually stamped into the uniform item.

K=1968, Z=1969, M=1970, X=1971, B=1972 ,L=1973, O=1974, S=1975, R=1976, A=1977, U=1978, F=1979, E=1980, G=1981, I=1982, C=1983, H=1984, T=1985, P=1986, L =1987, Y=1988, N=1989, D=1990

(You will notice that the letter L is used twice.)

Sorry I know little about awards!

[Danger]

Hi Rene,

Yes it's a small uniform for sure.
I will keep an eye out for the right shirt. I thought the buttons on this shirt were a bit full on to wear with a jacket..

I also need to get a belt to finish it off.

Cheers,

Danger

[Watchdog]

As Rene says the year of manufacture is represented by a single letter in the stamp inside the jacket. Unfortunately it is not visible in your picture but fron the list posted by Rene you will find it easily.

The rank is Oberfeldwebel and the clasp on the right breast is the Klassifiziererungsabzeichen (Classification badge) der Grenztruppen der DDR Stufe (literally "step" so grade) III. It is the 1986 pattern therefore the last pattern but it is missing the green acrylic background to the central motif. So, you will want to replace that as it would not be permitted to wear a damaged badge. They are easily found and not too expensive.

The cap you will need should be the Enlisted / NCO pattern for this uniform in general but Berlin units usually wore (for show) officer grade caps with enlisted badge and chinstrap. Berufsoldaten (professional soldiers) which an Oberfeldwebel almost certainly would be would also wear officer quality.

Here is a picture of the standard enlisted Schirmutze which is of a fairly coarse "wooly" material. The officer quality is more like Barathea and would have an officers cap badge (stamped and plated brass rather than aluminium) and an officers braided cord chinstrap.

Regards

Mark

[Watchdog]

Pics of officer quality cap and soldier/enlisted belt



Regards

Mark

[Danger]

Hi watchdog,

Thanks for that.
I just looked up the Klassifizierungsabzeichen der Grenztruppen der DDR Stufe and I would never had known it was missing.

The right visor is next on my list. I'm on the hunt.

I had another look inside the jacket and I can't find any date stamp. Strange.

Cheers,

Danger

[Watchdog]

If you post a picture of the whole stamp from the inside of the jacket so that we can see it all then someone used to the markings might be able to make it out.

Regards

Mark

[Gunny Hartmann]

The class 3 Qualifizierungsspange you need Is listed at £8.00 from Germandotmilitaria, but is out of stock at the moment. You could try ebay Germany.