Unteroffizier auf Zeit mot. Schützen, Aufklärung (circa 1980)

[Didier]

Here is my Unteroffizier auf Zeit, ready for parade in the early 1980s.

Cheers,

Didier

[Blitzvogel]

Excellent display! Nice trade patch. Do you know if it period sewn?

-Joel

[Didier]

Thank you, Joel.
I bought the uniform from a fellow French collector a while back, but my guess is that it came from Uwe & Elke's workshop, so most probably not period sewn, unfortunately.
Regards,
Didier

[Blitzvogel]

Ah. I see Uwe & Elke's items all the time in Ebay. They put those uniforms together like from a manufacturing line. Every week they have a new batch of made up uniforms. All original, but they sew the badges themselves. I've yet to see them in person so I don't know if they use original thread and how well the sewing stands scrutiny, but you know something's up when a guy puts up a hauptfeldwebel tunic every other week.

Generally speaking, seeing period sewn trade patches is very, very rare. There weren't that many specialists and the army had the badges removed after a person's service time was over since they reused the uniforms, which were state property after all.

-Joel

[Didier]

What you are writing is very interesting - I had no idea these uniforms were reused.
I have no proof whatsoever that my uniform is Elke & Uwe's work but it sure looks like it and they had the very same one on sale just a few days back.
To my point of view such practices as theirs are welcome provided they make these things affordable and do not sell them as 'period sewn' - that way I have some visual pleasure without having to spend too much of my hard-earned cash on it (which is also a comforting thought for the wife)

Regards,

Didier

[Blitzvogel]

Yes, the uniforms indeed were recycled. Very few actually purchased privately tailored uniforms that they could keep. It is my understanding that this is also why the first versions of the enlisted NVA tunic are so rare, they were all used up until being thrown away or were converted to the later tunics by adding piping.

-Joel