Absolventenabzeichender Militaerakademie Friedrich Engels

[Watchdog]

Good afternoon gents,

I recently acquired a medal and document group of a former NVA Oberstleutnant who was an engineering (Pionere) officer in 4 Motorisierte Schutzendivision based in Efrurt. The son is himself a former GT officer.
The group has quite a few items which will take a while to process for posting here and now that I have the confidence of the son I am hoping I might get a few more bits if they can be found.

Anyway I thought I would start with this piece often referred to as an "Academy badge" which of course is what it is.

It is the early enamel type (1975 - 86) which is quite striking when compared to the later lacquered ((1987 - 90) type (also shown here to emphasise the difference).

It came with the Mappe containing the Diplom itself and the contributing certificates.
You don't really need to read German to understand the annotations and realise that this officer underwent fairly sophisticated training.

I hope you like this as much as I do and I will post the rest of the group item by item and then perhaps a group shot as a crossreference to the parts if I can work out an easy way to do it

Regards

Mark

[Gunny Hartmann]

Very nice find mate.

[paulscoot]

I can certainly see the attraction of this DDR/NVA stuff all very interesting (and addictive) thanks for showing Regards Paul

[Watchdog]

I can certainly see the attraction of this DDR/NVA stuff all very interesting (and addictive) thanks for showing Regards Paul

Indeed, although I first became interested during my own service as an effect of the "know your enemy" training ethos. Over time I had a good deal of contact (through observation etc) if not interaction with the NVA and having had similar experience of the Soviet Forces (technically our "allies") it became very clear to me that the NVA was by the far superior of the two in every way except size.

With the Bundeswehr being so constrained in many ways by such efforts made to be "different" to the German Wehrmacht of the past it was evident that, as so many comentators often say, the NVA was the last traditionally German army.

So much surrounding the NVA is very reminiscent of the traditional German army (Not the Nazi regime I must stress) that it seems, not withstanding the unpleasant communist regime, every bit a part of the "time line as is the Imperial German armies going back to the Napoleonic wars. Of course the Bundeswehr is part of the same time line but being so different in many ways represents the present extreme of the continuum.

There the interest I feel is in the modern 21st century force which doesn't really "float my boat" which is a shame because I have known some really outstanding BW soldiers many of whom held similar feelings.

From a collectors view point it seems to have the same interest value as TR stuff but not the NAZI connections (helps with hobby outsiders!) and the advantage of being relatively cheaper though the early stuff is appreciating quickly. For me the West German branch that comes closest in terms of "Germanness" is the Bundesgrenzschutz.

Anyway, the NVA is officially "historical" now so that's good enough right?

Regards

Mark

[HARRY THE MOLE]

Very nice Mark... especially with the certificates. Alas, my two examples have nothing to connect them to any person. Although it is difficult to tell from the picture, they are both enamel.

Cheers,
Steve

[Watchdog]

Those are very nice pieces Steve and I can see they are enamel. I have a similar pair but they are acrylic finish.
Regards
Mark

[Watchdog]

The F Engels Academy badge or Absolventenabzeichen der Militaerakademie "Friedrich Engels" had three variants from 1962 - 1990.

1. '62-'75 with red and white enamel and early type screw post. Bearing the legend "Militarakademie". The Engels motif is integral to the badge and is "sunk" into the body of the badge.

2. '75-'86 with red enamel, white painted border and later type screwpost. Bearing legend NVA. The Engels motif is a seperate applique piece.

3. '87 - '90 with red and white lacquer and pinback. Bearing no legend. The Engels motif is a seperate applique piece.

The first type is thinner in section than the other two and appears more refined in execution. By the third type execution is more crude with obvious shear marks at the edges.

Regards

Mark

[Blitzvogel]

Good work Mark. The slow decline of the GDR can be seen in the evolution of these badges...