-
Klassifizierungsabzeichen der Nationalen Volksarmee der DDR
Over the DDR/NVA time- line Klassifizierungsabzeichen or Classification/Qualification badges took five basic forms all of which were of the generic “Spange” or clasp style.
This thread is intended to draw together as many examples of all types as possible to act as a general source of reference to these badges.
I will add a few of mine and group them together by form / type. Please add any others you have to build up the base of information.
Regards
Mark
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing he cares more about than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature with no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
-
06-05-2020 03:05 PM
# ADS
Circuit advertisement
-
-
As well as being the first of the type the Panzerfahrer badge was the only one to be issued in four grades,M,I,II,III. The rest issued from 1963 had only grades I-III. The Diensthundfuhrer appeared later in 1966 and was used by MfS until 1990.
The range or "set" if you like comprised;
1. Panzerfahrer.
2. Fahrer von Schutzenpanzerwagen und Kfraftfahrer.
3. Fahrer und Kommandanten von Schwimmwagen.
4. Funker und Fernschreiber.
5. Kommandanten von Kampfschiffen und Kampfbooten.
6. Funkorter und Hydroakustiker der Seestreitkrafte (I'm still looking for that one!)
7. Signaler.
8. Taucher.
9. Spezialtaucher der Seestreitkrafte.
Here's a picture of the few that I have at present;
Regards
Mark
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing he cares more about than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature with no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
-
-
Thanks for posting this. I'm not sure where i read it but i remember an article about the first series of badges, it said if the threaded post on the rear looked like a slot headed countersunk screw it wasn't an original late 50s early 60s item. Apparently the are made using the original tooling/molds etc but are quite recent. I'm not sure if this is true or just speculation. The 2nd Panzerfahrer badge you show appears to be this type.
-
by
Gunny Hartmann
Thanks for posting this. I'm not sure where i read it but i remember an article about the first series of badges, it said if the threaded post on the rear looked like a slot headed countersunk screw it wasn't an original late 50s early 60s item. Apparently the are made using the original tooling/molds etc but are quite recent. I'm not sure if this is true or just speculation. The 2nd Panzerfahrer badge you show appears to be this type.
Thanks for raising the screw post question. I was hoping somebody would because it is something I am aware of but don't know the definitive answer. I think the first type Panzerfahrer badges with the "slotted" screw posts may well be post '63 manufacture but I have found the later '63 - '85 painted variants on uniforms in verified groups (not bomb proof evidence I know but fairly common) and all the '86 - '90 last pattern badges I have seen have had identical "slotted" screw posts. Some of the '63 - '85 badges I have were found in Berlin in the late '80s (more than 30 years ago and while the "Wall" still stood). The badges themselves are identical to the ones with the two piece screw post and marked screw plate (not all '63 - '85 types have marked screwplates and none of the '86 - '90 type do). It seems likely that the very early types with the late screw posts were made in the same factory as they ever were ie Prawema, Markneukirchen. Perhaps for veterans or for general commercial reasons. As I say, I don't know the answer and I think we need the assistance of collector frinds in the former DDR with period knowledge. I know you are here somewhere guys, time to impress with your in depth knowledge!!
Regards
Mark
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing he cares more about than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature with no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
-
by
Watchdog
Thanks for raising the screw post question. I was hoping somebody would because it is something I am aware of but don't know the definitive answer. I think the first type Panzerfahrer badges with the "slotted" screw posts may well be post '63 manufacture but I have found the later '63 - '85 painted variants on uniforms in verified groups (not bomb proof evidence I know but fairly common) and all the '86 - '90 last pattern badges I have seen have had identical "slotted" screw posts. Some of the '63 - '85 badges I have were found in Berlin in the late '80s (more than 30 years ago and while the "Wall" still stood). The badges themselves are identical to the ones with the two piece screw post and marked screw plate (not all '63 - '85 types have marked screwplates and none of the '86 - '90 type do). It seems likely that the very early types with the late screw posts were made in the same factory as they ever were ie Prawema, Markneukirchen. Perhaps for veterans or for general commercial reasons. As I say, I don't know the answer and I think we need the assistance of collector frinds in the former DDR with period knowledge. I know you are here somewhere guys, time to impress with your in depth knowledge!!
Regards
Mark
It'd be great to get to the bottom of the screw post question Mark, but as you know there is not a lot of interest in DDR/NVA collecting on this forum. Cheers mate.
-
'Not a lot' is a bit of an understatement. There is almost zero interest. Sometimes it doesn't even seem worth the effort of posting anything connected to DDR. Everything revolves around TR - where a rusty old lid which is literally falling to pieces - can invite pages of responses. This isn't a moan, but an acceptance of the way things are. I feel sad for those collectors who do not realise what they are missing out on.
Cheers,
Steve.
-
-
There seem to be more interest on there than WRF
Bookmarks