The German Series #2 - The NVA

My friend Wynand sent me this red beret of the NVA, the East German People's Army, after a visit to Berlin. 


The badge is a Soviet Army badge, which probably sells better to Western tourists who believe red stars, hammers and sickles represents something cool. But, it is a nice gift and I'm always happy to ad another beret to my collection.

I have traveled and worked in many of the so-called Warsaw-Pact countries, but none was as unpleasant and scary as the DDR. Drab and grey, lots of soldiers, police and security wherever I went and an atmosphere that made me long for the Czechoslovak border 

(I didn't make it in time before being stopped by a VoPo on a MZ bike who fined me 200 Deutschmarks -without receipt- for not having my parking lights on while taking a break at a truck stop).

Anyway, it sparkled a search into berets of the NVA. Here a beret of the paratroopers of the NVA (and in action).