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German People's Police 1949-1990 (East Germany)

Deutsche Volkspolizei, 'VoPo'

Last modified: 2005-10-08 by santiago dotor
Keywords: police | people's police | volkspolizei | vopo | text: german | star: 12 points (faceted) | disc (red) | wreath (grey) | pennant (black-red-yellow) | berlin |
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People's Police Ensign 1960-1973

[People's Police Ensign (East Germany)] 3:5
by Jaume Ollé

Adopted 4 May 1960 and first hoisted 1 June 1960. After 12 January 1962 this was also the ensign of the Navy ships in the service of the Interior Ministry (1962-1973).

Norman Martin, 13 January 1998

The Volkspolizei ensign on FOTW has a terminal date of 1973. What, if anything, replaced it?

Tom Gregg, 29 May 2002


Standard of the German People's Police

Standarte der Deutschen Volkspolizei

[Standard of the People's Police (East Germany)] 3:5
by Jaume Ollé

Similar to the National People's Army flag except with the Police Symbol (the Arms inside a 12 point white star, surrounded by a red circle with the letters "FÜR DEN SCHUTZ DER ARBEITER UND BAUERN MACHT" ["For the protection of the power of the workers and farmers"], surrounding the circle a silver wreath) at the center. Surrounded by a silver fringe (except at hoist). Ratio 3:5. Illustrated in Oliver 1993 [oli93], p. 3, 20.

Norman Martin, 13 January 1998


Flag of the German People's Police 1949-?

[German People's Police (East Germany)] 3:5
by Jaume Ollé

Created 1949.
Jaume Ollé, 1998

FOTW shows a Volkspolizei service flag dated 1949-(?), black-red-gold with a police star enclosing a black-red-gold shield. Was it replaced by a new service flag not shown, or did the fringed standard illustrated replace it?

Tom Gregg, 29 May 2002


Police Chief Car Pennant 1949-?

[Police Chief Car Pennant 1949 (East Germany)]
N.B. the coat-of-arms is that of Berlin
by Jaume Ollé


Special Troops of the People's Police 1952-1956

[Special Troops of the People's Police (East Germany)]
by Jaume Ollé


Civil Defense 1949-1979

Zivilverteidigung

As far as response to disasters is concerned, there were two organizations. The main one was the Zivilverteidigung (Civil Defense) which was trained to fight natural disasters as well as to protect the civilian population from the effects of nuclear or chemical weapons. And then there was the Bereitschaftspolizei. Both Zivilverteidigung and Bereitschaftspolizei were part of the police (as were, for example, the fire fighters), distinguished from 'normal' police forces only by the different color of their epaulettes (purple for Zivilverteidigung and light green for Bereitschaftspolizei). As far as I remember, they used the same flag as the police did.

Volker Moerbitz Keith, 6 February 2001

The Civil Defense used the same flag as the police only until 1979.

Jens Pattke, 28 December 2001


Riot Police

Bereitschaftspolizei

The Bereitschaftspolizei, for which the only translation I found was 'Riot Police', which was certainly part of their task, but not the only one. These police units were also specially trained to handle disasters such as floods or even big car accidents. The Bereitschaftspolizei were part of the police, distinguished from 'normal' police forces only by the different color of their epaulettes (light green for Bereitschaftspolizei). As far as I remember, they used the same flag as the police did.

Volker Moerbitz Keith, 6 February 2001

The Bereitschaftspolizei was more in used political catastrophes, for example anti-socialist or anti-communist demonstrations, riots and revolutions. They were armed forces of the police, they lived in central barracks and camps and were permanently prepared for action.

Jens Pattke, 28 December 2001