Tuesday, February 23, 2021
The 65th Anniversary of DDR National People's Army
The National People's Army (Nationale Volksarmee - NVA, German) were the armed forces of the German Democratic Republic (GDR), East Germany, from 1956 to 1990.The NVA was organized into four branches: the Landstreitkräfte (Ground Forces), the Volksmarine (Navy), the Luftstreitkräfte (Air Force), and the Grenztruppen (Border Troops).
The German Democratic Republic (GDR) established the National People's Army on 1 March 1956 (six months after the formation of the West German Bundeswehr) from the Kasernierte Volkspolizei. This formation culminated years of preparation during which former Wehrmacht officers and communist veterans of the Spanish Civil War helped to organize and train paramilitary units of the People's Police. Though the NVA featured a German appearance – including uniforms and ceremonies patterned after older German military traditions – its doctrine and structure showed the strong influence of the Soviet Armed Forces.
Labels:
Berlin Wall,
Cold War,
DDR,
East Germany,
eusoldatini,
Grenztruppen,
Landstreitkräfte,
Luftstreitkräfte,
National People's Army,
NVA,
PGH Effelder,
Red Army,
Soviet Army,
USSR,
Volksmarine
Monday, February 22, 2021
23rd of February - Red Army Day
The Red Army Day, 23 February 1918, has a two-fold historical significance: it was the first day of drafting recruits (in Petrograd and Moscow), and the first day of combat against the occupying Imperial German Army.
Sunday, February 21, 2021
Wehrschach Tak-Tik boardgame
Tak-Tik Wehrschach was a German board game inspired by the game of chess. The aim of the game, which was primarily aimed at Wehrmacht soldiers, was to promote military-strategic thinking.
Unlike chess, Tak-Tik Wehr-Schach has 121 squares and 18 Bakelite pieces on each side. The pieces have militant names representative of the game’s era of origin: Infanterie, Hauptfigur, Panzerkampfwagen, Artillerie (flak), Flieger: Jagdflieger and Kampfflieger. In English, they refer to infantry, protagonist, tank, anti-aircraft artillery, and flyers: fighter pilot and combat pilot. Some of the pieces fit the literal translations, while others, such as the Hauptfigur and Jagdflieger, have been represented more symbolically: as a large predatory bird and a winged human, respectively.
These piecese can move only vertical or horizontal, but a different number of squares, with the exception of the "Panzerkampfwagen", which might also move like the knight in chess, but without jumping over other pieces.
To capture an enemy piece you need to threaten it with two of your pieces instead of just one.
The board is divided through diagonal lines (the main road and the river) and two more lines crossing the 3rd and 9th row indicating walls and two lake tiles which block all movement except for the planes.
The game has several ways to win (e.g. capture of the Hauptfigur; destruction of all enemy Infantry; reduction of his fighting power; occupation of his homeland; etc. This, coupled with the two-to-one capture rules makes it even more challenging than Chess.
Two editions of the game were published before the war (1937/1938), and a war edition followed in 1941.
Saturday, February 20, 2021
Louis & Eduard Lindner toys catalog (1840-1842) - Part 2.
Louis & Eduard Lindner toys catalog (1840-1842) from Deutsches Spielzeugmuseum Sonneberg museum archive.
The catalog (262 colour lithographies) is available here:
Friday, February 19, 2021
Thursday, February 18, 2021
Louis & Eduard Lindner toys catalog 1840-1842 (Deutsches Spielzeugmuseum Sonneberg)
Louis & Eduard Lindner toys catalog (1840-1842) from Deutsches Spielzeugmuseum Sonneberg museum archive.
The catalog (262 pages) is available here:
Wednesday, February 17, 2021
Hausser pea cannon and artillery vehicles
This Hausser (Elastolin) tinplate pea cannon (Erbsenkanone) with an artillery horse drawn drawn carriage was produced in 30s in Germany.
The composition soldiers are representing Italian army (Elastolin, Lineol and Durso).
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