East German Landstreitkräfte Oberstleutnant Gesselschaftuniform

The uniform displayed here is the Gesselschaftuniform (Mess Dress Uniform) for a Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel) of the Landstreitkräfte (Ground Forces). The white piping signifies the wearer's service in the Army with black base of the shoulderboards and collar insignia representing the Pioneretruppen or (Engineer Troops) of the East German Army. Again, the Gesellschaft jacket was worn specifically for formal or social occasions.

 

The visor cap shown here for a Landstreitkräfte officer.  It is the dark gray color of all National Volksarmee issued hats with white piping of the Army. It retains the East German national hammer and compass roundel in the center surrounded by a metal wreath insignia and officer's silver braiding cap cord around the base above the visor.

The interior of the hat is marked with the 'NVA' stamp signifying it's issue to the Ministry of Defense. The letter code shown in this example shown carries an 'N' meaning the visor was manufactured in 1989. The number beneath the NVA stamp represents the size of the hat in centimeters, this example is 56cm or roughly 7"in by American sizing equivalents.

Shown here is the Kragenspiegeln (Collar Insignia) of a Landstreitkräfte officer. It is of the silver bar type which is standard to all officer uniforms of East Germany but with distinctive black backing of the Pioneretruppen (Engineer Troops) of the East German Ground Forces.

Here is a close up of the shoulderboard insignia of an Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel) in the East German Army with the black backing of the Engineer troops.

Shown here is the button arrangement of the double breasted Gesselschaft tunic and the standard military tunic silver pebbled buttons.

Here's a close up of the silver pebbled buttons on the sleeve of the Gesselschaft jacket.

Displayed here is the stone gray issued service trousers worn with the Army Gesselschaft uniform. Usually unpiped, the white striping of the pants signifies wear by the Army and is restricted to staff service (Stabsdienst) use, Ausgangsuniformen (Walking-out Dress Uniform) wear, and Social Occasion with Gesellschaft tunic.

As with all clothing issued by the East German government, each garment was stamped with the respective organization which it was subordinate to. Shown here is the size tag and the National Volksarmee (NVA) stamp of the Ministry of Defense. The 'G' designation as shown here means the pants were made for 'Slightly taller than Average' personnel and the number 48 being the equivalent of a size 33-36 waist in American sizing standards.