Along with it's massive armed forces, the East German regime maintained a significant police force for maintaining stability within the borders of the nation. Operated by the Ministry of the Interior (MdI) the Volkspolizei or People's Police maintained many branches for operations within the East German state. The Transportpolizei (Transportation Police) commonly referred to by their nickname 'TRAPO' were transit police force tasked primarily with operations regarding the protection of the East German trains and railroad system. With nearly a force of 8,500 members the TRAPO were assigned to varying districts, garrisoned in conjunction with the East German Deutsche Reichsbahn, the official state railway of East Germany. They differentiated from the rest of the Volkspolizei cadre by wearing distinctive blue uniforms often nicknamed 'blueberries' by Western visitors rather than the green uniforms of regular Volkspolizei members.
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| National insignia of the East German Volkspolizei |
Although, the Volkspolizei was the primary law enforcement agency in East Germany, its organization and structure were such that it could be considered as a paramilitary force. TRAPO personnel under the Volkspolizei received military training and were organized into sixteen companies, equipped with varying small arms from AK-47 assault rifles to RPD machine guns, mortars and RPG-7 shoulder-fired anti-tank grenade launchers and they were augmented with a force of armored personnel carriers and artillery.
The Transportpolizei supervised all the larger train stations in East Germany and controlled the movement of travellers, particularly at the border with West Germany as well as directing traffic. Most western personnel visiting East Germany, recognized them for boarding trains and checking passports as well as standing guard at train stations across the GDR. The TRAPO Also regularly checked alongside the East German customs service scanned incoming goods entering the country, confiscating anything forbidden in the communist zone. Before the building of the Berlin Wall in 1961, the Transportpolizei controlled the S-Bahn in West Berlin (as the Deutsche Reichsbahn controlled the S-Bahn in both East and West Berlin). In the 'interzone courses' (later called 'transit courses') there was always an escort party of the Transportpolizei present.
The Transportpolizei supervised all the larger train stations in East Germany and controlled the movement of travellers, particularly at the border with West Germany as well as directing traffic. Most western personnel visiting East Germany, recognized them for boarding trains and checking passports as well as standing guard at train stations across the GDR. The TRAPO Also regularly checked alongside the East German customs service scanned incoming goods entering the country, confiscating anything forbidden in the communist zone. Before the building of the Berlin Wall in 1961, the Transportpolizei controlled the S-Bahn in West Berlin (as the Deutsche Reichsbahn controlled the S-Bahn in both East and West Berlin). In the 'interzone courses' (later called 'transit courses') there was always an escort party of the Transportpolizei present.
The uniform displayed here is the Gesselschaftuniform (Mess Dress Uniform) for a Hauptmann (Captain) of the Transportpolizei. Like military units, police and paramilitary forces work rank grades similar to the armed forces and maintained a similar system of waffenfarbe for their respective organization. Note the dark blue piping signifying the wearer's affiliation of the Transportpolizei. The pale light gray tunic distinctive of formal uniforms and are usually custom made for the wearer. The matching blue tie is distinct of TRAPO personnel.
The Gesellschaft jacket was worn specifically for formal or social occasions. There were two basic ways of wearing the Gesellschaft uniform: the Kleiner Gesellschaftsanzug with ribbon bars and academy badge; and the Grosser Gesellschaftsanzug with up to the 4 highest awarded medals, aguillette and dagger. The jacket itself was the same for both the Kleiner & Grosser Gesellschaftsanzug, only the accoutrements varied.
The Gesellschaft jacket was worn specifically for formal or social occasions. There were two basic ways of wearing the Gesellschaft uniform: the Kleiner Gesellschaftsanzug with ribbon bars and academy badge; and the Grosser Gesellschaftsanzug with up to the 4 highest awarded medals, aguillette and dagger. The jacket itself was the same for both the Kleiner & Grosser Gesellschaftsanzug, only the accoutrements varied.
The visor cap shown here for a TRAPO officer is of the dark blue color of the TRAPO organization with its associated lighter blue piping. It retains the East German national roundel in the center surrounded by a metal wreath insignia and officer's silver braiding cap cord around the base above the visor. Unlike General's visors, the insignia are pinned to the visor rather than sewn down to the face of the cap.
Note the interior marking of MdI for the East German Ministry of the Interior rather than the 'NVA' stamp of the Ministry of Defense. In 1968, a letter code was established to represent the year in which the visor cap was manufacturered. The example shown here carries a 'A' meaning the visor was manufactured in 1977. The number beneath the MdI stamp represents the size of the hat in centimeters, this example is 55cm or roughly 6 7/8in by American sizing equivalents.
Note the interior marking of MdI for the East German Ministry of the Interior rather than the 'NVA' stamp of the Ministry of Defense. In 1968, a letter code was established to represent the year in which the visor cap was manufacturered. The example shown here carries a 'A' meaning the visor was manufactured in 1977. The number beneath the MdI stamp represents the size of the hat in centimeters, this example is 55cm or roughly 6 7/8in by American sizing equivalents.
Shown here is the Kragenspiegeln (Collar Insignia) of a Transportpolizei officer. It is of the silver bar type which is standard to all officer uniforms of East Germany but with respective blue backing of the Transportpolizei. There was no variation of the Kragenspiegel insignia between officers of the Ministry of the Interior and Ministry of Defense.
Shown here worn on the left breast of the dress tunic is the Academy Badge of the Hochschule der Karl Liebknecht, the Police Academy Badge Karl Liebknecht. The East Germans followed the Soviet practice of issuing diamond shaped badges to identify graduates of their specialized service academies. The Hochschule der Karl Liebknecht badge is white with a green border representing the Volkspolizei and with a gold Volkspolizei coat of arms in the center.
On the left side of the dress tunic was worn full sized medals. Like their Soviet counterparts, East German personnel wore medal bars and medals were awarded for just about every organization in the East German society. The Ministry of the Interior had its own extensive catalog of awards and decorations separate of the awards presented by the Ministry of Defense.
Shown here on the chest of this jacket is the Ehrenzeichen der Deutschen Volkspolizei (Honor Award of the German People's Police), Verdienstmedaille der Organe des Ministeriums des Innern in Gold (Service Medal of the Ministry of the Interior in Gold), Verdienstmedaille der Organe des Ministeriums des Innern in Silber (Service Medal of the Ministry of the Interior in Silver), Verdienstmedaille der Organe des Ministeriums des Innern in Bronze (Service Medal of the Ministry of the Interior in Bronze), Medaille für ausgezeichnete Leistungen in den bewaffneten Organen des Ministeriums des Innern (Medal of Outstanding Achievement in armed service to the Ministry of the Interior), Medaille für treue Dienste in den bewaffneten Organen des Ministeriums des Innern in Gold für 30 Dienstjahre (Medal for loyal service in the armed service of the Ministry of the Interior in Gold for 30 Years of Service), Medaille für treue Dienste in den bewaffneten Organen des Ministeriums des Innern in Silber für 25 Dienstjahre (Medal for loyal service in the armed service of the Ministry of the Interior in Silver for 25 Years of Service), Medaille für treue Dienste in den bewaffneten Organen des Ministeriums des Innern in Bronze für 20 Dienstjahre (Medal for loyal service in the armed service of the Ministry of the Interior in Bronze for 20 Years of Service), Medaille für treue Dienste in den bewaffneten Organen des Ministeriums des Innern in Gold für 15 Dienstjahre (Medal for loyal service in the armed service of the Ministry of the Interior in Gold for 15 Years of Service), Medaille für treue Dienste in den bewaffneten Organen des Ministeriums des Innern in Silber für 10 Dienstjahre (Medal for loyal service in the armed service of the Ministry of the Interior in Silver for 10 Years of Service) & the Medaille für treue Dienste in den bewaffneten Organen des Ministeriums des Innern in Bronze für 5 Dienstjahre (Medal for loyal service in the armed service of the Ministry of the Interior in Bronze for 5 Years of Service).
Displayed here is the white dress shirt for wearing underneath the Gesselschaft jacket along with the blue TRAPO tie and the dark blue pants of the TRAPO. On certain occasions the jacket could be removed and this variant of the uniform worn. All shirts in the East German government had loops on the shoulder for mounting rank shoulderboards when not wearing the jacket. In summer and warm climates, the tie could be removed and the shirt collar worn open.
A close up of the dark blue TRAPO service tie.
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The dark blue service pants of the Transportpolizei with the distinctive blue stripe down the side of the pant leg.
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 Ministeriums des Innern (MdI) stamp of the Ministry of the Interior. The East Germans also had a letter code specifying the classification of the garment. The 'SG' designation as shown here means the pants were made 'Very Tall' and the number is consecutive to the waist size in East German sizing. The number 52 being the equivalent of a size 36-43 to American sizing standards.
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