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East Germany Military Traditions and Ceremonies
The fostering of military traditions occupies a large place
in the political and ideological instruction of East Germans
before, during, and after military service. In the NVA, this
instruction is said to be based on resolutions of the SED Central
Committee and the government, as well as the research findings of
Marxist-Leninist historiography.
Numerous forms of recalling military, socialist, and
revolutionary traditions are observed: the presentation of
banners; ceremonies centered on the taking of the oath of
allegiance; the awarding of honorifics to units, garrisons,
schools, and ships; the creation of unit museums; the maintenance
of rolls of honor; meetings with veterans; visits to historic
sites and the East German Army Museum; and anniversary
celebrations. Major elements in these observances, which are
continually revised and augmented, can be categorized as follows:
commemoration of glorious feats of arms in the service of
progress; recognition of exemplary soldiers, political figures,
socialist groups, and NVA units; celebration of East GermanSoviet and socialist brotherhood-in-arms; and identification of
military traditions that are to be rejected because of their
undesirable historic associations. Certain historic events such
as the Great Peasant War of 1525, the 1923 communist uprising in
Hamburg, and the building of the Berlin Wall fall into the first
category. Among the exemplary personalities are Rosa Luxemburg,
August Bebel, Götz von Berlichingen, General Carl von Clausewitz,
Richard Sorge, Friedrich Engels, and General Gerhard von
Scharnhorst. In the modern army, NVA soldiers and entire units
can be declared worthy of emulation as well. Marching songs,
parades, garrison reveille, honor guards at the Memorial to the
Victims of Fascism and Militarism and elsewhere, and celebrations
commemorating such events as anniversaries, the completion of a
certain amount of flight time, or victories in socialist
competition also serve as reminders of socialist tradition and
instruments of political and social integration.
Each NVA unit has its own banner, which is used in taking the
oath of allegiance. It is held so sacred that the unit itself is
not permitted to repair a damaged banner. The banner must be
defended at all costs; if it is lost or falls into enemy hands,
the unit is dissolved, and the commander and those soldiers
deemed directly culpable are called to account.
Some traditions of recent vintage have a public relations
function. For example, upon leaving active duty every member of
the NVA or Border Troops is given two reservist handkerchiefs.
One, a fancy handkerchief, is for the reservist himself; the
other, made of lace, is intended for his wife, girlfriend, or
mother. Other traditions intentionally recall historic
antecedents: the uniforms, except for the fur cap of the winter
uniform, resemble in cut those of the Wehrmacht. In fact, the
steel helmet was designed at the end of World War II by the
Wehrmacht's Army Ordnance Office.
Data as of July 1987
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