Ministry of National Defence (East Germany)

The Ministry of National Defense ( MfNV ) was a Ministry of Ministers of the GDR.

The Ministry of National Defense was created by the "Law on the establishment of the National People's Army and the Ministry of National Defense " January 18, 1956. The previously known as Kasernierte people police paramilitary units have now been incorporated directly into the army. By adopting these forces an immediate strength of about 100,000 soldiers was produced. On March 1, 1956, all areas of the National People 's Army (NPA ) should be able to work. This day has been celebrated since 1957 as the "Day of the National People's Army." In January 1962, military service was introduced in the GDR.

The headquarters of the Ministry was in Strausberg Nord in Berlin. The barracks object was nameless. To watch all in Strausberg and outlying service objects, the guard regiment Hugo Eberlein was responsible. The Ministry also introduced its own publishing house ( publisher of the Ministry of National Defense ).

Tasks and structure of the Ministry

The Ministry was the central organ of the State Council of Ministers of the GDR in the field of military defense affairs. However, his skills were limited in practice, as the Politburo of the Central Committee of the SED reserving all major decisions. Its decisions were implemented by the National Defense Council of the GDR and the Ministry. The Ministry was responsible de jure leadership of the National People's Army, and the planning, coordination, organization and implementation of the national defense. It was responsible for both the military and the civilian sector. At the head of the ministry was the Minister of National Defence. Underneath was a main rod for the narrower military area, and several administrations and departments. Also, the political headquarters of the NVA, but subordinate to the Central Committee of the SED or the Secretary-General, was settled in the ministry.

Skip to Main team participating subdivisions as the operative administrations (responsible for operational plans ), education (responsible for gathering information about foreign military forces ), military recruitment beings as higher authority for military district and the military district commands. Under the Ministry were furthermore the type of weapon departments. These were headed by a chief of administration and were responsible for training and arming of the respective branch of service. The use of the associations, however, was ordered by the Minister directly subordinate chiefs of the military districts. As instruments of leadership served the leadership of the Ministry of the main news headquarters of the Ministry of National Defense and an Operational management center.

In addition, the Ministry of the management of the military prosecutor's office, the Society for Sport and Technology, and the Military Academy Friedrich Engels were assumed.

Minister 1956-1990

Structure of the Ministry

The Ministry of National Defense were subordinate to the following governing bodies:

Command Land Forces

→ Main article: Command Land Forces

The command land forces ( KdoLaSK ) was created on December 1, 1972 as a management body for the land forces. The seat was in Wild Park West at Potsdam.

Command Air Forces / Air Defence

→ Main article: Command LSK / LV

The predecessor of the command LSK / LV of the NVA air forces were created in 1956 managing air forces and air defense management. A year later, the previously independent administrations for common command LSK / LV headquartered in Strausberg ( Egger village) were summarized.

People's Navy Command

The People's Navy ( KdoVM ) Command with headquarters in Rostock- Gehlsdorf emerged from the administration of the naval forces. It was created in the spring of 1957. After the award of the title " People's Navy " on November 3, 1960, the command was renamed People's Navy Command.

  • Rear Admiral Felix Scheffler March 1, 1956 to December 31, 1956 as commander of naval forces
  • Vice Admiral Waldemar Verner January 1, 1957 to July 31, 1959 as commander of naval forces
  • Rear Admiral Wilhelm Ehm August 1, 1959 to July 31, 1961 / February 25, 1963 to November 30, 1987
  • Rear Admiral Heinz Neukirchen August 1, 1961 to 24 February 1963; entrusted with the management
  • Vice Admiral Theodor Hoffmann December 1, 1987 to November 17, 1989
  • Vice- Admiral Hendrik Born December 11, 1989 to October 2, 1990

Command Border Troops of the GDR

After the assumption of the German Border Police under the Ministry of National Defense on 15 September 1961, the units were designated as border troops of the GDR. The command of the border troops ( KdoGT ) had its headquarters in Pätz.

  • Colonel-General Erich Peter September 15, 1961 to July 31, 1979
  • Colonel-General Klaus -Dieter Baumgarten August 1, 1979 to 31 December 1989
  • Major General Dieter Teichmann 1 January 1990 to September 30, 1990

Central administration civil defense

  • Colonel-General Fritz Peter December 1, 1976 to April 30, 1990

The governing bodies in the Ministry were still part of the main bar, the political headquarters and the regions Rear services and equipment and armament.

Home Bar

  • Lieutenant-General Vincenz Müller March 1, 1956 to March 1, 1958
  • Lieutenant General Heinz Hoffmann March 1, 1958 to July 1, 1960
  • Major General Sigfrid Riedel July 1, 1960 to March 15, 1967
  • Colonel-General Heinz Kessler March 15, 1967 to January 10, 1979
  • Colonel-General Fritz Streletz January 10, 1979 to 31 December 1989
  • Lieutenant General Manfred Kralove 1 January 1990 to September 15, 1990
  • Major General Michael Schlothauer September 15, 1990 to October 2, 1990

Political Headquarters

  • Major General Friedrich Dickel March 1, 1956 to August 24, 1956
  • Colonel Godfrey Green Mountain August 25, 1956 to November 27, 1957
  • Major General Rudolf Dölling November 28, 1957 to July 31, 1959
  • Vice Admiral Waldemar Verner August 1, 1959 to December 31, 1978
  • Colonel-General Heinz Kessler January 10, 1979 until December 2, 1985
  • Colonel General Horst Brno December 10, 1985 to 31 December 1989

Field equipment and armament

  • Colonel Erwin Freyer March 1, 1956 to May 1, 1957
  • Major General Rudolf Menzel May 1, 1957 to October 14, 1959
  • Major General Friedrich Dickel October 15, 1959 to November 14, 1963
  • Colonel-General Werner Fleißner February 1, 1964 to December 27, 1985
  • Colonel-General Joachim Goldbach February 1, 1986 to April 18, 1990

Rear area services

  • Major General Walter Olsztyn March 1, 1956 to September 15, 1972
  • Lieutenant General Helmut Poppe September 15, 1972 to July 26, 1979
  • Lieutenant General Joachim Goldbach October 16, 1979 to January 31, 1986
  • Lieutenant General Manfred Gratz February 1, 1986 to 31 December 1989
  • Vice- Admiral Hans Hofmann 1 January 1990 to April 18, 1990

The heads of the commands and the other governing bodies were usually at the same time Deputy Minister of National Defence.

The MfNV has with almost all the other ministries of the GDR closed the so-called secret agreements. This agreement marked the prominent position of the NVA. Contents of these agreements was the preferred treatment of the army in food procurement, the driving and use of forests and open spaces in the GDR.

Subordinate organizations, military units, units and facilities

  • Main Message Centre of the Ministry of National Defense
  • Car Regiment 2
  • Military Academy Friedrich Engels
  • Military Political Academy Wilhelm Pieck
  • Wachregiment Friedrich Engels
  • Wachregiment Hugo Eberlein
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