Ministry of National Defence (East Germany)
Encyclopedia
The Ministry of National Defense (German:Ministerium für Nationale Verteidigung or MfNV) was the chief administrative arm of the East German National People's Army
. The MND was modeled on that of the Soviet Union
. The headquarters of the Ministry was in Strausberg in Berlin. The Hugo Eberlein Guard Regiment
provided security and guard services to the Ministry. The Ministry also had its own publishing house, Verlag
.
The NVA was administered through the Ministry of National Defense, one of the principal branches of the national government. Willi Stoph
served as the first Minister of Defence from 1956 to 1960. Heinz Hoffmann
, held the post from 1960 until his death in 1985 from a heart attack. In December 1985, General
(Armeegeneral) Heinz Kessler
became Minister of Defense. Admiral Theodor Hoffmann
served as the last minister April 1990 to his retirement on September 24, 1990, he also served as head of the National People's Army under, Rainer Eppelmann
, the newly established Minister for Disarmament and Defense.
In 1987 the deputy ministers and their assignments were as follows:
or KVP, Sea Police, and Air Police into a single armed force having three branches: ground, naval, and air. The Ministry of Defense was headed by Colonel General (Generaloberst) Willi Stoph
, who was also minister of the interior. In 1987 Stoph was chairman of the Council of Ministers and a member of the SED Politburo. General Hoffmann, who was listed as first deputy minister of defense, attended the Soviet General Staff Academy in the mid-1950s and replaced Stoph as defense minister in 1960. Hoffmann held the post until his death in 1985. Concurrent with the establishment of the NVA as a legal entity was a return to public manifestations of German military traditions, with the addition of socialist elements. The training regimen for recruits approximated that of the former Wehrmacht, as did drill and ceremonies. New uniforms, whose cut but not colour (stone grey) were far closer to those of German World War II forces than to Soviet models, were introduced. Only the helmet represented a radical departure from World War II, but here too the design differed from the Soviet model.
The creation of the NVA addressed both internal and external security problems. Internally the physical appearance of the NVA spoke to the population in terms of their traditional German heritage and differentiated the NVA from the Soviet Army
. In theory at least, East German citizens could have pride in their own army. The swift creation of the NVA as a force of more than 120,000 officers and other ranks practicing Prussian-style drill was a dramatic gesture of nationalism that was impossible for the world to ignore.
The creation of the Ministry of Defense and the NVA seemingly should have been a blow to the authority and prestige of the Ministry of the Interior. The bureaucratic impact of this action was mitigated by permitting Stoph to carry both portfolios for four years. In addition, police activities, both civil and secret, remained under the Ministry of the Interior, as did the Border Police. The Ministry of the Interior established its own Alert Units for the specific function of internal security. The Alert Units were militarily structured, fully motorized units with modern weapons and equipment. Garrisoned and trained in battalion-size units, they were capable of carrying out police tasks and other security functions. They have been used in major disturbances or in civil disasters affecting public order and safety.
Differentiation between the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of the Interior was still in progress in the 1960s. On issue in this process was the subordination of the Border Police. On September 15, 1961, by order of the National Defense Council, the entire Border Police was transferred to the NVA and redesignated the Border Troops of the NVA. Various explanations for this shift have been offered by different authorities. The official reason stressed improvement in the level of training through closer relationship with the NVA and provision for reinforcement of the Border Troops with other NVA assets. The actual reason probably had more to do with standardization within the Warsaw Pact since similar reorganizations occurred in roughly the same time period in all the non-Soviet Warsaw Pact armies.
In the mid-1980s, its complement of about 4,200 personnel had a military-to-civilian ratio of approximately three to one, in contrast to comparable Western ministries or departments that generally have a much higher proportion of civilian employees.
Approximately 100 Soviet liaison officers also were assigned to the East German ministry.
The Ministry of National Defense had the following subordinate executive bodies:
provide security and guard services for the Land Forces Command headquarters.
Chefs des Kommando Landstreitkräfte (Chief of Land Forces Command)
Chefs des Kommandos Luftstreitkräfte/Luftverteidigung Chief of the Air Force Command / Air Defense
emerged from the administration of the naval forces. It was created in spring 1957. Following the award of the title "Volksmarine (People's Navy) on 3 November 1960 and was later renamed the People's Navy Command.
Chefs des Kommandos Seestreitkräfte/ Volksmarine Chief of the Naval Forces Command/Marine People
Chefs des Kommandos Grenztruppen der DDR/Chief of the GDR border troops command
The governing bodies still belonged to the Ministry Headquarters, the political headquarters and the areas of Bereiche Rückwärtige Dienste (Rear services) and Technik und Bewaffnung (equipment and armament).
The heads of the commands and the other governing bodies were usually also titled Deputy Minister of National Defense.
The MfNV has concluded agreements with almost all other ministries of the so-called GDR secret agreements. This agreement marked the prominent position of the NVA. Content of these agreements was the preferred treatment of the army in the food issue, to entering and use of forests and open spaces in the GDR.
National People's Army
The National People’s Army were the armed forces of the German Democratic Republic .The NVA was established in 1956 and disestablished in 1990. There were frequent reports of East German advisors with Communist African countries during the Cold War...
. The MND was modeled on that of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. The headquarters of the Ministry was in Strausberg in Berlin. The Hugo Eberlein Guard Regiment
Hugo Eberlein Guard Regiment
The Hugo Eberlein Guard Regiment, officially Wachregiment "Hugo Eberlein" was a military unit which provided security to the East German Ministry of National Defence. It was formed in 1956 as the Wachregiment der Hauptverwaltung Ausbildung...
provided security and guard services to the Ministry. The Ministry also had its own publishing house, Verlag
Verlag
Verlag is the German language word for "publisher". It occurs in the name of several German and Austrian publishing firms, including:* Akademie Verlag* Arovell Verlag* Bertz + Fischer Verlag* Birkhäuser Verlag* Carl Hanser Verlag* Carl Heymanns Verlag...
.
Minister of Defence
Willi Stoph
Willi Stoph was an East German politician. He served as Prime Minister of the German Democratic Republic from 1964 to 1973, and again from 1976 until 1989.-Biography:...
served as the first Minister of Defence from 1956 to 1960. Heinz Hoffmann
Heinz Hoffmann
Heinz Hoffmann was Minister of National Defense in the Council of Ministers of the German Democratic Republic, and since October 2, 1973 Member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Socialist Unity Party .-Youth:Hoffmann came from a working class family...
, held the post from 1960 until his death in 1985 from a heart attack. In December 1985, General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
(Armeegeneral) Heinz Kessler
Heinz Kessler
Heinz Kessler was an Armeegeneral in the National People's Army of the German Democratic Republic ; Minister of Defense of the GDR; a member of the Politbüro of the Central Committee of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany ; and a deputy of the GDR's Volkskammer...
became Minister of Defense. Admiral Theodor Hoffmann
Theodor Hoffmann (admiral)
Theodor Hoffmann East German Admiral who served as the head of the People's Navy and as the last Minister of National Defense of the Germany Democratic Republic and head of the National People's Army.-Early life:Hoffmann worked from 1949 to 1951 in agriculture...
served as the last minister April 1990 to his retirement on September 24, 1990, he also served as head of the National People's Army under, Rainer Eppelmann
Rainer Eppelmann
Rainer Eppelmann , is a German politician. Known for his opposition in the German Democratic Republic, he became Minister for Disarmament and Defense in the last cabinet. He is now a member of the CDU....
, the newly established Minister for Disarmament and Defense.
Hierarchy
The Minister of National Defence was assisted by a colloquium of deputy ministers who were also chiefs of certain key administrations within the ministry.In 1987 the deputy ministers and their assignments were as follows:
- Chief of the Grenztruppen der DDR (Border Troops);
- Chief of the VolksmarineVolksmarineVolksmarine was the official designation of the maritime forces of the German Democratic Republic . It was part of the National People's Army, established in 1956.-History:...
(People's Navy); - Chief of Technology and Weaponry;
- Chief of the Main Political Administration (Kessler's former post);
- Chief of the Luftstreitkräfte/LuftverteidigungLuftstreitkräfte der NVAThe Luftstreitkraefte / Luftverteidigung was the Air Force of East Germany . As with the Landstreitkräfte, the Volksmarine, and the Border troops, it was a military branch of the National People's Army ....
(Air Force/Air Defense Force); - Chief of the LandstreitkräfteLandstreitkräfteThe Landstreitkräfte , also Army or Heer, was the ground based military branch of the East German National People's Army. The Land Forces Command, located at Geltow was established on 1 December 1972 as a management body created for the land forces...
(ground forces); The Land Forces Command, located at Geltow was established on 1 December 1972 as a management body for the land forces. - Chief of the Main Staff and secretary of the National Defense Council;
- Chief of Civil DefenseCivil defenseCivil defense, civil defence or civil protection is an effort to protect the citizens of a state from military attack. It uses the principles of emergency operations: prevention, mitigation, preparation, response, or emergency evacuation, and recovery...
; and - Chief of Rear ServicesRear servicesRear services were those agencies in Warsaw Pact and Soviet style military forces concerned with military logistics and support. The Rear Services supplied the armed forces with ammunition, fuel, spare parts, food, clothing, and other matériel. Usually a deputy minister of defense served as chief...
.
History
On January 18, 1956, the People's Chamber (the national legislature) passed a bill creating the NVA and the Ministry of Defense from the Chief Administration of Training of the Ministry of the Interior. This act formally acknowledged the existence of East Germany's armed forces. The NVA incorporated the Kasernierte VolkspolizeiKasernierte Volkspolizei
Kasernierte Volkspolizei were the military units of the Volkspolizei in the German Democratic Republic...
or KVP, Sea Police, and Air Police into a single armed force having three branches: ground, naval, and air. The Ministry of Defense was headed by Colonel General (Generaloberst) Willi Stoph
Willi Stoph
Willi Stoph was an East German politician. He served as Prime Minister of the German Democratic Republic from 1964 to 1973, and again from 1976 until 1989.-Biography:...
, who was also minister of the interior. In 1987 Stoph was chairman of the Council of Ministers and a member of the SED Politburo. General Hoffmann, who was listed as first deputy minister of defense, attended the Soviet General Staff Academy in the mid-1950s and replaced Stoph as defense minister in 1960. Hoffmann held the post until his death in 1985. Concurrent with the establishment of the NVA as a legal entity was a return to public manifestations of German military traditions, with the addition of socialist elements. The training regimen for recruits approximated that of the former Wehrmacht, as did drill and ceremonies. New uniforms, whose cut but not colour (stone grey) were far closer to those of German World War II forces than to Soviet models, were introduced. Only the helmet represented a radical departure from World War II, but here too the design differed from the Soviet model.
The creation of the NVA addressed both internal and external security problems. Internally the physical appearance of the NVA spoke to the population in terms of their traditional German heritage and differentiated the NVA from the Soviet Army
Soviet Army
The Soviet Army is the name given to the main part of the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union between 1946 and 1992. Previously, it had been known as the Red Army. Informally, Армия referred to all the MOD armed forces, except, in some cases, the Soviet Navy.This article covers the Soviet Ground...
. In theory at least, East German citizens could have pride in their own army. The swift creation of the NVA as a force of more than 120,000 officers and other ranks practicing Prussian-style drill was a dramatic gesture of nationalism that was impossible for the world to ignore.
The creation of the Ministry of Defense and the NVA seemingly should have been a blow to the authority and prestige of the Ministry of the Interior. The bureaucratic impact of this action was mitigated by permitting Stoph to carry both portfolios for four years. In addition, police activities, both civil and secret, remained under the Ministry of the Interior, as did the Border Police. The Ministry of the Interior established its own Alert Units for the specific function of internal security. The Alert Units were militarily structured, fully motorized units with modern weapons and equipment. Garrisoned and trained in battalion-size units, they were capable of carrying out police tasks and other security functions. They have been used in major disturbances or in civil disasters affecting public order and safety.
Differentiation between the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of the Interior was still in progress in the 1960s. On issue in this process was the subordination of the Border Police. On September 15, 1961, by order of the National Defense Council, the entire Border Police was transferred to the NVA and redesignated the Border Troops of the NVA. Various explanations for this shift have been offered by different authorities. The official reason stressed improvement in the level of training through closer relationship with the NVA and provision for reinforcement of the Border Troops with other NVA assets. The actual reason probably had more to do with standardization within the Warsaw Pact since similar reorganizations occurred in roughly the same time period in all the non-Soviet Warsaw Pact armies.
Organization
The organization of the East German Ministry of Defense, which closely follows the pattern of the Soviet Ministry of Defense, comprises several administrations and departments, among which there appeared to be a certain amount of overlapping authority. The chiefs of the major administrations and commands concurrently served as deputies to the defense minister.In the mid-1980s, its complement of about 4,200 personnel had a military-to-civilian ratio of approximately three to one, in contrast to comparable Western ministries or departments that generally have a much higher proportion of civilian employees.
Approximately 100 Soviet liaison officers also were assigned to the East German ministry.
The Ministry of National Defense had the following subordinate executive bodies:
Kommando Landstreitkräfte/Land Forces Command
The Land Forces Command was established on 1 December 1972 as a management body created for the land forces. The seat was in Wildpark-West. The Friedrich Engels Guard RegimentFriedrich Engels Guard Regiment
The Friedrich Engels Guards Regiment was a special guard unit of the East German National People's Army...
provide security and guard services for the Land Forces Command headquarters.
Chefs des Kommando Landstreitkräfte (Chief of Land Forces Command)
- Generaloberst Horst Stechbarth 1 December 1972 to 31 December 1989
- Generalleutnant Horst Skerra 1 January 1990 to 14 September 1990
- Generalmajor Hans-Christian Reiche 15 September 1990 to 2 October 1990,
Kommando Luftstreitkräfte&Luftverteidigung/Command Air Forces&Air Defense
The predecessor of the command Air Force / Air Defense (LSK / LV) was created in 1956 for government air force and air defense. A year later, the administrations for the joint command LSK / LV-based Eggersdorf was established.Chefs des Kommandos Luftstreitkräfte/Luftverteidigung Chief of the Air Force Command / Air Defense
- Generalmajor Hans Zorn 1 March 1956 to 30 August 1956
- Generalmajor Heinz Keßler 1 September 1956 to 14 March 1967
- Generalleutnant Herbert Scheibe 15 March 1967 to 14 March 1972
- Generalmajor Wolfgang Reinhold 15 March 1972 to 30 November 1989
- Generalleutnant Rolf Berger 1 December 1989 to 2 October 1990
Kommando Volksmarine/People's Navy Command
Das Kommando Volksmarine (People's Navy) was based in Rostock-GehlsdorfRostock
Rostock -Early history:In the 11th century Polabian Slavs founded a settlement at the Warnow river called Roztoc ; the name Rostock is derived from that designation. The Danish king Valdemar I set the town aflame in 1161.Afterwards the place was settled by German traders...
emerged from the administration of the naval forces. It was created in spring 1957. Following the award of the title "Volksmarine (People's Navy) on 3 November 1960 and was later renamed the People's Navy Command.
Chefs des Kommandos Seestreitkräfte/ Volksmarine Chief of the Naval Forces Command/Marine People
- Konteradmiral Felix SchefflerFelix SchefflerFelix Scheffler , World War II Wehrmacht veteran, Konteradmiral, and first Chief of the East German People's Navy ....
1 March 1956 to 31 December 1956; as Kommandeur Seestreitkräfte (commander of naval forces) - Vizeadmiral Waldemar VernerWaldemar VernerWaldemar Verner was chief of the People's Navy of the National People's Army of the German Democratic Republic and brother of Paul Verner....
1 January 1957 to 31 July 1959; as Kommandeur Seestreitkräfte - Konteradmiral Wilhelm EhmWilhelm EhmWilhelm Ehm a World War II Wehrmacht veteran and East German Admiral who was Deputy Minister of National Defense of the German Democratic Republic and head of the People's Navy .- Early life :Ehm's father was a carpenter who served as an armorer and a bugler in the...
1 August 1959 to 31 July 1961 / 25 February 1963 to 30 November 1987 - Konteradmiral Heinz NeukirchenHeinz NeukirchenHeinz Neukirchen was officer in the World War II Kriegsmarine, Vice Admiral in the People's Navy of the German Democratic Republic as well as President of the East German Directorate of Maritime and Port Industries...
1 August 1961 to 24 February 1963; - Vizeadmiral Theodor HoffmannTheodor Hoffmann (admiral)Theodor Hoffmann East German Admiral who served as the head of the People's Navy and as the last Minister of National Defense of the Germany Democratic Republic and head of the National People's Army.-Early life:Hoffmann worked from 1949 to 1951 in agriculture...
1 December 1987 to 17 November 1989 - Vizeadmiral Hendrik BornHendrik BornHendrik Born is a former Vizeadmiral of the East German Navy and the last chief of the People's Navy and its youngest Vizeadmiral.- Childhood :...
11 December 1989 to 2 October 1990
Kommando Grenztruppen der DDR/Command GDR border troops
After the subordination of the Deutschen Grenzpolizei (German Border Police) under the Ministry of National Defense on 15 September 1961, the units were designated as the NVA (Border Troops of the NVA). Once separated, the border troops of the army units were designated as the Grenztruppen aus der DDR (Border Troops of the GDR). The command of the border troops was based in Pätz.Chefs des Kommandos Grenztruppen der DDR/Chief of the GDR border troops command
- Generaloberst Erich Peter, 15 September 1961 to 31 July 1979
- Generaloberst Klaus-Dieter Baumgarten, 1 August 1979 to 31 December 1989
- Generalmajor Dieter Teichmann, 1 January 1990 to 30 September 1990
Hauptverwaltung Zivilverteidigung/Civil Defense Headquarters
Chef der Hauptverwaltung Zivilverteidigung/Head of the Civil Defense Headquarters- Generaloberst Fritz Peter 1 December 1976 to 30 April 1990
The governing bodies still belonged to the Ministry Headquarters, the political headquarters and the areas of Bereiche Rückwärtige Dienste (Rear services) and Technik und Bewaffnung (equipment and armament).
Hauptstab/Headquarters
Chefs des Hauptstabes/Chief of Staff- Generalleutnant Vincenz MüllerVincenz MüllerVincenz Müller was a German military officer and general who served in the Imperial German army, the Wehrmacht Heer, and after the war in the National People's Army of the German Democratic Republic, where he was also a politician.-Early career:Müller was born in the Kingdom of Bavaria into a...
, 1 March 1956 until 1 March 1958 - Generalleutnant Heinz HoffmannHeinz HoffmannHeinz Hoffmann was Minister of National Defense in the Council of Ministers of the German Democratic Republic, and since October 2, 1973 Member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Socialist Unity Party .-Youth:Hoffmann came from a working class family...
, 1 March 1958 until 1 Juli 1960 - Generalmajor Sigfrid Riedel, 1 July 1960 to March 1967
- Generaloberst Heinz Keßler, 15 March 1967 to 10 January 1979
- Generaloberst Fritz Streletz, 10 January 1979 to 31 December 1989
- Generalleutnant Manfred Grätz, 1 January 1990 to 15 September 1990
Politische Hauptverwaltung/Political Headquarters
Chefs der Politischen Hauptverwaltung/Chief of the Political Administration- Generalmajor Friedrich Dickel, 1 March 1956 to 24 August 1956 August 1956
- Oberst Gottfried Grünberg, 25 August 1956 to 27 November 1957
- Generalmajor Rudolf Dölling, 28 November 1957 to 31 July 1959
- Vizeadmiral Waldemar VernerWaldemar VernerWaldemar Verner was chief of the People's Navy of the National People's Army of the German Democratic Republic and brother of Paul Verner....
, 1 August 1959 to 31 December 1978 - Generaloberst Heinz Keßler, 10 January 1979 to 2 December 1985
- Generaloberst Horst Brünner, 10 December 1985 to 31 December 1989
Bereich Technik und Bewaffnung/Technology and Armament
Chefs des Bereiches Technik und Bewaffnung Chief of the range equipment and armament- Oberst Erwin Freyer, 1 March 1956 until 1 May 1957
- Generalmajor Rudolf Menzel, 1 May 1957 to 14 October 1959
- Generalmajor Friedrich Dickel, 15. Major General Friedrich Dickel 15th Oktober 1959 bis 14. October 1959 to 14 November 1963 November 1963
- Generalmajor Werner Fleißner, 1 February 1964 to 27 December 1985
- Generaloberst Joachim Goldbach 1. Colonel-General Joachim Goldbach 1st Februar 1986 bis 18. February 1986 to 18 April 1990 April 1990
Bereich Rückwärtige Dienste/Rear Area Services
Chefs des Bereiches Rückwärtigen Dienste/Chiefs of the area Rear Services- Generalmajor Walter Allenstein, 1 March 1956 to 15 September 1972
- Generalleutnant Helmut Poppe, 15 September 1972 to 26 July 1979
- Generalleutnant Joachim Goldbach, 16 October 1979 to 31 January 1986
- Generalleutnant Manfred Grätz, 1 February 1986 to 31 December 1989
- Vizeadmiral Hans Hofmann, 1 January 1990 to 18 April 1990
The heads of the commands and the other governing bodies were usually also titled Deputy Minister of National Defense.
The MfNV has concluded agreements with almost all other ministries of the so-called GDR secret agreements. This agreement marked the prominent position of the NVA. Content of these agreements was the preferred treatment of the army in the food issue, to entering and use of forests and open spaces in the GDR.
See also
- Friedrich Engels Guards Regiment provided security at the Kommando Landstreitkräfte/Land Forces Command