Hello all. I need some info from Veterans stationed in West Germany during the cold war. I'm wondering if the military or more specifically the Army put out any FMs on the East German military. Something like the FM 100-2-3 that focuses on the Soviet military troops organization and equipment. I my search skills are weak and I can't figure out if they did or not.

Also does anyone know if there was a theater specific guide on the East German military? Maybe a command issued guide or something along those lines? For comparison, I was stationed in Korea in the early 90s. We were given a book called "Know Your Enemy, North Korea". It contained info about their organization, weapons, some Korean phrases and some historical info. It was published in country and there was at least two versions.

I enjoy studying history and the Cold war is one of my favorite things to research. I have found these type of books or FMs to be a good insight as to what we thought of the other side at the time. If you have any info, I would love to here it. Or even better if you know where I can pick something like these up.

Thanks for reading my post.

I was there '88-'90. Never saw anything about the E.German Army other than learning what weapons/vehicles they used. All our "Know your enemy" boards, training, and even those correspondence classes we took were about the Soviet military.

Crossing E. Germany to get to Berlin (in our private vehicles) we were told to ignore E. German military or police. We were given placards to put in the windows if we broke down or were pulled over demanding a Soviet officer be brought to our location. We weren't to talk or open the window for anyone else. The US military didn't recognize the authority of the East German government so didn't stop at their border crossings either, we only stopped at Soviet checkpoints.

I'm sure there are manuals but never saw any. Closest I came was spending some time in S-2 seeing maps of E. German bases and their training schedules.

Thanks for your reply. Very helpful.  I was hoping there was something to acquire and read about the EG military that we produced. The FM I listed is pretty vague. I do have other sources but was looking for something more along the lines a posted.

Just curious, what did you feel the attitude of the EG soldiers or border guards had towards you as a service member? Any interesting interactions with either? From my experience up on the DMZ the North Koreans picked the tallest meanest looking guys to stare you down. I got to tour the facility at Panmunjom. Very intense. No speaking and no gestures were allowed. No love lost up there. They had the look that they would cut your balls off if they could.

I enjoy hearing first hand accounts like yours. I think it can often be more informative than a history book. As a "free" citizen it is interesting to see how much control these governments had over the population. Not to get political but it makes you think about the state of our country.

Can't recall off the top of my head, any E. German specific training material.

Oh, man oh man oh man....

Somewhere in the boxes and boxes in my garage there is a manual that has the average TO&E of Russian units circa mid-late 1970's.

I was wondering what they were and some officer got me it.  It was for Weekend War Games with GHQ miniatures.  I cannot remember the number or anything else besides it was Very informative.

If I start looking tonight I Might have it by the next Saturday or Sunday.  It is Exactly what you want and I haven't the foggiest idea which box it is in.

Sorry

Was there back in 80 to 83 as a M60A3 tanker in Germant... The only thing I remember that was printed on the East German military were colored uniforms and equipment posters of their Army and Border Guards.

Everything else was focused npon the Soviets

...Was stationed in South Korea back in 84 to 85.  I remembered that there was more printed information, posters and FMs on the North Koreans.  Don't remember ever seeing anything on the ChiComs.

I don't recall anything specific on the NVA regulars or Grenztruppen. During a REFORGER FTX close to the East German border we had a bunch of NVA and their Russian liaison looking at us through binoculars, and we looked back at them.

We also had these:

Ah, the good old SMLM card.

In one of our security briefings we had a presentation on E germans uniforms etc . no tm. (west berlin 82-85.) and yes we where to ignore the east polizi and ask for russians . we where under the 4 powers act and we did not recognize the east germans. (I have an army of occupation medal too.)

Good info. Thanks again for your help.

For the most part, WARPAC countries followed the Soviet example pretty closely. So, a Soviet-based MTOE manual was adequate for covering their satellite States.

Here's a site which might help shed some light for you, though.

Thank you for the link. That was a good read.

I still have mine, as well as a weapons card for my M203, pro mask and a ration card. It was in a lost wallet I found when packing up to PCS stateside.

During my time in the Army at the end of the cold war all we studied was 'Pact' stratagy and tactics. Other than uniform and vehicle/aircraft charts we didn't go into details about the WP nation's military forces. We did know that the E. Germans had the best equipment outside the USSR, but that was it. I never saw E. Germans because I was in Bavaria. We saw Czech border guards, and the occasional Soviet liaison at the PX, but that was it.

Actually reading the thread got my very interested myself and its going to be my research project of the day. I have some very good books on the evolution of social/Political change in eastern Europe post war, most of all East Germany, but I have very little on the East German army. If memory serves the East German units were highly regarded by the Reds and would have been tasked accordingly. I was at Rhein-Main in 1979. Kind of a scarey all around year. That was the year we decided to put in the Pershing-lls and GLCMs and I think the Reds knew they'd never have a better opportunity. Also we had a pretty weak guy running the show.