German People's Police 1949-1990 (East Germany)

Deutsche Volkspolizei, 'VoPo'

Last modified: 2001-10-26 by santiago dotor
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3:5
People's Police Ensign 1960-1973
by Jaume Ollé

• People's Police Ensign 1960-1973
• Standard of the German People's Police (Standarte der Deutschen Volkspolizei)
• Flag of the German People's Police 1949-?
• Police Chief Car Pennant 1949-?
• Special Troops of the People's Police 1952-1956
• Civil Defense

See also:

• Frontier Police 1949-1990 (Grenzpolizei)
• Army Frontier Units Ensign 1962-1990 (Dienstflagge der Boote der Grenztruppe der Nationalen Volksarmee)
• East Germany 1949-1990

Adopted 4 May 1960 and first hoisted 1 June 1960. After 12 January 1962 this was also the ensign of the Navy ships in the service of the Interior Ministry (1962-1973). [Illustrated above.]

Norman Martin, 13 January 1998

Standarte der Deutschen Volkspolizei

3:5
by Jaume Ollé

Similar to the National People's Army flag except with the Police Symbol (the Arms inside a 12 point white star, surrounded by a red circle with the letters "FÜR DEN SCHUTZ DER ARBEITER UND BAUERN MACHT" ["For the protection of the power of the workers and farmers"], surrounding the circle a silver wreath) at the center. Surrounded by a silver fringe (except at hoist). Ratio 3:5. Illustrated in Oliver 1993, p. 3, 20.

Norman Martin, 13 January 1998

3:5
by Jaume Ollé

Created 1949.
Jaume Ollé

N.B. the Arms are those of Berlin
by Jaume Ollé

by Jaume Ollé

As far as response to natural disasters is concerned, there were two organizations. The main one was the Zivilverteidigung (Civil Defense) which was trained to fight natural disasters as well as to protect the civilian population from the effects of nuclear or chemical weapons. And then there was the Bereitschaftspolizei, for which the only translation I found was 'Riot Police', which was certainly part of their task, but not the only one. These police units were also specially trained to handle disasters such as floods or even big car accidents. Both, Zivilverteidigung and Bereitschaftspolizei were part of the police (as were, for example, the fire fighters), distinguished from 'normal' police forces only by the different color of their epaulettes (purple for Zivilverteidigung and light green for Bereitschaftspolizei). As far as I remember, they used the same flag as the police did.

Volker Moerbitz Keith, 6 February 2001