Last modified: 2012-09-15 by pete loeser
Keywords: police | people's police | volkspolizei | vopo | text: german | star: 12 points (faceted) | disc (red) | wreath (grey) | pennant (black-red-yellow) | berlin |
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![[People's Police Ensign (East Germany)]](../images/d/de-ppa-e.gif)
3:5 
Image by Jaume Ollé
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).
Norman Martin, 13 January 1998
The Volkspolizei ensign on FOTW has a terminal date of 1973. What, if anything, replaced it?
Tom Gregg, 29 May 2002
![[Standard of the People's Police (East Germany)]](../images/d/de_pp-st.gif)
3:5 Image 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). The flag is surrounded by a silver fringe (except at hoist). Ratio 3:5. Illustrated in Oliver 1993 [oli93], p. 3, 20.
Norman Martin, 13 January 1998
![[German People's Police (East Germany)]](../images/d/de-ppa.gif)
3:5 Image by Jaume Ollé
Adopted 1949, deactivation date unknown.
FOTW shows a Volkspolizei service flag dated 1949-(?), black-red-gold with a police star enclosing a black-red-gold shield. Was it replaced by a new service flag not shown, or did the fringed standard illustrated replace it?
Tom Gregg, 29 May 2002
![[Police Chief Car Pennant 1949 (East Germany)]](../images/d/de-jppa.gif)
Image by Jaume Ollé
Adopted 1949, deactivation date unknown.
Note that the coat-of-arms used is that of the City of Berlin.
Jaume Ollé, January 1998
![[Special Troops of the People's Police (East Germany)]](../images/d/de-tepp.gif)
Image by Jaume Ollé
As far as response to 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. 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
The Civil Defense used the same flag as the police only until 1979.
Jens Pattke, 28 December 2001
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. The Bereitschaftspolizei were part of the police, distinguished from "normal" police forces only by the different color of their epaulettes (light green for Bereitschaftspolizei). As far as I remember, they used the same flag as the police did.
Volker Moerbitz Keith, 6 February 2001
The Bereitschaftspolizei was more in used political catastrophes, for example anti-socialist or anti-communist demonstrations, riots and revolutions. They were armed forces of the police, they lived in central barracks and camps and were permanently prepared for action.
Jens Pattke, 28 December 2001