East German BERET Gray NVA Fabric Hat Badge SIZE 53

EAst German BERET in EXCELLENT Condition.

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The National People’s Army (German: Nationale Volksarmee) served as the military of the German Democratic Republic

The formation of the National People’s Army ( NVA )on March 1, 1956 (shortly after the formation of the West German Bundeswehr)

The NVA was comprised of four main branches:

• The Landstreitkräfte (Ground Forces) with a strength of 120,000.
• The Volksmarine (People's Navy) with a strength of 16,300.
• The Luftstreitkräfte/Luftverteidigung (Air Forces/Air Defence) with a strength of 39,000.
• The Grenztruppen der DDR (Border troops of the GDR), consisting of 50,000 border guards

The NVA was disbanded in 1990, and its facilities and equipment were given over to the Bundeswehr. Most facilities were closed, and equipment was either sold or given to other countries. Most of the officers and NCOs were let go, with only 3,200 of this 36,000 strong group being retained in the Bundeswehr, with most of these being demoted by one rank.