National People's Army facts for kids
The National People's Army (NPA), also known as the NVA, was the main military force of East Germany. East Germany was a country that existed from 1949 to 1990.
The NPA was created on March 1, 1956. It grew from an earlier police group called the Barracked People's Police, which started in 1952. At first, joining the army was a choice.
Later, in 1962, a rule called conscription began. This meant that young men in East Germany had to serve in the army. If chosen, they served for 18 months. The NPA was largest in 1987, with about 175,000 soldiers.
The NPA followed military ideas from the Soviet Union. Its leaders, called officers, made most of the decisions. There were also special officers whose job was to make sure soldiers supported the main political party.
Contents
How the National People's Army Was Organized
The NPA had four main parts, each with its own role:
- The Land Forces were the army on the ground. They had about 120,000 soldiers.
- The Volksmarine (People's Navy) was the navy. It had about 16,300 sailors.
- The Air Forces/Air Defense protected the skies. This group had about 39,000 airmen.
- The Border Troops guarded the country's borders. They had about 50,000 border guards.
The NPA also had many reserve soldiers. These were people who could be called to serve if there was a big problem.
The End of the National People's Army
In October 1990, East and West Germany became one country again. This event is called the German reunification. When this happened, the NPA joined the Bundeswehr, which was West Germany's army.
However, this joining was not equal for everyone. Many officers from the NPA were not allowed to join the new German army. Those who did join were often given a lower rank. Most of the NPA's army bases were closed. Much of its equipment was sold or given to other countries.
Images for kids
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Soldiers of the Guard Regiment Friedrich Engels marching at a changing-of-the-guard ceremony at the Neue Wache on the Unter den Linden in Berlin
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MiG-29 in East German service
See also
In Spanish: Ejército Popular Nacional para niños