National People's Army facts for kids

The symbol of the National People's Army.

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.

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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  A GDR finial, here for a flag of a Ministry of the Interior (MdI) unit; the NVA had the same in gold.

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  A stamp issued in January 1981 celebrating 25 years of the NVA. In the background stands a memorial commemorating those who perished in Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp.

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  An NVA Tatra-813 carrying a GAZ-63

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  MiG-29 in East German service

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  Various uniforms worn by NVA officers

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  GDR borderguards and members of the Combat Groups of the Working Class at the border of the Berlin sector on 14 August 1961

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  Another GDR stamp celebrating 25 years of the NVA

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  NVA generals wearing parade uniforms in a 1984 promotion and awards ceremony

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  The field uniform as worn by GDR border troops

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  An NVA Fallschirmjäger uniform.

See also

In Spanish: Ejército Popular Nacional para niños