Drafted into the East German Army

Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyListen on Google PodcastsBecome a Patron!

Steffen was born in Karl Marx Stadt and was conscripted into the NVA (East German Army) in 1988.

When he left school he started an apprenticeship in electronics learning how to build radio receivers at REMA, a then-famous producer of HiFi equipment.

Steffen is called up at 18 for his 18 months of service and he talks of the conscription process and incentives offered to him to serve for a longer period.

Steffen is posted to a unit in Leipzig that was responsible for telephone lines from the NVA Headquarters for the area south of Berlin. He describes the training he took and the role he carried out including installing phones for NATO Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty inspectors.

In the summer of 1989 many citizens of East Germany flee the country via the now semi-open Hungarian border and Steffen describes heightened tension within the Army.

Don’t miss next week’s episode where Steffen describes his transfer into the Bundeswehr, the West German Army.

The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to keep this podcast on the air. You’ll become part of our community and get a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank you and you’ll bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history.

Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/

If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, We also welcome one-off donations via the same link.

Steffen wearing the NVA uniform in late September 1990.

A civil servant and Steffen perform a line measurement. The was one of the regular duties of our group. When we declared the line good, we handed it over to the encryption department. After that, the line sounded like noise; we couldn’t even determine if someone was talking or not.

“The club” (part of the dormitory) was the only place where a TV was allowed. The tuner was sealed in order to prevent dialing it to West-German TV. The seal was checked every day.

All connections, internal and external ones, terminated in this room. The connections were routed and soldered mainly by two women (civil servants).

The main work place for our group. It was manned 24 hours. Here the mechanic on duty received the orders for e.g. fixing a line or a phone and then he went out to do the work. There were phone connections to most barracks in southern GDR. The device on top is a microcontroller-based speed dialer; one of the most sophisticated devices the GDR phone system had to offer. Laughable by West-German standards, but for us it was exciting.

Steffen Bundeswehr uniform

Steffen Bundeswehr uniform

Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/

Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/

Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/
Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations

Radio GDR
If you are interested in East Germany we can highly recommend our friends over at Radio GDR.

Disbanding of the NVA, 2-3 October, 1990

Longer version here.