Cold War Germany: military ranks
I'm writing a short story set in East Berlin (1986), about two men on the Grenzpatrolle (Mitte division, guarding the Wall area and the train stations). The senior has been in the border regiments for about 10 years, and he's enlisted/non-com (probably SGT?). The junior is new, in training, and is also enlisted (PVT?).
What I can't find is any listings of ranks in the Stasi, whether they're comparable/equivalent to the basic Bundeswehr ranks. Since I'm writing for an English-speaking audience, I plan to use the equivalent English terms rather than the German (eg Feldwebel). I found a site with the order of battle and regiment assignments for the NVA and border patrols, which was kind of cool (and useful), but I can't find anything listing ranks below Kommandant.
Anybody know whether they used the normal German rank system in the Stasi/MfS?
[edit: Got it! Thanks!]
What I can't find is any listings of ranks in the Stasi, whether they're comparable/equivalent to the basic Bundeswehr ranks. Since I'm writing for an English-speaking audience, I plan to use the equivalent English terms rather than the German (eg Feldwebel). I found a site with the order of battle and regiment assignments for the NVA and border patrols, which was kind of cool (and useful), but I can't find anything listing ranks below Kommandant.
Anybody know whether they used the normal German rank system in the Stasi/MfS?
[edit: Got it! Thanks!]