Pioneers of the 8th motor protection division of the NVA in the picture
by Dietrich Biewald
Description
This collection of pictures from the service of the pioneers in the 8th Motorized Rifle Division with short explanatory texts consists almost exclusively of amateur photographs provided by a large number of former members of the 8th MSD. The almost 900 illustrations are an interesting supplement to the book Pioniere in der 8th Motorisierten Schützendivision der Nationalen Volksarmee der DDR.
The origin of this book is owed to the members of the Schwerin Pioneer Comradeship and above all to the initiative of their chairman Jochen Schmidt. So it came about that many of them diligently rummaged through their old photo albums and collections, selected the pictures or made their albums completely available for scanning for this documentation. A fortunate circumstance is certainly also that the pioneers hardly had any technology that had to be kept particularly secret, so that prohibitions that were violated when taking pictures were not evaluated as strictly as elsewhere.
However, former non-pioneers also contributed some of their old photographs. The main task of the pioneers was to make sure that the actions of the troops and units of the division were properly documented. Many of the photographs on hand therefore show the interaction of the pioneers with the other branches of arms, special forces and services. Therefore, this illustrated book can certainly arouse the interest of the alumni from all these areas.
Diese Bildersammlung aus dem Dienst der Pioniere in der 8. Motorisierten Schützendivision mit kurzen erläuternden Texten besteht fast nur aus Amateuraufnahmen, die von einer Vielzahl ehemaliger Angehöriger der 8. MSD bereitgestellt wurden. Die fast 900 Abbildungen sind eine interessante Ergänzung zu dem Buch Pioniere in der 8. Motorisierten Schützendivision der Nationalen Volksarmee der DDR.
Die Entstehung dieses Buches ist den Angehörigen der Pionierkameradschaft Schwerin und vor allem der Initiative ihre Vorsitzenden Jochen Schmidt zu verdanken. So kam es, dass viele fleißig in ihren alten Fotoalben und -sammlungen wühlten, die Bilder auswählten oder ihre Alben komplett zum Scannen für diese Dokumentation zur Verfügung stellten. Ein glücklicher Umstand ist sicherlich auch, dass die Pioniere kaum über besonders geheimzuhaltende Technik verfügten und so beim Knipsen übertretene Verbote nicht so streng wie anderswo gewertet wurden.
Jedoch auch ehemalige Nichtpioniere steuerten einige ihrer alten Fotografien bei. Die Hauptaufgabe der Pioniere bestand nun einmal in der Pioniersicherstellung der Handlungen der Truppenteile und Einheiten der Division. Viele der vorliegenden Aufnahmen zeigen daher das Zusammenwirken der Pioniere mit den anderen Waffengattungen, Spezialtruppen und Diensten. Darum kann dieser Bildband sicherlich auch Interesse bei den Ehemaligen aus all diesen Bereichen wecken.
More Information
Rights Information
All rights.
Author Biography
Dietrich Biewald
Dipl.-Military scientist, Dipl.-Ing. civil engineering (FH).
Born in January 1935 near Breslau in Lower Silesia.
Father a soldier since the beginning of the war. He never returned from captivity.
With the family, mother and four children, evacuation on horse-drawn carts in January 1945 to the Krkonoše Mountains, later by railroad to the so-called Sudetengau. In June 1945 expulsion by the now Czech authorities. On foot back to Silesia. In November expulsion by the Polish authorities. On foot to Grünberg. Settled in Saxony via detours in 1946.
After completing elementary school, three years of apprenticeship as a millwright.
1952 joined the German People's Police. Three years of training at the Pionieroffiziersschule of the Kasernierten Volkspolizei as a pioneer officer. Afterwards pioneer platoon leader, company commander of a pioneer company and work as a pioneer officer in staffs of battalion, regiment and division. Until his release from active service in 1986, he was head of the pioneer division of the 8th Mot. rifle division in Schwerin for several years.
In the meantime further education and various qualifications, including direct studies at an engineering school to become a civil engineer (Dipl. Ing. -FH-) and distance learning at a military academy to become a military scientist.
From 1986 until retirement in 2000, he worked in the disaster control department of the Schwerin district and the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
Since 1969 living in Schwerin, married, two children.
Bibliography:
Pioneers in the 8th Motorized Rifle Division of the National People's Army of the GDR. EDITION digital, Pinnow 2016
Pioneers of the 8th motor protection division of the NVA in the picture. EDITION digital, Pinnow 2016
Episodes from the lives of the pioneers. EDITION digital, Pinnow 2016
Reconnaissance troops in the 8th MSD of the NVA of the GDR. EDITION digital, Pinnow 2018.
EDITION digital Pekrul & Sohn GbR
View all titlesBibliographic Information
- Publisher EDITION digital
- Publication Date January 2016
- Orginal LanguageGerman
- ISBN/Identifier 9783956556135
- Publication Country or regionGermany
- FormatPaperback
- Primary Price 21.40 EUR
- Pages372
- ReadershipGeneral
- Publish StatusPublished
- Original Language TitlePioniere der 8. Mot.-Schützendivision der NVA im Bild
- Original Language AuthorsDietrich Biewald
- Copyright Year2016
- Dimensions29,7x21 cm
- Illustration1343 greyscala
EDITION digital Pekrul & Sohn GbR has chosen to review this offer before it proceeds.
You will receive an email update that will bring you back to complete the process.
You can also check the status in the My Offers area
Please wait while the payment is being prepared.
Do not close this window.