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The ''Freiwilliger Helfer der Volkspolizei'' (abbreviated FH) ( en, "Voluntary Auxiliary of the People´s Police") was an
The FH was established by the East German government on 25 September 1952. Its function was to assist the ''
auxiliary police
Auxiliary police, also called special police, are usually the part-time reserves of a regular police force. They may be armed or unarmed. They may be unpaid volunteers or paid members of the police service with which they are affiliated. The po ...
service in East Germany
East Germany, officially the German Democratic Republic (GDR; german: Deutsche Demokratische Republik, , DDR, ), was a country that existed from its creation on 7 October 1949 until its dissolution on 3 October 1990. In these years the state ...
from 1952 to 1990.
History and purpose
The FH was established by the East German government on 25 September 1952. Its function was to assist the ''Volkspolizei
The ''Deutsche Volkspolizei'' (DVP, German for "German People's Police"), commonly known as the ''Volkspolizei'' or VoPo, was the national police force of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) from 1945 to 1990. The Volkspolizei was a h ...
'' ("People's Police") in fighting crime and border violation and protecting public goods. The FH had the right to control traffic and were also called upon to take part in search and manhunt operations.§ 8 Absatz 2 des Volkspolizeigesetzes der DDR Furthermore, there was intended to be an educational effect for the East Germans, because the FH volunteers were on patrol in residential areas and workplaces. The FH volunteers fulfilled their patrol missions in plain clothes, but were identifiable by their armband
An armband is a piece of material worn around the arm. They may be worn for pure ornamentation, or to mark the wearer as belonging to group, or as insignia having a certain rank, status, office or role, or being in a particular state or conditi ...
. The FH was disbanded a few days before German reunification
German reunification (german: link=no, Deutsche Wiedervereinigung) was the process of re-establishing Germany as a united and fully sovereign state, which took place between 2 May 1989 and 15 March 1991. The day of 3 October 1990 when the Ge ...
in 1990.
See also
* Auxiliary state police forces in Germany * Auxiliary police reserve, FPR in BerlinReferences
Law enforcement in East Germany Government agencies established in 1952 1952 establishments in East Germany 1990 disestablishments in East Germany Law enforcement in communist states Auxiliary police units {{Germany-org-stub