Combat Groups of the Working Class
The Combat Groups of the Working Class (German: Kampfgruppen der Arbeiterklasse, KdA) was a paramilitary organization in the German Democratic Republic (GDR) from 1953 to 1989.
| Combat Groups of the Working Class Kampfgruppen der Arbeiterklasse | |
|---|---|
Banner of the Combat Groups of the Working Class | |
| Active | 29 September 1953 – 14 December 1989 |
| Country | German Democratic Republic |
| Size | 211,000 (1980) |
| Part of | Socialist Unity Party of Germany Volkspolizei Ministry of the Interior |
| Garrison/HQ | East Berlin |
| Motto(s) | Für den Schutz der Arbeiter und Bauernmacht and
Wir schützen, was wir schaffen |
| March | "Marsch der Kampfgruppen der Arbeiterklasse" |
The KdA served as the de facto militia of the ruling Socialist Unity Party of Germany composed of party members and politically reliable working people, based on dictatorship of the proletariat principles, to be deployed locally to fight civil unrest or invasion. The KdA was a civil reserve force tied to the GDR's Ministry of the Interior and the Volkspolizei, reaching 211,000 personnel at its peak in 1980. The KdA was disbanded by the Volkskammer after the opening of the Berlin Wall in November 1989.
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