Rote Garde

The Red Guard of the People's Ministry for Internal Security (German: Rote Garde des Volksministeriums für Innere Sicherheit), usually simply referred to as the Red Guard, is the paramilitary division of the People's Ministry for Internal Security, the security service of the Free Socialist Republic of Germany.
The Red Guard's official role is to protect government buildings and government personnel. It is composed entirely of handpicked volunteers from the Landstreitkräfte deemed to be politically reliable. No members of the Red Guard come from non-working class backgrounds, including the officers.
It is organized into three divisions, with a total personnel strength of about 24,000 enlisted men and NCOs, and 6,000 officers, for a total of 30,000. In the event of war they would be mobilized as an elite force and subordinated to the Landstreitkräfte command.
Category:Branches of the Volksarmee