East German National People’s Army (NVA) Motor-Rifle Soldier Cold War – Custom Printed Brick Block Figure

English Name & Translation

• English Translation: Cold War East German NVA Infantryman in Raindrop Camouflage (Strichtarn)

• Faction / Military Branch: East German National People’s Army (Nationale Volksarmee – NVA)

• Historical Era: Cold War Era (1960s–1980s)

Character Identification, Description, and Historical Background

Character Identification This custom building block figure represents an East German National People’s Army (NVA) Motor-Rifle Soldier stationed along the Iron Curtain during the height of the Cold War.

Detailed Character Description (Utilizing precise 360-degree UV printing, this figure faithfully recreates the standardized combat uniform and specialized equipment issued to East German Warsaw Pact troops.)

• Head & Expression: The figure features a light nougat head print with sharp blue eyes, blonde eyebrows, and a resolute, neutral face print depicting a disciplined frontline soldier.

• Torso (Front) & Uniform: He is dressed in the iconic Strichtarn (Raindrop / Line camouflage) field jacket, known informally as “Ein Strich – kein Strich” (“one line – no line”). The pattern features thin, vertical brown streaks printed over a greyish-tan canvas background. Over his coat, he wears grey webbing harness straps. Attached to his right hip is a specialized curved AK-47 canvas magazine pouch, while his waist belt features a detailed East German NVA military buckle bearing the national emblem (hammer, compass, and wreath).

• Torso (Back) & Field Gear: The rear view showcases the continuation of the raindrop camouflage pattern and his complete field pack setup. Mounted high on his back is an NVA combat pack (Sturmgepäck) secured with grey webbing. Hanging from his rear belt is a felt-covered canteen (Feldflasche) with a brown leather strap and an AK-47 bayonet sheath attached to his left hip.

• Legs & Footwear: The leg blocks continue the detailed Strichtarn camouflage trousers and terminate in tall, polished black combat boots with printed seam and sole details.

Historical Background Formed in 1956, the Nationale Volksarmee (NVA) was the official military force of the German Democratic Republic (GDR / East Germany). Positioned at the absolute epicenter of the Cold War, NVA motorized rifle divisions were among the most heavily trained and well-equipped forces within the Warsaw Pact, designed to operate alongside Soviet forces in Central Europe.

In 1965, East Germany standardized the Strichtarn camouflage pattern, replacing earlier woodland-style smocks. Designed to break up night-vision silhouettes and blend into temperate European environments, the vertical brown streaks over khaki became the signature look of East German soldiers until the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. The gear depicted on this figure—including the curved pouch designed for 30-round AK-47/MPi-KM magazines, the compact assault pack (Sturmgepäck), and the AK bayonet—accurately reflects a fully equipped East German infantryman on high alert along the East-West border.