Friedrich Engels Guard Regiment

The regiment was named after Friedrich Engels, the German socialist that collaborated with Karl Marx in systematizing Marxism.

It served representative purposes and for surveillance of various landmarks in NVA East Berlin, including the City headquarters, the office of the Ministry of National Defense of the GDR in East Berlin, and the branch office of the Administration of MND Intelligence in Berlin-Köpenick.

As only Allied troops could be stationed in Berlin due to the special status of the city, the regiment was formally subordinate to the garrison commander.

The honor guard at the Unter den Linden was equipped with their own rifles whose bolt and bayonet were chromed.

Its uniforms were nearly identical to those of those of National People's Army (NVA) and were distinguished primarily by the honorary cuffband (Ärmelstreife) on the left sleeve bearing the regiment's name.