Germany
German Democratic Republic

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1945-1947 motorcycle plate. TF = Thüringen Freistaat. On these plates, the letters TF were embossed, while the serial number was painted.

Normal series plate. Early 1953-1975 style plate made from embossed metal. T = Karl-Marx-Stadt (now Chemnitz).

1976 onwards style normal series plates.
H = Magdeburg
AI = Rostock city
ZD = Cottbus city
The first two plates are in the typical style: A metal base with black decal characters. The third plate is in an unusual style: a borderless flat plastic base with glued on plastic characters.

1976 onwards style motorcycle plate. C = Neubrandenburg.

Police plate. VP = Volkspolizei, 08 = Halle district.

Army Plate. VA = Volksarmee.

Border police plate. GT = Grenzschutztruppen.

Sports and Technical Organization plate. U = Leipzig district. Blue plastic seals were used from 1975-1980.

Diplomatic plate. 45 = Netherlands. Diplomatic plates had a rectangular annual validation sticker beneath the hyphen. This one is partly removed, but from the design at the left it can be seen that it is from 1990.

Trade plate. KK = Halle city. This plate was used before and after reunification. There used to be an East German seal above the hyphen. This was removed and a West German transitional seal was placed below the hyphen.

Police motorcycle plate, used before and after German reunification. Initially, it had the letters VP for Volkspolizei (people's police). Because this is communist diction, "Volks" was dropped from the force's name, and accordingly the letter V was removed from the plates (which were made with stick-on characters). But because the rest of the plate had more time to fade into beige, you can still see the V in bright white. Then a West German inspection sticker for 1994 was added.

Transitional pair around reunification. During this time, the East German system was used for some time, but plates were made in West German style. Both plates carry a West German transitional seal. SV = Halle.

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	1945-1947 motorcycle plate. TF = Thüringen Freistaat. On these plates, the letters TF were embossed, while the serial number was painted.
	Normal series plate. Early 1953-1975 style plate made from embossed metal. T = Karl-Marx-Stadt (now Chemnitz).

	1976 onwards style normal series plates. H = Magdeburg AI = Rostock city ZD = Cottbus city The first two plates are in the typical style: A metal base with black decal characters. The third plate is in an unusual style: a borderless flat plastic base with glued on plastic characters.
	1976 onwards style motorcycle plate. C = Neubrandenburg.

	Police plate. VP = Volkspolizei, 08 = Halle district.
	Army Plate. VA = Volksarmee.
	Border police plate. GT = Grenzschutztruppen.
	Sports and Technical Organization plate. U = Leipzig district. Blue plastic seals were used from 1975-1980.
	Diplomatic plate. 45 = Netherlands. Diplomatic plates had a rectangular annual validation sticker beneath the hyphen. This one is partly removed, but from the design at the left it can be seen that it is from 1990.
	Trade plate. KK = Halle city. This plate was used before and after reunification. There used to be an East German seal above the hyphen. This was removed and a West German transitional seal was placed below the hyphen.

	Police motorcycle plate, used before and after German reunification. Initially, it had the letters VP for Volkspolizei (people's police). Because this is communist diction, "Volks" was dropped from the force's name, and accordingly the letter V was removed from the plates (which were made with stick-on characters). But because the rest of the plate had more time to fade into beige, you can still see the V in bright white. Then a West German inspection sticker for 1994 was added.
	Transitional pair around reunification. During this time, the East German system was used for some time, but plates were made in West German style. Both plates carry a West German transitional seal. SV = Halle.