Just to pre-empt any comments about "Ossi" being more of a post-Reunification slang term for former East Germans than a term that would have been used while the GDR still existed, I know it is but the rationale behind the title was:
a) "Ossis with Osas" just sounded too good to pass up. Certainly better than "Zonis with ZSUs," in my opinion...
b) The title actually references two weapons sysytems in service with the NVA during the closing decades of the Cold War: The Project 205 Moskit (NATO designation: Osa class) missile boat and the 9K33 Osa (NATO designation SA-8 "Gecko") mobile SAM system. (Osa is Russian for wasp).
c) I can only speak for myself, but I would guess that most English speakers (at least these days) are probably more familiar with "Ossis" as a term for East Germans than "Zonis." At least I hadn't heard the latter term until I started reading the Useful Notes page and article on That Other Wiki about East Germany before starting this page, while the former is, I think, fairly familiar to most...
d) I know "Ossi" can sometimes carry slightly derogatory connotations, but the impression I've always had is that it's no worse than (or even probably not as bad as) calling Irish people "Paddies" and we've got Paddies With Propeller Planes as a title for the Useful Notes page on the Irish military, so hopefully no one's offended by it...
Just to pre-empt any comments about "Ossi" being more of a post-Reunification slang term for former East Germans than a term that would have been used while the GDR still existed, I know it is but the rationale behind the title was:
a) "Ossis with Osas" just sounded too good to pass up. Certainly better than "Zonis with ZSUs," in my opinion...
b) The title actually references two weapons sysytems in service with the NVA during the closing decades of the Cold War: The Project 205 Moskit (NATO designation: Osa class) missile boat and the 9K33 Osa (NATO designation SA-8 "Gecko") mobile SAM system. (Osa is Russian for wasp).
c) I can only speak for myself, but I would guess that most English speakers (at least these days) are probably more familiar with "Ossis" as a term for East Germans than "Zonis." At least I hadn't heard the latter term until I started reading the Useful Notes page and article on That Other Wiki about East Germany before starting this page, while the former is, I think, fairly familiar to most...
d) I know "Ossi" can sometimes carry slightly derogatory connotations, but the impression I've always had is that it's no worse than (or even probably not as bad as) calling Irish people "Paddies" and we've got Paddies With Propeller Planes as a title for the Useful Notes page on the Irish military, so hopefully no one's offended by it...
Edited by 174.7.42.226