 Opinion shifted in the ensuing ten years, however, and when, in 1956, the German Democratic Republic was permitted to establish its own National People's Army, what emerged was partly based on quasi-military structures that had already been fashioned within the nation's police service.When the national army (NVA / "Nationale Volksarmee") was formally founded in 1956, Franke became a Deputy Head and Leader of the Political Department of the Air Force Commandos (LVA / "Luftstreitkräfte der Nationalen Volksarmee"), a position he retained till 10 February 1959.At the same time he was a member of The Party's regional leadership in Cottbus.