SUSPECTED SABOTAGE OF A GERMAN FREIGHTER IN HAMBURG HARBOR

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 00193330
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: March 8, 2023
• Document Release Date: October 4, 2019
• Case Number: F-2018-01373
• Publication Date: October 22, 1958

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E, 1.37C 713
C D IV T
22 October 1958
TO 2 CO, Hq 66th CIO Group, USAREUR
ATTN: S3 Section, OE Division
FROM s T.C. Hughes, G2 USAREUR Ln Off., OCA, American Embassy, APO 80
SUBJECT: Suspected Sabotagepfta German Freighter in HA4BURG Harbor
t314�T COPY AVAILABLE
1. Reference is made to our report of 10 October 1958, SUBJECT as
above, which furnished to your :Headquarters and the other recipients of
this correspondence a report of the sabotage of the FRG motor ship M. S.
ATLAS in HAMBURG harbor on 1 October 1958.
2. With transmittal of the above-referenced report, we also directed
to the recipients an SG, BKA reqtxeet;Or information as to whether aPY
incidents of sabotage of shipping similar to those means apparently employed
on the M. S. ATLAS were known to American security or intelligence agencies.
Replies to this query are for the most part still outstanding. Nevertheless,
the SG has come to us again with a further request for information and has
asked that it be handled as a matter of some urgency. The present request
concerns past published reports pertaining to the existence of training
schools for marine sabotage in the Soviet Zone of Germany. The specific
reports concerned are as follows:
a. From an article published in the 5 September 1951 issue of the
German weekly newsmagazine "Der Spiegel":
"The question remains: How did WILWEBER (notes Ernst
WOL/WEBER, the Communist marine sabotage expert ands until recently,
Secretary for State Security in the GDR) find qualified replacements
for his former colleagues after 1945 in order to build up a new sabotage
group which could be trained sufficiently to operate on the former pattern?
"Forty kilometers from the slip installation at the Peoples
Wharf in STRA1SUND, where a few months previously WOLIWEBER let the first
ocean going ship of the east zone republic down the ways, there is located
near the LADEB04 air field the former property of a one-time farm owner.
At the entrance hangs today ia metal sign: "Technical School s4 the
Transport Ministry ("Fachschule des Verkehrsministeriums"), Marine
Transport Department ("Abteilung Schiffahrt"). The students: specially
chosen FDJ functionaries, but'including foreigners with a northern accent
and an active cadre of former non-commissioned officers and sergeants of
the BRAMENBURG Division.
feir v-r/44_
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"Department Chiefs Dr. KOENIG, former "Sonderfiehrer (S)"
and instructor of the so-called "Kuestenjaeger-Abteilung (Coastal Troops
Division)", special troops of the BRANDENBURGr Division.
"On behalf of Counter Intelligence Department II ("Abwehrab-
teilung II") of the Supreme High Command (01S4) Dr. KOENIG, of Baltic
origin, was training an elite group on the grounds of the Chemical-
Technical Reich's Institute in BERLIN-Tegel; this group was to undertake
essentially the sane thing as WOLIWEBER's people; sabotage and explosion
of shipping.
"About this a former member of the Coastal Troops ("Kuesten-
jaeger"), whose first action consisted of a successful attack against an
Allied transport in the Italian port BARI in the summer of 1944, had the
following to say: A saboteur must himself bring the explosive charge to
the ship. He can hardly smuggle more than four pounds of explosive on
board without being detected. He must place this amount so effectively
that the blast of the explosion destroys the boilers and the succeoding
boiler explosion severely damages the ship.
"Because, however, it was exceedingly difficult in hostile
areas to smuggle explosives on board without detection, Dr. KOENIG de-
veloped, in cooperation withthe Physics-Technical Reich Institute, a
particular apparatus: the underwater-ring-attachment charge. It consists
of an eighty pound heavy, hollow metal ring filled with explosives. The
diameter of the ring was approximately 1,50 meters.
"To its underside eight magnets were attached. They held the
explosive charge tightly to the outer skin of the ship to be blown up.
The explosion, which was detonated by a clock-work fuse, blew a round
section out of the ship's hull. The "Kuestenjaeger" was equipped with
a swim vest in order to permit him to tow three ring-charges at one time.
"The magnets were strong enough to hold the charge even when
the ship was underway. The detonation usually resulted on the high seas,
upon proper adjustment of the fuse, rather than in the harbor.
"'Kuestenjaeger' instructor Dr. KOENIG also remained true to
his field after the war. As a member of former "Kuestenjaeger" in western
Germany are aware, he guided a number of his former comrades to LADEBCW
near GREIFSWALD. From there they write recruiting letters to western
Germany such as this: "You were also well taken care of with us and Dr.
KOENIG. We are living here in a villa. We receive good pay and good
food -- on Sundays at least chicken with rice."
CPIYFIDZN7-/AI._
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b. From a pamphlet "From Bomb Mechanic to State Secretary (Vom
Hoellenmaschinisten sum Staatssekretaer) published in 1253 BONN by
the "Freiheit Action der Jugend":
"It was also mentioned that these agents were sometimes
brought in as supposed refugees from the GDR after they had been thorou-
ghly trained at WCIIWEBER's special schools. These schools train the
experts in the intelligence and sabotage agencies. After special courses
at the KARI MARX HOCHSCHTIE in KIEINMACHNCV near BERLIN the participants
in the course go to LADSWAID. At this former university
farm close by the fis6er village MK exists since recently a "Technical
School of the Transport Ministry ("Fachschule des Verkehrsminist7M7677-
--Marine Transport Department (*Abtelivng Schiffetrto").--"Thtra;:however,
one-don not IDIFfi-h&-trabil5Ort services -in-t-he-ODR can be improved but
rather how one effectively destroys foreign ships, wharfs and harbor
installations, however one 'salts" bunker coal withexplosives and whether
explosives with delayed fuzes are suitable for this or for that purpose.
Whoever proves himself in LADEBOW as particularly adept may reckon with
attendance at a course in GOLDBERG or WARIN where the last refinements
for assignments abroad are taught. On the island GOLDBERG in the northern
section of the SCHWERINER SEE --- MARIN is about 20 kilometers to the
east and serves a similar purpose with similar means - there is a barracks
camp for approximately 175 students and numerous full and part time
instructors under Ernst BRUNDERT, a former merchant marine officer and
member of the KPD since 1923. Hare there are models of different types
of ships and harbor installations and at least 100 foreigners - to say
nothing of the Germans -- have been trained during the last year as sabotage
specialists." 44,
3. Withreference to these articles the Security Group is speci-
fically askingt
gle
a. Is there any information available to U.S. security and 4Itt.
4or
intelligence services which would tend to confirm, supplement, or refute
the allegations contained therein?
b. Is it possible to identitrDr. (fnu) KOENIG, former 4
"Sonderfuehrer" and alleged instructor of sabotage troops at LADEBOW?
(See the foregoing for all available information re KOENIG.)
c. Is it possible to identify Ernst BRUNDERT, allegedly a
sabotage instructor at a sabotage school on the island GOLDBERG?
.6k9
es/F11-)41, / 41.
(b)(1)
(b)(3)
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d. /f there is information available to confirm the existence
of these alleged sabotage training schools in the GDR, are the identities
of any students who may have attended them known to American agencies?
4. The recipients of this correspondence are requested to check their
records for any available information pertaining to the foregoing and to
furnish such information if available, to this office for delivery to the
SG, BKA. Negative replies are also requested.
Copies to:
0A0ofS, G2 USAREUR, APO 403
ATTN: CI Branch
CINCNELM Representative, Germany
APO 757
Legal Attache, Embassy,
ATTN: Mr. G.A. Van Noy
OSI Liaison Element, OCA, BONN
ATTN: Mr. C.L. Martin
DAD, liaison Element, OCA, BONN
ATTN: Mr. Schmitz
S-f
te3
cko
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