SOVIET OB SUMMARY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A001700390009-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 18, 2002
• Sequence Number: 9
• Publication Date: July 9, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2002/07/29 : CIA-RDP80-0081OA001700390009-2
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
SECRET
SECURITY INPORMAT:ON
East Germany/Poland
Soviet OB Summary
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This Document contains Information affecting the Na-
tional Defense of the United States, within the mean-
Ing of Title 18. Sections 793 and 704. of the U.B. Code, as
amended. Its transmission or revelation of its contents
to or receipt by an unauthorized person Is prohibited
by law. The reproduction of this form is prohibited.
REPORT NO.
DATE DISTR.
NO. OF PAGES
REQUIREMENT NO.
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
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9 July 1953
I1 1. Martial law, which had been proclaimed in Chemnitz on 17 June, was again re-
25X1X soinded on 26 June, No incidents had taken place.- Ten T-34 tanks, Doming from
the direction of Frankenberg, entered the town on the morning of 22 June. The
entire area of the railroad station was guarded by troops. All public buildings
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were occupied by a large number of VP's from Frankenberg.
2. At noon on 17 June more than 35 trucks. occupied by soldiers and guns of the
39th Guards Rifle Division left Plauen. They were allegedly. headed for the
uranium mining area. Elements of this unit returned to Plauen on 21 June.
3. In the evening of 25 June, units of the 20th Guards Mechanized Division left
the Tannenberg Kaserne and Falk Kaserne in Weimar toward Ohrdruf. During the
night of 26 June a tank battalion of the 65th Mechanized Regiment, which had
moved to Weimar on 20 June, was again entrained and left toward the west.
4. During the night of 16 June, 40 T-34 tanks, 40 trucks and armored scout oars
and AT guns of the 18th Mechanized Division arrived in Perleberg. The troops
left by road toward Pritzwalk during the night of 25 June while the tanks
were loaded in the morning of 27 June.
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5. On 17 June, the troops at the Forst Tauer training grounds were alerted. The
camp area, was placed off limits to all German workers until 22 June. Residents
of Peitz stated that they had heard the noise of tanks and track-laying vehicles
during the night of 17 June. The camp was apparently vacant until 27 June. The
guard detail had been withdrawn and only double sentries patrolled in the sur-
rounding woods. 2
6. No troops were observed passing through Potsdam from the direction of Berlin
prior to 3 July.3
7. kt I p.m. on, 4 July, a large number of tanks, SP guns and vehicles of every
description were assembled at Friedrichshain in East Berlin. Ninety-eight
T-34 tanks, 16 SP guns and trucks were observed on Dimitroff Strasse and
4
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8. Except for a tank unit of the 19th Guards Mechanized Division, all troops
had departed from Magdeburg on 6 July. n
9. on 7 July,two railroad brigade engineers stationed at Frankfurt/Oder reported
that an order issued by the Soviet Transport Control headquarters on 4 July
forbade travel by the brigade personnel to Poland. ? They stated that all
shipments were being rerouted to Stettin,5s 6
Comments.
1. If the observed tanks were Soviet, they may have belonged to the 9th
Tank Division.
2. Only a few of the tanks of the 9th Mechanized Division stationed at the
Forst Tauer training grounds were employed in the Cottbus and Weisswasser
area during the riots. It has not yet been determined whether the 100
tanks which were observed passing through Muskau en route toward Niesky
and Goerl.itz on 17 and 18 June belonged to this division. See paragraph 2
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3. Potsdam is located on the return road for units of the 1st Mechanized
Division.
4. As another source still had observed tanks and motor vehicles of the 12th
Guards Tank Division on 3 July, there is reason to believe that strong
elements were still assembled southwest of the elevated railroad line
between the Greifswalder Strasse and Lenin Allee railroad stations at noon
of 4 July. They were possibly to be shipped from there by rail.
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5. If correct, this order may have been issued for the following reasons:
a. To prevent German railroad personnel from obtaining information on
possible riots in Poland in view of the fact that a German broadcasting
station had reported on 4 July that German railroad men had supplied
information on the Polish riots.
b. The Frankfurt/Gder Warsaw Brest-line, which is the main Soviet supply
line and is capable of handling 18 trains per day in both directions,
was blasted necessitating rerouting to other lines.
c. All transit lines through Poland broke down as a result of the riots
requiring the shifting of all traffic to sea transport.
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railroad traffic to Brest was unimpeded prior to 2 July and no disturbances
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Approved For Release 2002/07/29 : CIA-RDP80-0081OA001700390009-2