KVP AT THE WEISSWASSER TRROP TRAINING GROUNDS: BEGINNING OF MANEUVERS IM THE AREA OF TRAENKE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A002600380006-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 10, 2005
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: September 29, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

---REPORT
TOPIC GP'I' at the Waisswasser Trron Training .Grounds:
Be inninw of_:Maneuxvers In the Aree. of Traenke
EVALUATION.,_.
DATE OF CONTE `
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DATE OBTAINED..,.--..__- DATE PREPARED. 29 Septambe ? 1953
REFERENCES-
,_ ~._.. ~.,.m... -
PACES ~_~.. .~ _. ENCLOSURES (No. & 1YPE)
REMARKS.
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1. On 15 and 16 July 1953, a KVP shipment of about 30 converted boxcars with'
450 to 600 KVPs stood at the W?aisswasser railroad station. The troops were
observed marching to the troop training grounds where they engaged in
training activity with light machine guns and rifles,, The troops were en-
trained again at the Weiaswasser railroad station and left toward Sprert
berg at about 8:50 pQm., on 16 July 1953.E
2. At about 8:30 p.m. on 21 July, a KVF shipment of about 25 cars with an
estimated 500 KVPs-passed through WeisswassQr in the direction of Cottbus,
having come from the direction of Goerlitz.
30 At 10:.45 p.m. on 18 Augustp, a KVP train of 20 to 23 cars with 4001to 500
troops passed through Weisswasser from the direction of Spremberg and
proceeded toward Goerlitz.1 0
Between 13 July and 20 August 19538 regular artillery fire with live
ammunition was heard from the Weisswasser troop training grounds, with about
three rounds fired each minute. Camp Nochten-Box-berg was still occupied by
KVP. Most of the trucks observed in traffic between the camp and Weisswassor
5. On 12 August, the KVP' tank unit.stationed at Weise-
wasser troop training group s3 was commanded by on Major Fritz Richter from
Halle who ',tore blue-bordered epaulets and blue collar patches.
Between 8 a0 mA and noon on 12 August, about 400 swearing red-bordered
epaulets and black collar patches practiced firing with live amanunition
with heavy machine guns at the infantry training site. About.400 other
KVPs wearing yellow bordered epaulets and black collar patches practiced
there with heavy machine guns from 2 to 4 p.m. on 13 August,, At about 8:30
asap on 18 August, about 350 troops with submachine guns marched from Camp
NQChten to the training site.KVPs were engaged in submachine gua and heavy
machine gun firing on the firing range and in firing practice at practice
targets in the terrain at 1 pamcl
rt AcSIFtr.ATt()N SEC. .
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7. Tanks and AT artillery practiced firing on the tank firing range from
9 p.m, to 1 a.m. during the night of 14 August. Red and green ground
signals wcrs fired? From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m, on 17 andl8 August, tanks
and AT ?rti.ll.ery practiced firing on the training sited1 T-34/85 tank
I Itowed to Camp Nochten from the tank firing range at 1 p.m,.
on 18 August.
8. On 13 Augc?st 8 T-34/85 tanks
practiced driving in forest sections No 98s 99,
100 and }14 on the tank training site near Camp Tzschelin8 Driving rac-
tices held there on 19 August included 10 T-34/85 tanks
10. At about 6 am. on 12 August, 2 railroad tank cars at the Weisswasser rail.
road station were emptied into tank trucks
each with a trailer, which left toward Nochteno Two boxcars and
a refrigerator car were unloaded at the supply depot at about 10 a.m,, the
same day.
11. Between 17 and 23 August, 5 SU-76 guns and 9 trucks, including 4 tank
trucks,, were observed can the tank parking lot of Camp Nochten0 An unde-
termined number of T-34-tanks were parked in the camp. Five T-34 tanks
and up to 4 SU-76
guns were daily observed between the camp and the tank training site east
of Tzschelin. KVPs stated that driving practices and small-scale- combat
exercises were held on the tank training site. Tank firing was heard daily
from the Nochten firing range,1
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12. On 20 August 1953, the lst Tank Training Bn from Zeithain, with its
companies numbering 70 'men each. left Camp Nochten to be loaded at
Uhyst railroad station. the same day, 100 KVPs without heavy wtaapons
arrived 13 Camp Nochten from Spremberg equipped with two field
kitchens,,'
13. On 6 September, large-scale UP .maneuvers -mere hold
on the,Traenke?Troop training grounds near Ritschen. All approach roads
were blocked by KVP from 31 August to 10 September, daily from 5 a.m. to
7 palm. KVP that relieved the guards arrived on truckF- _J motor
vehicles were identified on the training
grounds.
o;nt. Coverage of the Weisswasser troop training grounds indicates
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2. Cormmen&. One Major Richter was reported to have been train ng
officer at the tank officer school in Erfurt in March 1953.
3.
no changes prior to 23 August 1953, F
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Comment. The departure for Zeithain of the tank training battalion
was reported previously.
4 [111111] . in ealy August that large-scale manvavera
were to be conducted at the Traenke troop training grounds..
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