SOVIET AMMUNITION DEPOTS IN EAST GERMANY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A003000490010-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 14, 2009
• Sequence Number: 10
• Publication Date: November 9, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2009/04/14: CIA-RDP80-00810A003000490010-4
CLASSIriCATIOiv r
`).JNTRY East Germany
IC Soviet Ammunition Dopote in East Germany
k.'t LUATION
E OF CONTENT
`a E OBTAINED
'.FERENCES
---PLACE OBTAINED
RCPORT
DATE PREPARED 9 November 1953
+ ES 3 -ENCLOSURES (NO. & PYPE) 2 _ 1? skeW'Jiz of ammunition dump
AARKS
! d\
c1Q
1. In mid-September 1953, the new ammunition depot at Bad
Saarow had not yet been filled. Minor cone ruction work was done. Each bunker
was additionally provided with a lightning rod, each 16 to 18 meters
high. Spot lights illuminating the outer fence were fitted to the 84 poles of
the electric circuit around the depot. The searchlights so far employed woxe
withdrawn.
2, In August 1953,)I Ithe caseates of the former Kuestrin or-
tress near Oorgast were prepared for the storage of air force ammunition. 25X1
3, At the beginning of September, a lar a ammunition depot was established in the
area of the former Kuestrin Fortress in Gorgast. Numerous lighting rods 25X1
were observed on a'group of hills about 200 meters west of the 1"ansohnow-
.-Gorgast road. The depot area me_~.sured about 200 x 400 meters and was surrounded
by a wide ditch. The bunkers were brick vaults, built into. the hills and covered
by 75-cm concrete layers and layers of 4 to 5 meters of earth, Several large
bunkers of about 10 x 6 meters and several small bunkers were observed. They had
been constructed by order of the Soviet Zone Government, Department VP Air. The
construction project was listed under No 115 and was to be completed about in
late September 1953,2 .
4, At the beginning of September 1953, a KVP ammunition depot was located between
the southernmost houses of the fathen health. resort and the signal stiation of Strand,
west of the Dresden-Bad Schandau railroad line. The.entrance to the depot was lo-
cated about 8' meters off the railroad line. The depot was camouflaged as. quarry and
the ammunition was stored in five recesses driven into the rock. Two more galle-
ries were under construction. The recesses, which were said to be about 120 me-
ters deep, were covered by a layer of sandstone, about 160 meters. long; and the
entrances were provided with strong lattice work and were well-camouflaged. They
were very difficult to recognize from the railroad line and road. The entire do-
pct was surrounded by a board fence and the entrannes were illuminated by search-
lights. Infantry ammunition and small arms were chiefly stored at the depot. In-
coming and outgoing shipments were exclusively handled at night. The KVP personnel
at the installation belonged to the KVi' barracks installation 'in Bad Schandau. A
sketch of the depot. 25X1
CLASSIFICATION Sj~'G :?T/C0N ' 0L d U. S. Or IGTALS ONLY
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 Approved For Release 2009/04/14: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA003000490010-4
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25X1
a former German ammunition depot about 5 kin north of
Sohulzend.orf near Gransee has been used as VP ammunition depot since 1952. A
single track railroad line was under construction southeast of the depot in
mid-1953. At that time, it could not be determined whether the line led into
the depot. The ammunition depot proper measured about 800 x 1,000 meters and
was surrounded by a circular board fence which was paralleled by a barbed-wire
fence. The five-meter strip between the two fences was cl.aared1 ploughed and
declared off limits. Watch towers were erected along the board fence. The
depot was located in a dense woods of pine trees. The ammunition bunkers-which
were allegedly filled with artillery and infantry ammunition could not be seen
from the watch towers. Only officers and workers had.access to the depot, while
the guard personnel were forbidden to enter the dump. The individual guard de-
tails employed at the beginning of July 1953 numbered about 28 men and were
equipped with carbines, submachine guns, pistols and light machine guns. The
following units picked up ammunition by truck at the beginning of July 195:13
KVP Spremberg, infantry and artillery ammunition
KVP Halle, infantry and tank ammunition
KVP Zeithain, infantry and tank ammunition
VPL Zeithain, infantry ammunition
KVP Frankenberg, infantry ammunition
KVP Prenzlau, infantry ammunition
KVP Prora, infantry and artillery ammunition. 4
6. In August 1953, 8 concrete bunkers, each of 50 x 30 meters, built into the
earth and covered with sand)were obuervtv in the VP ammunition depot at
Gransee. All kinds of ammunition destined for the KVP were stored at the.
dump.4
25X1
25X1
7. At the beginning of October 195391 by order of the Ministry --
of the Interior at Glinka Strasse, Berlin, the Bsu-Union-Sued in Dresden consigned
Government Order OB/3/2103/1 of 22 July 1953 to the VEB Anlagenbau Berlin VEM for
Project 11-1334 in Gorgast. Personalities at the 25X1
Ministry of the Interior included Lieutenant Co one Koehler, ptain Giess
aschpartment chief and Senior Lieutenant Vorwerk as officer in charge
of project Gorgast. The order for the VEB Anlagenbau included the construction of
lighting facilities at the construction site; interior installation work in the
low administrative buildings, quarters, and bunkers; and the establishment of a
high-tension installation with two tranaformers,iincluding one with a capacity of
50 kVA and the other of 30 kVA. Source learned that ammunition bunkers for the
KVP were to be constructed.2
8. The following is a complet list of rail shipments dispatched from the ammunition
depot at Kapen in August and September 1953:
25X1
Date Number of
Boxgars
Shipment
in Tons
3 August
2
30, ammunition
Wilmersdorf
15 September
2
17, ammunition
Finow
4
45, ammunition
Jueterbog, Altes Lager
16 "
3
41, ammunition
Altengrabow,
17 "
3
41, armiunition
Wilmersdorf
18 "
2
16, ammunition
Altenhain
3
31, ammunition
Mockrehna
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 Approved For Release 2009/04/14: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA003000490010-4
SECRET/CONTROL .- U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
9. The following is a list of rail shipments which arrived at, or were dispatched
from, the Pfaffendorf ammunition depot in July and September 1953:
Incoming shoo e t
3. .
Date
Number of
ixcara
Shipment
6 July
1
amm=ition
14 July
12
a
17 July
3
Outgoing shirr
Pts
11 July
2
ammunition, 26 tons
17 July
1
16 tons
15 September
4
60 tons
16 September
1
14 tons
14 tons
Jensen
Altengrabow
Mockrehna
ig
Jensen,
Altenha
Brest Litov
Altengrabow
Altenhain,
Gonwnt. Information on the construction of an ammunition depot for the
of a. new depot a eve pose e. However, su on has not been
determined. At present,, it is doubted that the bombe and aircraft armaM,; ammo
nition should be stored there. The KVP officers mentioned are known as belonging
to the construction bureau.
o=Bt-. Other reports repeatedly mentioned an ammunition depot located in
this area. Its exact location has not been known. It is believed possible that
the ammunition depot is being enlarged for the. K4TP. For sketch see Annex.- .
25X1
Ac. ording to the 1953,E
1954 East-German winter schedule, the.line had on en into operation rafter 4
October 1953< It could not be determined whether the depot was provided with a
spur track to the W?olfsrub railroad. station's It can be assumed, however, that the
old spur track has also been reconditioned. 25X1
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SECURITY INFO1ZNiATIntl
Legend:
riot fc scale-
1 Galleries, completed
2 Galleries, under construction
3 Low, temporary wooden buildings
4 Entrances to the depot
5 Board fence
SECRIET/CONTROL - U. S. OFFICI.. LS ONLY
SECURITY INFORM ;T IC)Iy
Soviet Ammunition Depot Located South of Rathen Health resort. West of the
Dresden-Bad Schandau ailroad L aye
Approved For Release 2009/04/14: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA003000490010-4