MEDIUM TANK REGIMENT IN ORANIENBURG OF MECHANIZED DIVISION POTSDAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A004201040002-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 11, 2002
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: May 4, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2002/07/24: CIA-RDP80-00810A00420-104M2fa
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CLASSIFICATION 0C1IFIDEITT /A.
I
COUNTRY--
East Germany
REPORT NO. I___ I
25X1A
TOPIC ..Jed Tank Regiment in Oranienburg of Mechanized Division Potsdam
im..WW01111.0..-PAIWTIVI.WWWW,MMICYAEMIUMPUMM---WAWSOCIAVDOVOMN-MMIIIIMLWAPC
EVALIUATIONJ
DATE OF CONTENT
DATE OBTAINED
REFERENCES
PAG ES 2
25X1X
12 August
..-41:0?229.Z?UOL
?.PLACE OBTAINED_ 25X1
3.953 to 2 March 3.954
PREPARED
25X1A
REMARKS---
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0121.1111.46?EM?atoemaselesaieser*Asmailoanawl
ENCLOSURES (NO. & TYPE)
4 May 1954
...7.:16b11,ACOMEME.5.1=.1.110,16?Walitun. -
atorserzerommuman
SOURCE
25X1X
3..
agog
-112p and Subordinat,ion
was subordinate to Mechanized Division Potsdar, 25X1
The medium tank regiment
25X1
The unit was also
referred to as KVIT Oranienburg III which did not have
an office number. The regiment
was quartered in a section of the former Sacheenhau-
sen concentration camp. The service colors were blue epaulets with EM and black-
-bordered blue epaulets with officers. 1
2.pergagepenangreteh
Headquarters 32 officers, 4 HCOs, 13 EM
Supply platoon about 1 officer, 3 Wes, 40 EN
Readq:)aarters company about 8 officers, 12 HCOs, 80 EM
Aith machine gun company about 3 officers, 5 HCOs, 20 IN
I Tank Bn about 12 officers, 12 NC0s, 75 EM
II Tank Bn about 12 officers, 12 NC0s, 75 EM
III Tank Bn about 12 officers, 12 NC0e, 75 EM
Submachine gun battalion about 2 officers, 30 HC0a, 120 EM
entlamscl.rsiffnn?...wara.amo,exmlelmasemerrarnzwalear*wavoswert
Total about 82 officers, 90 C0s, 498 EM
These strengths were reported at roll call on 2 Marce 1954. The difference between
these ration strengths and the actual strengths did lot exceed 20 men. The actual
strengths had not been reached. The tank battalioneware organized into 2 companies
each, wit 3 platoons to each company. The battalions were to be assigned a third
company.
Maftailarker.P.-
Major Guenther Dobert, regimental commander
Captain Gaertner (fnu), deputy regimental commander
Captain Eugen Schiller, chief of staff
Captain Karl Herbst, deputy polit officer
Major Horst Hoffaann, deputy supply officer
Senior Lieutenant Karl-Heinz Wagner, commanding officer of I Bn
Senior Lieutenant Kaemmer (Thu), commanding officer of II Bn
Captain Koehler (hill), commanding officer of III Bn
Senior Lieutenant Erdmann (fnu)? commanding officer of submachine gun battalion
Two Soviet lieutenant colonels wearing KVF uniform were assigned to the regiment
as advisers.
i
Approved For Release 2002/07/24: CIA-RDP80-00810A004201040002-8
Approved For Release 2002/07/24: CIA-RDP80-00810A004201040002-8
CarneWIKI
-
25X1A
4.
Th regiment was equipped with 12 T-34/16 tanks including from Zeithain
frOm'Burg; 80 T,34/85 tanks from Frora, Eggesin arid Burg; 6 armored personnel carriers
and 2 armored scout cars.. The T-34/76swere used as training vehicles and the
T-34/85s.as operational vehicles. Tho tanks were in bac' condition: They vve used in
World War II. The regiment was to receive more tanks.
25X1B
6.
1:011r-cAilVAPA
The'peroonnel of ttn regiment included
25 percent of the 37935 class, about 40
of the 1933 class and about 15 percent
?
about 5-percent of elt,s, about
percent of the 1934 class, abovt 15 porcent
of older clase4r,.
garmigop. The personnel included about 25 percent fmm Sax.ony-AnIalt, about 10
percent from Saxony, about 5 percent from Thuringia , about 50 percent :e4.7:4 heck-
lenburg, about 5 percent from Brandenburg and about 5 percent from Berli.
About 20 percent were loyal to the regime, about 15 percent were
about 65 percent:dislaayed passive resistance,
9- ILIMMUP-Ae..91/2
Source learned fron Major Dobert, the regimental comw,nder, that the tranzpOrtatio
police had been subordinate to the KVF since March 1954. 53
indifferent and
1 25X1 1
25X1A 2.
25X1A 3,
Stownit. It is beliewd tl-at the thirU.09mpanieo placuled 4or the
cannot be activated at present because of the high number of vacancies
The regjment ls also short of the. SP gun battalion which, according to
pattern, is included in the T/O. On the other hand, the regiment has a
27 tanks which are not provided for in the present T/0. It is believed
tanks 1411 be assigned only after an ine&se of the personnel strength.
possible that Wks in wan of repair will be replacec.
talA battalions
Ln personnel.
the Soviet
surplus of
that more
It is also
qviasn. Aecording to other sources, the transportation .police, having beer
reorganIzod into Abschnitte (sectors) and companies, was tD be subordinated to the
KVF atter January 1954,, Further information indicated that this transfer was to
be completed by ;June 1954.
COTTIDE,DiJAI
Approved For Release 2002/07/24: CIA-RDP80-00810A004201040002-8